Synthesize Discovery Findings
Arguments: $ARGUMENTS
Argument Parsing
Parse the arguments to extract:
{Source_URLs}- One or more Confluence document URLs (space-separated){Target_Epic}- Optional target implementation epic (via--target=CC-XX)
Examples:
/synthesize-discovery https://confluence/doc1→ Single source, auto-detect target epics/synthesize-discovery https://confluence/doc1 https://confluence/doc2→ Multiple sources/synthesize-discovery https://confluence/doc1 --target=CC-62→ Single source, specific target epic/synthesize-discovery doc1-url doc2-url doc3-url --target=CC-62→ Multiple sources, specific target
Supported Source Types:
- Discovery Documents (from
/create-epic-discovery) - Research findings documents
- Interview summaries
- Technical spike reports
- Competitive analysis documents
- Any Confluence page with structured findings
Workflow Chain
/create-epic-discovery <epic-key> → Discovery Document
↓
[Manual research, interviews, experiments]
↓
/synthesize-discovery <doc-urls...> → Synthesis Document (YOU ARE HERE)
↓
/approve-synthesis <synthesis-url> → Creates Jira Tickets
↓
/create-implementation-plan <overview-doc> → Implementation planning continues
Phase 0: Source Retrieval
Fetch all source documents from the provided URLs
Extract from each source:
- Document type (discovery doc, research findings, spike report, etc.)
- Key findings and insights
- Validated/invalidated hypotheses
- Answered research questions
- Remaining unknowns
- Recommendations
Identify target implementation epics:
- If
--targetspecified, use that epic - Otherwise, extract from "Target Implementation Epics" sections
- If none found, ask user to specify
- If
FAILURE CONDITION - Missing Information:
If sources cannot be fetched or no target epics identified:
STOP and prompt the user:
I was unable to retrieve required information. Sources Retrieved: [count]/[total] Failed Sources: [list URLs that failed] Target Epics Found: [list or "None"] Please provide: 1. Confirm source URLs are accessible 2. Target implementation epic(s): [e.g., CC-62, CC-60]DO NOT PROCEED until confirmed.
MANDATORY CHECKPOINT - Sources Confirmation:
Please confirm before I proceed: Sources to Synthesize: 1. [URL] - [Document Title] ([type]) 2. [URL] - [Document Title] ([type]) ... Target Implementation Epic(s): [list] Is this correct? (Yes / No / Correct)DO NOT PROCEED without explicit user confirmation.
Phase 1: Cross-Source Analysis
Consolidate findings across all sources:
- Merge hypothesis validation results
- Combine research question answers
- Identify consistent themes
- Note contradictions or conflicts
Create findings inventory:
Finding ID Source(s) Category Finding Confidence Actionable F1 Doc1, Doc2 User Need Users want X High Yes F2 Doc1 Technical API supports Y Med Yes F3 Doc3 Business ROI is Z Low Needs validation Identify patterns:
- Recurring themes across sources
- Convergent conclusions
- Divergent opinions requiring resolution
Catalog remaining unknowns:
- Questions still unanswered
- New questions that emerged
- Areas needing further research
Phase 2: Recommendation Generation
Generate feature recommendations: For each actionable finding, determine:
- Should this become a ticket?
- What type of work is it? (Feature, Enhancement, Spike, Research)
- Which implementation epic does it belong to?
- What's the priority based on findings?
- Are there dependencies on other recommendations?
Create recommendation matrix:
Rec ID Based On Title Type Target Epic Priority Dependencies R1 F1, F2 Implement X feature Story CC-62 High None R2 F3 Validate ROI assumption Spike CC-60 Med R1 R3 F1 Design user flow for X Task CC-62 High None Identify scope decisions needed:
- Features that could go multiple directions
- Trade-offs requiring stakeholder input
- MVP vs future phase decisions
Phase 3: Synthesis Document Creation
Create a comprehensive synthesis document:
1. Synthesis Overview
- Discovery Epic: Link to original discovery epic
- Sources Analyzed: List all source documents with links
- Synthesis Date: When this synthesis was created
- Target Implementation Epics: Links to target epics
2. Executive Summary
- Key Insight: One-paragraph summary of most important discovery
- Recommendation: High-level direction based on findings
- Confidence Level: Overall confidence in recommendations
- Major Decisions Needed: List any blocking decisions
3. Consolidated Findings
Validated Hypotheses
| ID | Original Hypothesis | Validation Status | Evidence | Implications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H1 | [statement] | Validated | [sources] | [what this means] |
| H2 | [statement] | Partially Validated | [sources] | [caveats] |
| H3 | [statement] | Invalidated | [sources] | [pivot needed] |
Research Questions Answered
| ID | Question | Answer | Confidence | Source(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | [question] | [answer] | High/Med/Low | [docs] |
Key Insights
Narrative summary of the most important learnings, organized by theme:
User/Customer Insights:
- [Insight with supporting evidence]
Technical Insights:
- [Insight with supporting evidence]
Business Insights:
- [Insight with supporting evidence]
4. Remaining Unknowns
| ID | Unknown | Impact | Recommendation | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U1 | [what we don't know] | [why it matters] | [next step] | High/Med/Low |
5. Recommendations by Epic
For each target implementation epic:
{Epic_Key}: {Epic_Title}
Recommended Tickets:
| # | Title | Type | Priority | Story Points | Dependencies | Based On |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [title] | Story | High | 5 | None | F1, F2 |
| 2 | [title] | Task | Med | 3 | #1 | F3 |
Scope Recommendations:
- What should be included in MVP
- What should be deferred to future phases
- What should NOT be built based on findings
Risk Adjustments:
- New risks identified from discovery
- Updated risk levels based on findings
- Mitigation strategies learned
6. Decision Log
Decisions that need to be made before implementation:
| Decision | Options | Recommendation | Rationale | Owner | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [decision] | A, B, C | B | [why] | [who] | [when] |
6a. Blocking Decisions
Status: [Pending Resolution / All Resolved]
Decisions that MUST be resolved before tickets can be created:
| ID | Decision | Options | Status | Resolution | Resolved By | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | [decision question] | A, B, C | Pending | - | - | - |
Impact: Tickets [T1, T3, T5] are blocked until all decisions are resolved.
Note: Use /approve-synthesis to resolve these decisions and create tickets.
7. Source Cross-Reference
Map findings back to sources:
| Source | Key Contributions | Findings Referenced |
|---|---|---|
| [Doc1 URL] | [what this doc contributed] | F1, F2, F5 |
| [Doc2 URL] | [what this doc contributed] | F3, F4 |
8. Appendix: Full Findings Inventory
Complete list of all findings extracted from sources with full detail.
9. Proposed Tickets Data
Status: Pending Approval Last Updated: [timestamp]
{
"version": "1.0",
"synthesis_url": "[this document URL]",
"discovery_epic": "[Discovery Epic Key]",
"blocking_decisions": [
{
"id": "D1",
"question": "[decision question]",
"options": ["A", "B", "C"],
"status": "pending",
"resolution": null,
"blocks_tickets": ["T1", "T3"]
}
],
"proposed_tickets": [
{
"id": "T1",
"title": "[Ticket title]",
"type": "Story",
"target_epic": "CC-62",
"priority": "High",
"story_points": 5,
"dependencies": [],
"blocked_by_decisions": ["D1"],
"based_on_findings": ["F1", "F2"],
"description": "[Full ticket description]",
"acceptance_criteria": [
"Criterion 1",
"Criterion 2"
],
"notes_from_discovery": "[Relevant insights]"
}
],
"approval_status": "pending",
"approved_by": null,
"approved_date": null
}
This section is machine-readable and used by /approve-synthesis command.
Phase 4: Review & Approval
MANDATORY CHECKPOINT - Synthesis Review:
## Synthesis Document Preview
[Full synthesis document content]
---
Summary:
- Sources Analyzed: [count]
- Findings Extracted: [count]
- Hypotheses Validated: [count] / Invalidated: [count]
- Proposed Tickets: [count]
- Blocking Decisions: [count] pending
- Target Epics: [list]
Ready to publish synthesis document? (Yes / No / Modify)
- Yes → Publish synthesis document to Confluence
- No → Ask what changes are needed
- Modify → User provides feedback, regenerate
DO NOT PROCEED without explicit approval.
Phase 5: Publish & Output
Publish synthesis document to Confluence:
- Location:
/epics/Discovery/{Discovery_Epic_Key}/Synthesis/ - Title: "{Discovery_Epic_Key} Synthesis - [Date]"
- Location:
Update discovery document with link to synthesis
Update target epic(s) with:
- Link to synthesis document
- Summary of proposed tickets (not created yet)
Output
When complete, you MUST provide:
## Discovery Synthesis Complete!
**Synthesis Document:** {Synthesis_Document_URL}
### Sources Analyzed
1. [Doc1 Title]({url})
2. [Doc2 Title]({url})
...
### Summary
- Total Findings: [count]
- Validated Hypotheses: [count]
- Invalidated Hypotheses: [count]
- Remaining Unknowns: [count]
### Proposed Tickets Summary
**Total Proposed:** [count] tickets, [sum] story points
**Blocking Decisions:** [count] pending
#### By Epic:
- {Epic_Key_1}: [count] tickets ([sum] points)
- {Epic_Key_2}: [count] tickets ([sum] points)
### Blocking Decisions
1. [D1: Decision needing resolution]
2. [D2: Decision needing resolution]
### Next Steps
1. Review the synthesis document
2. Resolve blocking decisions
3. Run ticket approval:
/approve-synthesis {Synthesis_Document_URL}
Failure Conditions
| Condition | Action |
|---|---|
| Source URL not accessible | List failed URLs, ask for alternatives |
| No target epic specified or found | Ask user to specify target epic(s) |
| Conflicting findings across sources | Document conflicts, ask user to resolve |
| Confluence publish fails | Provide document content for manual publishing |
Agent Delegation
Before synthesis:
- Document Analysis: Use Explore agents to analyze each source document in parallel
- Pattern Recognition: Identify themes and patterns across sources
- Cross-Reference: Map findings to their sources
During document creation:
- Validation: Verify target epics exist and are accessible
- Decision Identification: Flag decisions that will block ticket creation