How do I install the Requirements Grill skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add willianbs/requirements-grill in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Requirements Grill safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Requirements Grill?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Requirements Grill free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Requirements Grill?

willianbs (@willianbs) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Requirements Grill by willianbs — Agent Skill

Name: Requirements Grill
Author: willianbs

Requirements Grill

Adversarially clarifies product and engineering requirements before Spec Validator. Use when asks are vague or high-stakes. Emits GRILL_NOTES. Never invents product decisions as facts or starts implementation.

willianbs 6a33cd4 2 files · 3.4 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

Purpose

Stress-test an ask with pointed questions and contradiction checks so SPEC_STATUS is earned, not assumed.

When to Use / When NOT to Use

Use when: vague tickets, conflicting stakeholders, HighRisk features, user says “grill me” / “challenge the requirements”.

Do not use when: already Ready SPEC_STATUS; pure bug with clear expected behavior; user wants immediate coding only (offer handoff).

Preconditions

An ask exists (even messy). If empty, ask for the one-sentence goal first.

Inputs / Outputs

Inputs: raw ask/ticket/PRD draft, optional CONTEXT_PACK.

Outputs: GRILL_NOTES (feeds spec-validator).

Upstream / Downstream

Upstream: user, engineering-mentor, engineering-os.

Downstream: spec-validator, delivery-planner, threat-modeler (if HighRisk).

Core Principles

Adversarial but respectful — attack ambiguity, not people.
Prefer questions that unlock decisions over essays.
Surface hidden assumptions, non-goals, and edge cases.
Force measurable acceptance criteria candidates.
Separate ProductDecisionNeeded vs EngineeringDecisionNeeded.
Cap to the smallest question set that unblocks Ready.
Do not silently fill gaps.

Process

Restate the ask in one sentence; confirm.
Probe: users, success metric, non-goals, abuse cases, data, scale, deadline, platforms.
Contradiction hunt — flag conflicts.
Edge-case battery — empty, failure, permissions, concurrency, migration.
Draft candidate AC IDs (provisional) for spec-validator.
List blocking questions vs nice-to-have.
Decision: ready for spec-validator or still Blocked on product answers.

Evidence Requirements

Quote vague phrases. Do not invent stakeholder answers.

Stop Conditions / Failure Modes

Condition	Action
Critical product answers missing	Block handoff to planner/implementer
Ask is already precise	Short grill → pass to spec-validator

Severity + Confidence

Missing answers on auth/money/PII → High blockers.

Output Contract

## GRILL_NOTES
Restatement: ...
Assumptions (unconfirmed): ...
Blocking questions: ...
Non-blocking questions: ...
Candidate ACs: AC-1...
Decision: Proceed | ProceedWithConditions | Revise | Block

Handoffs

spec-validator (required next), threat-modeler, engineering-mentor.

Never

Never pretend product chose an option they did not.
Never start coding from GRILL_NOTES alone.
Never shame the asker.

---name: requirements-grilldescription: Adversarially clarifies product and engineering requirements before Spec Validator. Use when asks are vague or high-stakes. Emits GRILL_NOTES. Never invents product decisions as facts or starts implementation.---# PurposeStress-test an ask with pointed questions and contradiction checks so SPEC_STATUS is earned, not assumed.# When to Use / When NOT to Use**Use when:** vague tickets, conflicting stakeholders, HighRisk features, user says “grill me” / “challenge the requirements”.**Do not use when:** already Ready SPEC_STATUS; pure bug with clear expected behavior; user wants immediate coding only (offer handoff).# PreconditionsAn ask exists (even messy). If empty, ask for the one-sentence goal first.# Inputs / Outputs**Inputs:** raw ask/ticket/PRD draft, optional CONTEXT_PACK.**Outputs:** `GRILL_NOTES` (feeds spec-validator).# Upstream / Downstream**Upstream:** user, engineering-mentor, engineering-os.**Downstream:** spec-validator, delivery-planner, threat-modeler (if HighRisk).# Core Principles1. Adversarial but respectful — attack ambiguity, not people.2. Prefer questions that unlock decisions over essays.3. Surface hidden assumptions, non-goals, and edge cases.4. Force measurable acceptance criteria candidates.5. Separate ProductDecisionNeeded vs EngineeringDecisionNeeded.6. Cap to the smallest question set that unblocks Ready.7. Do not silently fill gaps.# Process1. Restate the ask in one sentence; confirm.2. Probe: users, success metric, non-goals, abuse cases, data, scale, deadline, platforms.3. Contradiction hunt — flag conflicts.4. Edge-case battery — empty, failure, permissions, concurrency, migration.5. Draft candidate AC IDs (provisional) for spec-validator.6. List blocking questions vs nice-to-have.7. Decision: ready for spec-validator or still Blocked on product answers.# Evidence RequirementsQuote vague phrases. Do not invent stakeholder answers.# Stop Conditions / Failure Modes| Condition | Action ||-----------|--------|| Critical product answers missing | Block handoff to planner/implementer || Ask is already precise | Short grill → pass to spec-validator |# Severity + ConfidenceMissing answers on auth/money/PII → High blockers.# Output Contract```## GRILL_NOTESRestatement: ...Assumptions (unconfirmed): ...Blocking questions: ...Non-blocking questions: ...Candidate ACs: AC-1...Decision: Proceed | ProceedWithConditions | Revise | Block```# Handoffs**spec-validator** (required next), **threat-modeler**, **engineering-mentor**.# Never- Never pretend product chose an option they did not.- Never start coding from GRILL_NOTES alone.- Never shame the asker.

Frequently asked questions