ask-questions-if-underspecified

Goal

Ask the minimum set of clarifying questions needed to avoid wrong work; do not start implementing until the must-have questions are answered (or the user explicitly approves proceeding with stated assumptions).

Workflow

1) Decide whether the request is underspecified

Treat a request as underspecified if after exploring how to perform the work, some or all of the following are not clear:

• Define the objective (what should change vs stay the same)
• Define "done" (acceptance criteria, examples, edge cases)
• Define scope (which files/components/users are in/out)
• Define constraints (compatibility, performance, style, deps, time)
• Identify environment (language/runtime versions, OS, build/test runner)
• Clarify safety/reversibility (data migration, rollout/rollback, risk)

If multiple plausible interpretations exist, assume it is underspecified.

2) Ask must-have questions first (keep it small)

Ask 1-5 questions in the first pass. Prefer questions that eliminate whole branches of work.

Use the question tool to present structured choices:

• Offer multiple-choice options with clear labels
• Mark recommended defaults with "(Recommended)" in the label
• Use multiple: true when the user can select several options
• The user can always select "Other" for custom input

3) Pause before acting

Until must-have answers arrive:

• Do not run commands, edit files, or produce a detailed plan that depends on unknowns
• Do perform a clearly labeled, low-risk discovery step only if it does not commit you to a direction (e.g., inspect repo structure, read relevant config files)

If the user explicitly asks you to proceed without answers:

• State your assumptions as a short numbered list
• Ask for confirmation; proceed only after they confirm or correct them

4) Confirm interpretation, then proceed

Once you have answers, restate the requirements in 1-3 sentences (including key constraints and what success looks like), then start work.

Anti-patterns

• Don't ask questions you can answer with a quick, low-risk discovery read (e.g., configs, existing patterns, docs).
• Don't ask open-ended questions if a tight multiple-choice or yes/no would eliminate ambiguity faster.