name: idea-clarify description: Surfaces what the user actually wants when the repo is empty or the request is one paragraph of vibes. Use before scope-knife on empty repos or vague briefs; do not invoke after a plan exists. when_to_use: | Trigger when scope-knife refuses to run because the repo is empty, the idea is too vague, or the user gave a one-paragraph brief. Run as a pre-step to scope-knife. Do not invoke once scope-knife has produced a plan; switch to scope-knife directly.

version: 1.0 category: scoping tags: ['empty-repo', 'vague-brief', 'pre-scope'] dependencies: [] triggers: ['we have no idea', 'what are we building', 'empty repo', 'vague brief', 'scope is unclear', '需求不明确', '明确项目目标', '想法落地', '要做什么', '到底要做']

idea-clarify

When a team shows up with an empty repo and a sentence, the problem is not "we have no features". It's "we have no shared picture of what we're building." This skill forces that picture into the open.

Input contract

Required:

• user_brief: the raw one-paragraph description from the user
• audience: who the demo is for (judges, customers, internal team)

Optional:

• time_remaining_minutes: integer >= 0 (default 36 * 60)
• prior_artifacts: list of any pre-existing notes, sketches, links

Execution

1. Surface the problem

Ask the user the four canonical questions:

Refuse to proceed until each answer is at least one concrete sentence.

2. Detect contradictions

If two answers contradict (e.g. "we want ML" + "no ML allowed"), surface the contradiction. Do not silently pick one. The agent must resolve it before scope-knife runs.

3. Emit a one-page brief

Write .hackathon/artifacts/idea-brief.md with:

• the four answers verbatim
• any contradictions + how the agent resolved them
• a one-line demo_goal candidate
• a one-line mvp_axis (the smallest axis along which the MVP can grow)

Output contract

Files written:

• .hackathon/artifacts/idea-brief.md (human-readable, one page)

This skill does NOT write to .hackathon/state/*.json directly. It is a pre-scope-knife step; scope-knife reads the brief and writes plan.json from it.

Acceptance criteria

• [ ] The four canonical questions are asked exactly once.
• [ ] Contradictions are surfaced, not silently resolved.
• [ ] demo_goal is a single sentence (max 20 words).
• [ ] mvp_axis is a single noun phrase.
• [ ] .hackathon/artifacts/idea-brief.md exists and is <= 1 page.

Failure modes

Trigger phrases (for agent intent matching)

• "we have an empty repo"
• "what should we build"
• "the brief is one paragraph"
• "we have an idea but no plan"
• "idea is too vague"