Idea to Prompt

# Idea-to-Prompt Patterns

> **Decision rule:** Use when the request is a vague idea with no concrete scope yet (no files, no acceptance criteria, no named constraints). Once scope/acceptance must be written down, escalate to `spec-driven-development.md`.

## Purpose

Transform a vague or abstract user idea into a concrete, structured planning prompt that Planner (or Orchestrator) can decompose into an execution-ready plan.

## Trigger Detection

Apply this protocol when the user request shows **all three** of:

1. No specific file names or paths mentioned.
2. No concrete acceptance criteria ("done when X is verified").
3. No explicit technology or constraint named.

Examples of triggering signals: "make it smarter", "improve the pipeline", "add better support for X", "can we do something about Y".

Do NOT trigger if the request contains any concrete signal — a file path, an agent name, a schema reference, or a measurable goal.

## Step-by-Step Interview Protocol

### Step 1 — Idea Decomposition

Use `vscode/askQuestions` to identify the core intent:

- "What is the main problem you want to solve?"
- Options: A) Performance/speed, B) Quality/reliability, C) Developer experience, D) New capability.
- Record: core intent, primary stakeholder (user/developer/system), and what success looks like in one sentence.

### Step 2 — Constraint Discovery

Ask about the execution environment:

- "Which part of the system does this touch?" — options drawn from the known agent/file structure.
- "Are there hard constraints?" — e.g., no file renames, VS Code platform only, additive-only changes.
- Record: affected subsystem, non-negotiable constraints.

### Step 3 — Scope Boundary Mapping

Ask what is explicitly out of scope:

- "What should NOT change as a result of this work?"
- Record: explicit exclusions. These become Scope OUT items.

### Step 4 — Risk Surface Identification

Ask one targeted risk question:

- "What could go wrong or surprise us?" — options: A) Breaking existing behavior, B) Token overhead increase, C) Validation failures, D) Other.
- Record: known unknowns and dependencies.

### Step 5 — Structured Prompt Assembly

Combine interview answers into a planning prompt with these sections: