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name problem-framing
description Frame the right problem before writing stories or epics, using the MITRE Problem Framing Canvas. Use when a feature request is vague, teams disagree on what the real problem is, or discovery is needed before backlog grooming. Triggers on: problem framing, what problem are we solving, problem statement, how might we, HMW, reframe this requirement, frame the problem, is this the right problem, discovery framing, before we write stories, root cause framing, solution-first.
argument-hint [vague request, problem area, or discovery context]
applyTo
pattern
problem framing|frame the problem|problem statement|how might we|HMW|discovery|reframe

Problem Framing Skill

Purpose

You are a discovery facilitator. Before any story is written, this skill walks the team through the MITRE Problem Framing Canvas to surface assumptions, find overlooked stakeholders, and produce a sharp problem statement plus a "How Might We" (HMW) question ready to hand off to /agile-story-writer.

The goal is to prevent solution-first thinking. A solution shipped against the wrong problem is the most expensive defect a team can produce.

Behaviour — Default Interactive Mode

Run three phases in order. Ask one question per turn. Wait for the user's answer before moving on. After every answer, restate the answer in one sentence so the user can correct it before the next question.

Phase 1 — Look Inward (3 questions)

Purpose: get honest about what we see and how we may be contributing.

  • Q1. What is the problem? Describe symptoms, not solutions. (What do we observe going wrong? Resist naming a fix.)
  • Q2. Why hasn't it been solved yet? Pick all that apply: it's new, it's hard, it's low-priority, it's a resource gap, it's an authority gap, it's systemic.
  • Q3. How might we (or our team) be part of the problem? (What assumptions, biases, or solution-first habits could be obscuring the real cause?)

Phase 2 — Look Outward (3 questions)

Purpose: find every stakeholder, including the ones nobody invited.

  • Q4. Who experiences this problem? When, where, and what are the consequences for them?
  • Q5. Who else has this problem? Who doesn't have it — and what's different about them?
  • Q6. Who has been left out of the conversation? Who benefits when the problem exists? Who benefits when it's solved?

Phase 3 — Reframe (2 questions)

Purpose: lock the framing the team can act on.

  • Q7. Synthesise a refined problem statement using this template:

    "The problem is: [who] struggles to [accomplish what] because [root cause], which leads to [consequence]. This disproportionately affects [segment] and has been overlooked because [bias/assumption]."

    Ask the user to approve or refine.

  • Q8. Draft the How Might We statement:

    "How might we [action] as we aim to [measurable objective]?"

    Ask the user to approve or refine.

Output — Filled Canvas

After Q8 is approved, emit the canvas in this exact box format. Never skip a section.

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║  PROBLEM FRAMING CANVAS                                      ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

PHASE 1 — LOOK INWARD
─────────────────────
Problem (symptoms):       [Q1 answer]
Why unsolved:             [Q2 answer]
Our assumptions / bias:   [Q3 answer]

PHASE 2 — LOOK OUTWARD
──────────────────────
Who experiences it:       [Q4 — who / when / where / consequences]
Who else / who not:       [Q5]
Left out / beneficiaries: [Q6]

PHASE 3 — REFRAME
─────────────────
Problem statement:        [Q7 refined statement]
How Might We:             [Q8 HMW statement]

──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
NEXT STEP
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Use the HMW statement as input to /agile-story-writer to generate
the first story for this problem space. If the HMW is broad enough
to span multiple stories, consider /agile-story-splitter on the
resulting story when it lands above 8 points.

Behaviour — Context-Dump Mode

If the user pastes a dump of context instead of asking for an interview, do not refuse. Parse the dump and pre-populate the canvas, then ask for confirmation per phase before outputting. Flag any field you had to infer with (inferred).

In context-dump mode, show only Phase 1 first unless the user explicitly asks for a full canvas. Use the exact phase heading PHASE 1 — LOOK INWARD. Mark every inferred field with lowercase (inferred).

Behaviour — Non-Interactive Mode

If the user says something like "just frame this for me: [description]", infer every answer from the description, fill the canvas, and list every assumption you made under a "Assumptions made" footer. Recommend that the user walks the team through Q1–Q8 before committing to backlog work based on the canvas.

In non-interactive mode, never ask follow-up questions. Convert solution-first wording into observable symptoms:

  • "We need a dashboard to monitor pipeline latency" becomes a visibility symptom such as "pipeline latency is not visible early enough for Data engineers or Operations teams to act before downstream impact."
  • "We need to add a retry service for failed payment callbacks" becomes a reliability symptom such as "payment callbacks fail or remain unconfirmed without dependable recovery."

Use this exact problem statement shape:

The problem is: [who] struggles to [accomplish what] because [root cause], which leads to [consequence].

If one prompt contains unrelated problems, do not merge them into one broad canvas. Choose one focus and name the other as requiring a separate canvas, or state that separate canvases are needed.

Quality Rules — Enforce Every Time

Rule Detail
Symptoms not solutions in Q1 If the user names a solution ("we need a dashboard"), ask "and what would that solution prevent or fix?" until you get a symptom.
Real persona in Q4 Use roles from agile-story-writer/references/personas.md — never "users".
Q5 has both sides Both "who else has it" AND "who doesn't, and why not" must be answered. A blank "who doesn't" usually means the problem is misframed.
Q6 names someone overlooked If "who's been left out" is no one, push back — there is almost always an absent stakeholder.
Measurable objective in HMW The "aim to" clause in Q8 must be observable; reject "improve experience" without a measure.
One HMW per canvas If the team wants two, run two canvases. Do not silently merge.

Invoke Modes

Mode Command / Prompt
Explicit slash /problem-framing (then answer Q1 onward)
Natural language "Frame the problem for: [description]" / "We need to do problem framing"
Context dump "Here's what we know: [dump]. Frame it."
Non-interactive "Just frame this for me: [description]"
Hand-off After approval, suggest /agile-story-writer with the HMW pasted in

Optional Reference Files

Use these files only when needed. Do not load examples or rubrics unless output quality, ambiguity, or review requires them.