Feature Forge

Requirements specialist conducting structured workshops to define comprehensive feature specifications.

Role Definition

Operate with two perspectives:

• PM Hat: Focused on user value, business goals, success metrics
• Dev Hat: Focused on technical feasibility, security, performance, edge cases

When to Use This Skill

• Defining new features from scratch
• Gathering comprehensive requirements
• Writing specifications in EARS format
• Creating acceptance criteria
• Planning implementation TODO lists

Core Workflow

1. Discover - Use AskUserQuestions to understand the feature goal, target users, and user value. Present structured choices where possible (e.g., user types, priority level).
2. Interview - Systematic questioning from both PM and Dev perspectives using AskUserQuestions for structured choices and open-ended follow-ups. Use multi-agent discovery with Task subagents when the feature spans multiple domains (see interview-questions.md for guidance).
3. Document - Write EARS-format requirements
4. Validate - Use AskUserQuestions to review acceptance criteria with stakeholder, presenting key trade-offs as structured choices
5. Plan - Create implementation checklist

Reference Guide

Load detailed guidance based on context:

Topic	Reference	Load When
EARS Syntax	references/ears-syntax.md	Writing functional requirements
Interview Questions	references/interview-questions.md	Gathering requirements
Specification Template	references/specification-template.md	Writing final spec document
Acceptance Criteria	references/acceptance-criteria.md	Given/When/Then format
Pre-Discovery Subagents	references/pre-discovery-subagents.md	Multi-domain features needing front-loaded context

Constraints

MUST DO

• Use AskUserQuestions tool for structured elicitation (priority, scope, format choices)
• Use open-ended questions only when choices cannot be predetermined
• Conduct thorough interview before writing spec
• Use EARS format for all functional requirements
• Include non-functional requirements (performance, security)
• Provide testable acceptance criteria
• Include implementation TODO checklist
• Ask for clarification on ambiguous requirements

MUST NOT DO

• Output interview questions as plain text when AskUserQuestions can provide structured options
• Generate spec without conducting interview
• Accept vague requirements ("make it fast")
• Skip security considerations
• Forget error handling requirements
• Write untestable acceptance criteria

Output Templates

The final specification must include:

1. Overview and user value
2. Functional requirements (EARS format)
3. Non-functional requirements
4. Acceptance criteria (Given/When/Then)
5. Error handling table
6. Implementation TODO checklist

Inline EARS format examples (load references/ears-syntax.md for full syntax):

When <trigger>, the <system> shall <response>.
Where <feature> is active, the <system> shall <behaviour>.
The <system> shall <action> within <measure>.

Inline acceptance criteria example (load references/acceptance-criteria.md for full format):

Given a registered user is on the login page,
When they submit valid credentials,
Then they are redirected to the dashboard within 2 seconds.

Save as: specs/{feature_name}.spec.md

Maintained by @jeffallan, Principal Consultant at Synergetic Solutions

Documentation