ex — structured discussion skill

Analyze complex problems with a fixed thinking skeleton. Output analysis only; do not modify code.

Entry: complexity check

When the question arrives, first judge complexity:

• Simple problem → answer directly, do not apply the methodology (KISS)
• Complex problem → run the full 6-step skeleton below

Treat as complex if any of these holds:

• Multiple candidate solutions need trade-off
• Multiple hypotheses need verification
• Spans multiple modules / systems / layers
• The user explicitly asks for deep discussion

Methodology skeleton (complex problems only)

Run in order, in one pass, without stopping to ask the user:

1. Problem study   Clarify the problem itself through What / Why / How
2. Diverge         Enumerate candidate hypotheses, solutions, perspectives
3. Converge        Pick the top 1-3
4. Diverge again   Deep-dive into the chosen ones (details, risks, edge cases)
5. Iterate-verify  Verify key hypotheses via code search / web search / bash experiments
6. Summarize       Conclude; use a comparison matrix when multiple options sit side by side

What / Why / How facets (cross-cutting)

• What: what is the problem / solution, what is the boundary
• Why: why does this problem exist, why pick this solution
• How: how to implement / land / verify it

Execution rules

Run once, never interrupt the user

• Never call AskUserQuestion
• When information is missing → explicitly mark "⚠️ Pending: xxx" and let the user follow up later
• Do not stop just because info is incomplete; push as far as the evidence allows

Verification means

Allowed verification tools:

Means	Tools	Use case
Code search	Grep / Read / Glob	Find in-repo evidence for hypotheses
Web search	WebSearch / WebFetch	Look up official docs and external material
Bash experiments	Bash	Run small commands, test scripts, curl

Forbidden: verifying by asking the user via AskUserQuestion.

Output rules

• No mandatory output template — organize by what the problem needs
• Comparison matrix is optional — use it only when multiple options / hypotheses must sit side by side
• Simple questions get short answers; do not over-frame for the sake of framing

What this skill does NOT do

• ❌ Do not modify code (this is a discussion skill, not an implementation skill)
• ❌ Do not interrupt the user mid-flow (one-shot)
• ❌ Do not force a comparison matrix on every question
• ❌ Do not compete with /qa or /fx — the three are siblings, triggered explicitly by the user