Dialogue: Problem Framing Assessment

Dialogue: Problem Framing Assessment

Assess whether a problem is sufficiently well-framed to proceed with implementation. This is a foundational checkpoint that validates understanding before committing to a solution approach.

Framework Grounding

This skill operationalises:

• Naur (1985): Theory-building—the problem must be understood before solutions are meaningful
• Phase transitions: Quality of Phase 1→2 transition depends on problem clarity
• STS Theory: Shared understanding is prerequisite for effective collaboration

Why This Matters

Proceeding with unclear problem framing leads to:

• Wasted effort on wrong solutions
• Scope creep from undefined boundaries
• Unvalidated assumptions causing rework
• Stakeholder misalignment discovered late

The framework strongly encourages completing this assessment before Phase 2 work.

When to Use

Use this skill:

• Before starting implementation work on a new feature/​task
• At Phase 1→2 transition points
• When revisiting scope after significant requirement changes
• As input to phase readiness assessment (dialogue-assess-phase)

Problem Framing Checklist

The assessment covers 6 foundational elements:

How to Assess Problem Framing

Option 1: Interactive Collection (Recommended)

Ask the user the following questions using AskUserQuestion. Frame this as a problem framing checkpoint.

For each element, ask:

1. Is the problem explicitly stated? (yes/​no)
2. Are scope boundaries defined? (yes/​no)
3. Are success criteria measurable? (yes/​no)
4. Are constraints documented? (yes/​no)
5. Are key assumptions stated? (yes/​no)
6. Are affected stakeholders identified? (yes/​no)

Then ask: 7. Overall confidence in problem framing (1-5) 8. Any gaps or concerns identified? (optional free text)

Option 2: Direct Script Invocation

If you already have the responses:

${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/​skills/​dialogue-assess-framing/​scripts/​log-assess-framing.sh \
  <assessor> \
  <problem_stated> <scope_bounded> <success_criteria> \
  <constraints_identified> <assumptions_explicit> <stakeholders_identified> \
  <confidence> \
  [phase] [task_ref] [gaps_identified]

Parameters

Interpreting Results

Readiness Indicators

Critical Elements

Some elements are more critical than others:

• problem_stated: Foundational—if false, stop and define the problem
• success_criteria: Essential for knowing when you're done
• assumptions_explicit: High-risk if false—hidden assumptions cause rework

Recommended Actions by Score

Note: Both confirmed count AND confidence must meet thresholds.

Example Interactive Flow

AI: Before we proceed with implementation, let me run a problem framing check.
    This ensures we have a solid foundation.

[Uses AskUserQuestion with the 6 checklist items + confidence + gaps]

AI: Thanks! Let me log that assessment.

[Invokes log-assess-framing.sh with collected responses]

AI: Problem framing assessment logged as ASSESS-20260122-143000.
    Score: 5/​6 elements confirmed, confidence 4/​5
    Gap: Constraints not yet documented

    Recommendation: Document known constraints before proceeding.
    This is a minor gap—you can proceed with caution while addressing it.

Example Direct Invocation

${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/​skills/​dialogue-assess-framing/​scripts/​log-assess-framing.sh \
  "human:pidster" \
  true true true false true true \
  4 \
  2 \
  "FW-023" \
  "Constraints around performance requirements not yet documented"

Output

The script returns the generated assessment ID (e.g., ASSESS-20260122-143000).

The assessment is stored in .dialogue/​logs/​assessments/ and creates:

• Assessment YAML file
• Context graph node (ARTIFACT with artifact_type: ASSESSMENT)
• CREATED edge from assessor to assessment
• ASSESSES edge to task (if task_ref provided)

Integration with Phase Readiness

This assessment is a key input to dialogue-assess-phase. When assessing phase readiness:

• If no problem framing assessment exists, the phase readiness skill will flag this
• Recent framing assessments (within current phase) are considered
• Low framing scores reduce overall phase readiness

Schema Reference

See Assessment Schema for the complete PROBLEM_FRAMING response schema and validation rules.