Story Outline

The user input to you can be provided directly by the agent or as a command argument - you MUST consider it before proceeding with the prompt (if not empty).

User input:

$ARGUMENTS

⚠️ v7 Deprecation Notice

This skill is deprecated in Speck v7. The v6 story-outline was a separate research-mapping step; in v7 that work is folded into:

• /​speck-skeptical-review — for enumerating implementation approach alternatives
• /​speck-decision-log — for locking the chosen approach
• /​story-plan — performs just-in-time research inline

Recommended v7 path: /​story-clarify → (optional /​speck-skeptical-review) → /​story-plan

This skill continues to work for v6 projects (back-compat). For new v7 work, prefer the path above.

1. Locate the active story directory (STORY_DIR):

   • Preferred: user is already in the story directory (or a subfolder like contracts/)
   • Determine STORY_DIR by walking up from current directory until you find spec.md
   • If no spec.md found: ask the user to cd into the story directory or run /​speck to route

2. Load and analyze the story specification:

   • Read {STORY_DIR}/​spec.md to understand requirements, user stories, constraints
   • Extract: Technologies mentioned, patterns implied, performance requirements, integrations needed

3. Detect project type from repository structure:

   • Check for: frontend/, backend/, src/, app/, api/, ios/, android/, packages/
   • Determine: Single project / Web app / Mobile app / Monorepo
   • Set project type for planning decisions

4. Fill Technical Context by analyzing spec:

   • Language/​Version: Detect from spec or mark NEEDS CLARIFICATION
   • Primary Dependencies: Extract frameworks/​libraries mentioned or mark NEEDS CLARIFICATION
   • Storage: Identify database/​storage needs or mark N/​A
   • Testing: Determine test frameworks needed or mark NEEDS CLARIFICATION
   • Target Platform: Server/​mobile/​desktop/​web or mark NEEDS CLARIFICATION
   • Performance Goals: Extract from non-functional requirements or mark NEEDS CLARIFICATION
   • Constraints: Identify technical constraints or mark NEEDS CLARIFICATION
   • Scale/​Scope: Estimate from requirements or mark NEEDS CLARIFICATION

5. Identify research areas:

   • For each NEEDS CLARIFICATION: Determine if external research needed
   • For each unfamiliar technology/​pattern: Flag for research
   • For each architectural decision: Identify tradeoffs to research
   • Generate research questions:
     • "What are best practices for [technology] in [context]?"
     • "How to choose between [option A] and [option B] for [use case]?"
     • "What are performance implications of [approach]?"

6. Save Technical Context and research needs to {STORY_DIR}/​outline.md:

   # Technical Outline: [STORY]
   
   **Date**: [YYYY-MM-DD]
   **Spec**: `spec.md`
   
   ## Project Type
   [Detected project type and structure]
   
   ## Technical Context
   [Filled technical context with NEEDS CLARIFICATION markers]
   
   ## Research Areas Identified
   
   ### High Priority (blocking decisions)
   1. **[Technology/​Pattern]**: [Why research needed]
      - Question: [Specific research question]
      - Blocking: [What planning decision this blocks]
   
   ### Medium Priority (optimization decisions)
   [...]
   
   ### Low Priority (nice to have)
   [...]
   
   ## Suggested Research Queries
   - "[Generated research query 1]"
   - "[Generated research query 2]"
   
   Use the just-in-time research pattern (`.cursor/​skills/​just-in-time-research/​SKILL.md`):
   - Do quick web search for each high-priority query
   - If web search is insufficient, generate a deep research prompt file and incorporate results
   
   ## Codebase Analysis Needed
   [Yes/​No - if extending existing codebase]
   - Suggested: /​story-scan --domain=[detected domain]
   
   ## Next Steps
   1. Use the suggested research queries (web search first; deep research prompt only if needed)
   2. Run /​story-scan if extending existing codebase
   3. Run /​story-plan to generate implementation plan (and embed/​incorporate research)
   
   Or skip directly to /​story-plan to use built-in just-in-time research (current behavior)
   

7. Report completion:

   • Path to outline.md
   • Number of research areas identified (high/​medium/​low priority)
   • Suggested next commands with specific research queries
   • Note: "Run /​story-plan directly to skip outline phase (uses built-in research)"

Behavior rules:

• Mark things as NEEDS CLARIFICATION only if truly ambiguous from spec
• Don't guess at technology choices - flag for research if unclear
• Prioritize research areas by impact on architectural decisions
• Generate specific, actionable research queries
• If project structure unclear, mark for investigation but don't block

Context: $ARGUMENTS