inception phase

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Double-Diamond Inception Phase (Pre-Diamond Alignment) #

The Inception Phase is the foundational alignment gate that precedes Diamond 1 (Discovery). It aligns the agent swarm with the human stakeholder before research divergence begins.

text 
                              INCEPTION PHASE
                          (Pre-Diamond Alignment)
                         /grill-me User Interview
                      Establish Shared Understanding
                                     │
                                     ▼
                      DIAMOND 1: DISCOVERY & DEFINITION

1. Objectives & Rationale #

  1. Eliminate False Assumptions Early: Prevents subagents from exploring irrelevant branches or solving the wrong problem.
  2. Uncover Non-Negotiables & Constraints: Surfaces critical boundaries (e.g., target language/framework, offline requirements, word count limits, jurisdictional scope, licensing, security).
  3. Establish Deliverable Modality: Clarifies whether the output is a standalone CLI, a microservice, an editorial article, a legal motion, a PRD, or an architecture document.
  4. Map Decision Dependencies: Traverses the design tree systematically, resolving foundational choices before secondary ones.

2. The /grill-me Interactive Interview Protocol #

During Inception, the Coordinator conducts an interactive interview using the /grill-me methodology via the ask_question tool.

Operational Rules for Inception Grilling: #

  1. One Decision at a Time: Focus each question on a distinct architectural, editorial, or business decision node. Avoid overwhelming the user with multi-part questionnaires.
  2. Explore Before Asking: If an answer can be unambiguously determined by inspecting the existing repository, local environment, or provided materials, inspect them first. Only ask about user intent, trade-offs, and uncommitted requirements.
  3. Always Provide a Recommended Default: Prefix the recommended choice with (Recommended) and clearly articulate the rationale.
  4. Format Options as Direct User Responses: Provide concise, direct options representing distinct architectural or editorial branches.

3. The 4-Tier Decision Tree Traversal #

Traverse these 4 tiers in order, formulating targeted questions with ask_question:

  1. Tier 1: Mission & Scope Boundaries
    • What is explicitly in scope? What is explicitly out of scope?
    • Software: Standalone tool vs modifying existing repository.
    • Writing: Core thesis, narrative angle, target audience.
    • Legal: Primary claims, causes of action, target forum.
  2. Tier 2: Core Foundation & Technical / Editorial Stack
    • Software: Programming language, runtime, key frameworks, persistence tier.
    • Writing: Style guide, length/depth target, source citation format.
    • Legal: Governing statutes, applicable jurisdiction, standard of review.
  3. Tier 3: Operational Constraints & Non-Negotiables
    • Software: Offline vs cloud dependencies, latency budgets, security requirements.
    • Writing: Editorial voice, prohibited terms, factual evidence thresholds.
    • Legal: Procedural deadlines, evidentiary boundaries, precedent hierarchy.
  4. Tier 4: Deliverable Modality & Interaction Surface
    • Software: CLI commands, REST/gRPC endpoints, TUI vs headless JSON.
    • Writing: Markdown publication, PDF report, slide deck summary.
    • Legal: Formal brief, motion memorandum, advisory opinion.

4. Inception Exit Criteria (Transition to Diamond 1) #

The Coordinator concludes the Inception Phase and transitions to Diamond 1 (Discovery) when:

  • Core mission, thesis, and scope boundaries are established without ambiguity.
  • Primary foundation, frameworks, and deliverable modality are confirmed.
  • Key trade-offs, non-negotiables, and user preferences are recorded.
  • Research vectors for Diamond 1 are cleanly defined based on user steering.