From agile-v-skills
Converts messy discovery inputs (interviews, feedback, research, tickets) into structured hypotheses, assumptions, and candidate requirements with full traceability.
How this skill is triggered — by the user, by Claude, or both
Slash command
/agile-v-skills:discovery-analystThe summary Claude sees in its skill listing — used to decide when to auto-load this skill
You operate **before requirement-architect**. Goal: **Traceable Discovery**.
You operate before requirement-architect. Goal: Traceable Discovery.
Convert subjective discovery inputs (interviews, feedback, tickets, research) → structured artifacts → requirement-architect formalizes into REQ-XXXX.
| Input | Example | Extract |
|---|---|---|
| Interview | "Abandon checkout after 3+ screens" | OBS-0001: High drop-off at screen 3 |
| Feedback | "Payment fails on slow networks" | OBS-0002: Timeout on 3G |
| Market Research | "Competitor has 1-click checkout" | INS-0001: Simplified flow = conversion |
| Analytics | "Mobile: 72% traffic, 45% conversions" | OBS-0003: Mobile conversion gap |
| Stakeholder | "Increase conversions 15% Q2" | ASM-0001: Simplified checkout drives conversion |
# Discovery Log
## OBS-XXXX: [Observation Title]
**Source:** [interview/feedback/analytics/research] · **Raw Data:** [verbatim quote or data point]
**Confidence:** [high/medium/low] · **Validation Status:** [confirmed/assumed/invalidated]
## INS-XXXX: [Insight Title]
**Derived From:** OBS-XXXX, OBS-YYYY · **Insight:** [pattern or conclusion]
**Evidence:** [link to data, interviews, research]
## HYP-XXXX: [Hypothesis Title]
**Statement:** If [action], then [outcome], because [reasoning]
**Derived From:** INS-XXXX, OBS-XXXX · **Validation:** EXP-XXXX or data source · **Success Criteria:** [measurable]
**Status:** [pending/validated/invalidated]
## ASM-XXXX: [Assumption Title]
**Assumption:** [what we assume true] · **Risk if Wrong:** [impact if false]
**Validation Plan:** [how to test; EXP-XXXX if applicable] · **Status:** [unvalidated/validated/invalidated]
# Experiments
## EXP-XXXX: [Experiment Name]
**Hypothesis:** HYP-XXXX · **Method:** [A/B test, user study, prototype, spike, data analysis]
**Success Criteria:** [quantitative threshold] · **Timeline:** [duration] · **Resources:** [dev time, tooling, participants]
**Status:** [planned/in-progress/completed] · **Result:** [pass/fail + evidence link]
**Decision:** [what REQ or direction resulted]
## CANDIDATE-XXXX: [Feature/Requirement Name]
**Priority:** CRITICAL/HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW · **Lineage:** OBS-XXXX → INS-XXXX → HYP-XXXX (validated via EXP-XXXX)
**Proposed:** [brief functional statement] · **Rationale:** [why needed; cite discovery IDs]
**Open Questions:** [any unknowns for requirement-architect or logic-gatekeeper]
**Stakeholder Directive:** [Yes/No] (if Yes, cite stakeholder + date)
Present before handoff:
## Discovery Summary
**Observations:** [count] | **Insights:** [count] | **Hypotheses:** [count validated / total]
**Assumptions:** [count unvalidated] | **Experiments:** [planned/in-progress/completed]
**Candidate REQs:** [count]
## Key Insights
[Top 3-5 with IDs]
## Unvalidated Assumptions (Risks)
[List ASM-XXXX with HIGH risk if wrong]
## Proposed Next Steps
[Hand off to requirement-architect / Run experiments first / Clarify with stakeholders]
**Approval Required:** Proceed to Requirements Phase?
Do not proceed until Human approves.
After Gate 0:
Discovery Phase Complete.
Artifacts: DISCOVERY_LOG.md, EXPERIMENTS.md
Candidate Requirements: [count]
Next: Load `requirement-architect` skill.
Instruction: "Formalize CANDIDATE-XXXX entries into REQ-XXXX, preserving discovery lineage."
Traceability Rule: Every REQ-XXXX must cite:
Stakeholder Directive: Yes with name + dateIf neither → halt, return to Discovery phase.
Cycle 2+: Discovery may reference prior REQs or CRs:
## INS-0042: [New Insight from Production Data]
**Derived From:** [Prod metrics, Cycle 1] · **Related REQs:** REQ-0012 (deprecated C2), CR-0003
**Insight:** [pattern post-launch]
Allows discovery → requirement updates across cycles with traceability.
Input: "Mobile checkout losing users."
Output:
## OBS-0001: High Mobile Abandonment
**Source:** Analytics Q4 2025 · **Raw:** "Mobile checkout abandonment: 68% (vs desktop: 32%)"
**Confidence:** High (Google Analytics validated) · **Status:** Confirmed
## INS-0001: Multi-Step Friction
**Derived From:** OBS-0001, User Interview (5 participants) · **Insight:** Users abandon when required to create account before purchase
**Evidence:** Interview transcripts (5/5 mentioned account creation)
## HYP-0001: Guest Checkout Reduces Abandonment
**Statement:** If we add guest checkout, then mobile abandonment drops <50%, because users cite account creation as primary friction
**Derived From:** INS-0001 · **Validation:** EXP-0001 (A/B test) · **Success:** Abandonment <50% in test group
**Status:** Pending
## EXP-0001: Guest Checkout A/B Test
**Hypothesis:** HYP-0001 · **Method:** A/B (50/50, 2 weeks, mobile only)
**Success:** Abandonment <50% variant B · **Timeline:** 2 weeks · **Status:** Planned
## CANDIDATE-0001: Guest Checkout Flow
**Priority:** HIGH · **Lineage:** OBS-0001 → INS-0001 → HYP-0001 (pending EXP-0001)
**Proposed:** System shall allow purchase without account creation
**Rationale:** 68% mobile abandonment (OBS-0001); interviews cite account friction (INS-0001)
**Open Questions:** How to handle order tracking for guest users?
**Stakeholder Directive:** No
Handoff: After Gate 0 approval, requirement-architect converts CANDIDATE-0001 → REQ-0001 with lineage preserved.
With requirement-architect: Discovery generates CANDIDATE-XXXX → requirement-architect formalizes → REQ-XXXX With threat-modeler: Can run in parallel; both feed requirement-architect With ux-spec-author: Can run in parallel; both feed requirement-architect With logic-gatekeeper: Logic Gatekeeper may validate assumptions are measurable/testable
Produce:
Reduces Logic Gatekeeper burden of turning subjective goals into metrics. Maintains "no silent assumptions" from start.
npx claudepluginhub agile-v/agile_v_skills --plugin agile-v-skillsGuides product managers through a full discovery cycle from problem hypothesis to validated solution using framing, interviews, synthesis, and experiments. Suitable for teams exploring problem spaces or investigating retention/drop-off issues.
Synthesizes customer interviews, research notes, and support tickets into actionable product decisions. Helps when raw data hasn't produced clear direction or synthesis is producing decks but no roadmap movement.
Surfaces, refines, and manages testable hypotheses about a project. Tracks status (untested, confirmed, invalidated, archived), adds evidence from web research, and generates next validation actions.