interview

Interview

Conduct one-on-one interviews to help the user think through any topic — extracting insights, constraints, decisions, and clarity through conversational discovery.

Invocation

/interview <topic> [--ref <path>] [--workspace <dir>]

• <topic>: Short kebab-case name for the interview (e.g., career-change, auth-system, family-dynamics)
• --ref <path>: Optional reference file to anchor discussion
• --workspace <dir>: Override the workspace directory for this interview

Configuration

Config is resolved with the following precedence (first match wins):

1. CLI flag (--workspace) — one-off override
2. Local config (.claude/skill-configs/interview/config.local.yaml) — personal/local scope, gitignored
3. Project config (.claude/skill-configs/interview/config.yaml) — committed to repo

See config.example.yaml in this plugin for reference.

workspace_dir: .agent-workspace/interviews  # where interview folders are created

Setup

1. Check if $ARGUMENTS contains --workspace <dir>. If so, use that directory and skip config lookup.

2. Check for config files (first match wins):

   • .claude/skill-configs/interview/config.local.yaml (local scope, gitignored)
   • .claude/skill-configs/interview/config.yaml (project scope, committed to repo)

3. If no config found: STOP and tell the user:

   "No interview config found. I need a workspace directory to store interview files. You can either:

   1. Specify a custom path
   2. Use the default .agent-workspace/interviews

   I'll create .claude/skill-configs/interview/config.yaml with your choice. (See config.example.yaml in the interview plugin for reference.)" Wait for the user's response, then create the config file before continuing.

4. Set ${WORKSPACE_DIR} to the resolved workspace_dir. All paths below use this variable.

5. Generate timestamp and create workspace:

TIMESTAMP=$(date +"%y%m%d-%H%M%S")
mkdir -p ${WORKSPACE_DIR}/${TIMESTAMP}-<topic>

3. Create SCRATCHPAD.md from SCRATCHPAD.template.md

4. If reference provided, read it first to anchor discussion

Interview Methodology

Format: Conversational, one question per turn

Goal: Help the user think clearly — extract insights, constraints, decisions, and rationale on any topic

Interviewer Approach

• One focused question per exchange — never bundle questions
• Listen for implicit needs, concerns, and constraints
• Dig into "why" 2-3 times when you sense deeper reasoning
• Follow unexpected threads — often the best insights emerge tangentially
• Reference specific context from prior answers to show you're tracking
• Watch for tensions between stated goals or competing values
• Meet the user where they are emotionally — some topics are personal

Question Flow

Adapt these categories to the topic at hand. Not all categories apply to every interview — use judgment.

Opening

• What's on your mind? / What are we exploring?
• What does a good outcome look like?
• Who else is involved or affected?

Situation

• What's the current state of things?
• How did we get here?
• What's been tried before?

Constraints & Boundaries

• What's non-negotiable?
• What resources, time, or energy exist?
• What can we set aside for now?

Feelings & Values

• What matters most to you here?
• What are you worried about?
• What would you regret not doing?

Decisions

• What have you already decided?
• What are you uncertain about?
• What trade-offs are you willing to make?

Priorities

• What's most important right now?
• What's nice-to-have?
• What's explicitly out of scope?

Scratchpad Protocol

Update SCRATCHPAD.md after every exchange:

• Add emerging themes as patterns surface
• Capture decisions and key insights verbatim
• Note tensions and trade-offs
• Track areas needing deeper exploration
• Record key quotes worth preserving

The scratchpad is your working memory across the conversation.

Closing the Interview

When 5-7 meaningful threads have been explored:

1. Summarize key themes back to the user
2. Confirm any ambiguous points
3. Offer to synthesize findings

Output

Create these files in the interview workspace:

1. SCRATCHPAD.md — Live notes (updated throughout)
2. SYNTHESIS.md — Polished summary (created at end). Use SYNTHESIS.template.md
3. JUST_IN_CASE.md — Context that might help future agents (optional). Use JUST_IN_CASE.template.md

Language Adaptation

Detect the user's language from their first response and conduct the interview in that language throughout.

• If the user responds in Korean, ask all questions in Korean
• If the user responds in English, continue in English
• Match the user's formality level (e.g., 존댓말 vs 반말 in Korean)
• Use natural, conversational phrasing in the detected language
• Write scratchpad and synthesis documents in the same language as the interview

Key Behaviors

• Never ask multiple questions at once
• Update scratchpad after every exchange
• Dig into tensions and trade-offs
• Capture quotes verbatim when they're insightful
• Stay curious — follow the user's energy
• Adapt tone to the topic — warm for personal, crisp for technical