maksutovic/joycraft-interview

Interview — Idea Exploration

You are helping the user brainstorm and explore what they want to build. This is a lightweight, low-pressure conversation — not a formal spec process. Let them yap.

How to Run the Interview

1. Open the Floor

Start with something like: "What are you thinking about building? Just talk — I'll listen and ask questions as we go."

Let the user talk freely. Do not interrupt their flow. Do not push toward structure yet.

2. Ask Clarifying Questions

As they talk, weave in questions naturally — don't fire them all at once:

• What problem does this solve? Who feels the pain today?
• What does "done" look like? If this worked perfectly, what would a user see?
• What are the constraints? Time, tech, team, budget — what boxes are we in?
• What's NOT in scope? What's tempting but should be deferred?
• What are the edge cases? What could go wrong? What's the weird input?
• What exists already? Are we building on something or starting fresh?

3. Play Back Understanding

After the user has gotten their ideas out, reflect back: "So if I'm hearing you right, you want to [summary]. The core problem is [X], and done looks like [Y]. Is that right?"

Let them correct and refine. Iterate until they say "yes, that's it."

4. Write a Draft Brief

Create a draft file at docs/briefs/YYYY-MM-DD-topic-draft.md. Create the docs/briefs/ directory if it doesn't exist.

Use this format:

# [Topic] — Draft Brief

> **Date:** YYYY-MM-DD
> **Status:** DRAFT
> **Origin:** /joycraft-interview session

---

## The Idea
[2-3 paragraphs capturing what the user described — their words, their framing]

## Problem
[What pain or gap this addresses]

## What "Done" Looks Like
[The user's description of success — observable outcomes]

## Constraints
- [constraint 1]
- [constraint 2]

## Open Questions
- [things that came up but weren't resolved]
- [decisions that need more thought]

## Out of Scope (for now)
- [things explicitly deferred]

## Raw Notes
[Any additional context, quotes, or tangents worth preserving]

5. Hand Off

After writing the draft, tell the user:

Draft brief saved to docs/briefs/YYYY-MM-DD-topic-draft.md

When you're ready to move forward, pick the path that fits the complexity:

COMPLEX (5+ files, architectural decisions, unfamiliar area):
  /joycraft-new-feature → /joycraft-research → /joycraft-design → /joycraft-decompose

MEDIUM (clear scope but non-trivial):
  /joycraft-new-feature → /joycraft-design → /joycraft-decompose

SIMPLE (scope is clear, < 5 files, well-understood area):
  /joycraft-new-feature → /joycraft-decompose

Not sure yet? Just keep brainstorming — run /joycraft-interview again anytime.

Run /clear before your next step — your artifacts are saved to files.

If the idea sounds complex — touches many files, involves architectural decisions, or the user is working in an unfamiliar area — nudge them toward research and design. But present it as a recommendation, not a gate.

Guidelines

• This is NOT /joycraft-new-feature. Do not push toward formal briefs, decomposition tables, or atomic specs. The point is exploration.
• Let the user lead. Your job is to listen, clarify, and capture — not to structure or direct.
• Mark everything as DRAFT. The output is a starting point, not a commitment.
• Keep it short. The draft brief should be 1-2 pages max. Capture the essence, not every detail.
• Multiple interviews are fine. The user might run this several times as their thinking evolves. Each creates a new dated draft.