idea-refine

Refines raw ideas into actionable one-pagers through structured divergent and convergent thinking.

1|Updated May 29, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/memasanz/agent-harness --skill idea-refine-memasanz
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: idea-refine
Source: https://github.com/memasanz/agent-harness/tree/main/.github/skills/idea-refine
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/memasanz/agent-harness --skill idea-refine-memasanz

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes scripts (resource) components.

What problem does it solve? Raw ideas are often vague, untested, and overloaded with hidden assumptions. This Skill turns a rough concept into a sharp, validated direction by guiding you through structured ideation, stress-testing, and scoping before any building begins. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Divergent Ideation: Restates your idea as a "How Might We" problem statement, asks sharpening questions, and generates 5-8 variations using lenses like inversion, constraint removal, and audience shift. - Convergent Evaluation: Clusters ideas into distinct directions and stress-tests them against user value, feasibility, and differentiation, explicitly surfacing hidden assumptions. - Actionable Output: Produces a markdown one-pager with problem statement, recommended direction, assumptions to validate, MVP scope, and a "Not Doing" list, saved to docs/ideas/ after your confirmation. - Use Case: You have a vague startup idea like "help local restaurants compete with delivery apps." Invoke the skill and it guides you to a focused concept (e.g., an SMS-based reordering tool for regulars) with validated assumptions and explicit scope cuts. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to refine your idea by saying "Help me refine this idea: [your concept]" and it will guide you through the three-phase ideation dialogue.

Frequently Asked Questions about idea-refine

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I refine a vague startup or product idea?

Invoke the skill with your idea and it restates it as a "How Might We" problem statement, asks 3-5 sharpening questions about the target user and success criteria, then generates 5-8 variations using lenses like inversion and simplification before converging on a direction.

How to stress-test assumptions before building a product?

The skill's Phase 2 evaluates each direction against user value, feasibility, and differentiation, then explicitly lists hidden assumptions categorized by what must be true, should be true, and might be true, each with a validation strategy.

What output does the idea refinement process produce?

It produces a markdown one-pager containing a problem statement, recommended direction, key assumptions to validate, MVP scope, a "Not Doing" list, and open questions. The file is saved to docs/ideas/ only after you confirm.

Can idea refinement work inside an existing codebase?

Yes. When run inside a project, the skill scans the codebase for existing architecture, patterns, and constraints, then grounds its idea variations in what actually exists, referencing specific files and patterns where relevant.

When should I not use structured ideation for an idea?

Avoid it when the direction is already validated and you need execution planning instead. The skill is designed for the pre-commitment phase; once assumptions are tested and scope is locked, move to specification and sprint planning workflows.