skills.rest
scoots31
scoots31COMMUNITY
Explore all skills by this author →
GitHub

scope-check

Classifies new work as spike, tool, or product and routes to the appropriate workflow.

Updated Apr 13, 2026
Search Tags:#scoping#routing#product discovery#spike#timebox#work classification#solo builder
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/scoots31/engineering-playbook --skill scope-check-scoots31
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: scope-check
Source: https://github.com/scoots31/engineering-playbook/tree/main/skills/scope-check
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/scoots31/engineering-playbook --skill scope-check-scoots31

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Solo builders often start coding without deciding whether the work is a throwaway experiment, a personal utility, or a real product, leading to over-engineered spikes or under-planned products. This Skill forces one scoping question up front and routes the work accordingly. ## Core Features & Use Cases - One-question routing: Asks "Who is this for, and how long does it live?" and classifies the answer as spike, tool, or product. - Honesty challenge: Pushes back when a claimed spike includes users, auth, or sharing, and captures graduation triggers for later promotion. - Timebox enforcement: Assigns a default 2-hour timebox to spikes and a clear scope boundary to tools. - Use Case: A solo developer says "let me see if I can scrape this API quickly." The Skill frames it as a 2-hour spike with a defined outcome, instead of letting it drift into an unplanned multi-day build. ## Quick Start Ask the AI to run a scope check on a new idea before writing any code.

Frequently Asked Questions about scope-check

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I decide if my idea is a spike or a product?▼

Ask who it is for and how long it lives. If it is for you right now and lasts hours to days, it is a spike; if other people will use it indefinitely, it is a product and should go through full planning.

What is the difference between a spike and a tool?▼

A spike is disposable work with a timebox, defaulting to 2 hours. A tool is ongoing personal utility with a defined scope and stopping point instead of a time limit.

When should a spike be promoted to a product?▼

When graduation triggers appear, such as user-facing behavior, authentication, accounts, or external sharing. These signals are captured during scoping and later force promotion through the land process.

What happens if work is scoped beyond one day?▼

Work exceeding a day is challenged because it is likely a tool or product rather than a spike. The Skill does not proceed on ambiguity and asks a clarifying question first.

Can I skip scoping for an obvious product idea?▼

Yes. If the opening is clearly a product, such as an app other people will use, scoping is skipped entirely and the work goes directly to the framework start.

Related Skills

Explore More Product & Management Skills→
rubykachurubykachu
1

brainstorming

Transform raw ideas into validated designs through structured dialogue and decision logs.

Community
Advanced
marchattonmarchatton
5

spike-investigation

Execute timeboxed spikes to validate technical unknowns and document proof.

Community
Intermediate
coco-researchcoco-research
264

gsd-plant-seed

Capture deferred ideas as milestone-triggered seed records with context breadcrumbs.

Community
Intermediate
hpsgdhpsgd

write-acceptance-criteria

Write Given/When/Then acceptance criteria for user stories.

Official
Advanced