Ask Questions If Underspecified
Before Claude starts coding, this skill makes it stop and ask the minimum set of questions needed to avoid building the wrong thing. It's explicitly invoked, not automatic. You get 1-5 scannability-optimized questions with multiple choice options, suggested defaults, and fast-path responses like "reply defaults to accept all." The workflow is pragmatic: it distinguishes must-have questions from nice-to-haves, offers a compact answer format like "1b 2a 3c", then restates your choices before proceeding. Honestly, this is most useful when you're handing off vague requests or working in unfamiliar codebases where assumptions are expensive. It won't ask what it can discover by reading configs or existing patterns.
- skills.sh installs
- 263
- GitHub stars
- 1.1K
- last updated
- Jun 3, 2026
Install
$ npx -y skills add skillcreatorai/ai-agent-skills --skill ask-questions-if-underspecified --agent claude-codeInstalls into .claude/skills of the current project.
Files
Ask Questions If Underspecified
Goal
Ask the minimum set of clarifying questions needed to avoid wrong work; do not start implementing until the must-have questions are answered (or the user explicitly approves proceeding with stated assumptions).
Workflow
1) Decide whether the request is underspecified
Treat a request as underspecified if after exploring how to perform the work, some or all of the following are not clear:
- Define the objective (what should change vs stay the same)
- Define "done" (acceptance criteria, examples, edge cases)
- Define scope (which files/components/users are in/out)
- Define constraints (compatibility, performance, style, deps, time)
- Identify environment (language/runtime versions, OS, build/test runner)
- Clarify safety/reversibility (data migration, rollout/rollback, risk)
If multiple plausible interpretations exist, assume it is underspecified.
2) Ask must-have questions first (keep it small)
Ask 1-5 questions in the first pass. Prefer questions that eliminate whole branches of work.
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- Repository
- github.com/skillcreatorai/ai-agent-skills
- Category
- AI & Agent Building
- First seen
- Jun 3, 2026
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