Lean canvas

Skill: lean-canvas

Elicit an initiative brief through an adapted Lean Canvas and produce one shareable file: docs/product/initiatives/<ini-slug>.md.

When to invoke

Confirm the scope is initiative-level (quarters-long, cross-repo outcome). If the request is clearly a single feature or screen, name the altitude mismatch and offer to redirect to frame-intent. When altitude is genuinely ambiguous, ask rather than forcing one level.

Procedure

1. Elicit slug. Ask for the initiative slug (e.g. ini-002). Use it for:

• Output path: docs/product/initiatives/<ini-slug>.md
• Artifact scan path: <output_dir>/shaping/<ini-slug>/

Do not derive the slug silently. If docs/product/initiatives/<ini-slug>.md already exists, warn and ask before any overwrite — raise this guard before elicitation begins.

2. Mode selection. Present both modes with a one-sentence description each:

• simple mode (5 boxes, default): Problem, Unique Value Proposition, Solution, Customer Segments, Key Metrics — covers the core hypothesis for most initiatives.
• full mode (9 boxes): adds Channels, Value Created, Cost Estimate, Organizational Buy-In — use when channels, cost, and strategic backing need explicit capture.

Confirm the user's choice. Lock the mode at that confirmation — mode does not change after elicitation begins. Default to simple mode.

3. Resolve output path. Resolve output_dir via the three-tier config procedure: repo-scope agentbundle-layout.toml [product] → user-scope file → two-branch elicitation. Apply realpath expansion and symlink resolution; reject any .. escape and any symlink chain that exits the intended root. Surface the resolved absolute path before writing.

4. Scan shaping artifacts. Scan <output_dir>/shaping/<ini-slug>/ for files whose frontmatter type: is one of situation-framing, opportunity-assessment, bet, capability-map. Pre-populate derivable Lean Canvas fields from those files. Present each pre-filled value for the user to confirm or override before eliciting the field. When no artifacts are found, continue in full-elicitation mode with a one-line note.

Step 5 readiness (shaping step 5 — place-bet): if place-bet is absent from available skills, note this in ## Value Proposition under "Step 5 readiness" — describe what shaping step 5 contributes (committing to a bet, scoping the initiative). Continue unblocked.

Step 6 readiness (shaping step 6 — map-capabilities): if map-capabilities is absent, note this under "Step 6 readiness" — describe what shaping step 6 contributes (capability area mapping, milestone sequencing). Continue unblocked.

5. Elicit each box. For each box in the chosen mode, present the initiative label, a one-line description, and the pre-populated or example value. The user confirms, overrides, or fills in. Mark genuinely unknown fields as "TBD — <one-line reason>"; never leave a field blank.

Vocabulary (full mode uses initiative labels, not startup terms):

• Revenue Streams → Value Created (quantified benefit — time, risk, capability)
• Cost Structure → Cost Estimate (effort, tooling, dependencies)
• Unfair Advantage → Organizational Buy-In (strategic backing; hard to de-prioritize)

6. Create file. Use docs/product/initiatives/_template.md as the base (read-only — never modify it). Insert ## Value Proposition before ## Scope, containing the Lean Canvas fields from the chosen mode. Write to docs/product/initiatives/<ini-slug>.md — one file only.

After writing, suggest adding the initiative to workspace.toml ["<ini-slug>"] verbally. Do not write to workspace.toml.

Anti-patterns to refuse

• Writing more than one output file per run.
• Writing to workspace.toml or a literal hardcoded path.
• Switching mode after elicitation has begun.
• Modifying or recreating docs/product/initiatives/_template.md.
• Using startup vocabulary (Revenue Streams, Cost Structure, Unfair Advantage).
• Redirecting a feature-scoped request silently — name the mismatch.