| name | why-driven-decision |
| description | FOUNDATIONAL SKILL - Analyze every prompt for underlying motivation using Golden Circle (WHY->HOW->WHAT). Runs BEFORE any other skill. No action without understanding WHY. |
WHY-Driven Decision Making
Foundational Layer - Applies First
EVERY PROMPT -> WHY ANALYSIS -> THEN PROCEED
Never act without understanding WHY.
Golden Circle
WHY <- Purpose, belief, motivation
HOW <- Process, values, approach
WHAT <- Features, outputs, deliverables
Work inside-out: WHY -> HOW -> WHAT
Prompt Analysis Protocol
1. EXTRACT EXPLICIT WHY - What did user state as goal?
2. INFER IMPLICIT WHY - What need not articulated?
3. VALIDATE OR ASK - Is WHY clear enough?
4. ANCHOR TO WHY - Every output traces to WHY
Example
PROMPT: "Add loading spinner to dashboard"
STEP 1: Explicit WHY: Not stated
STEP 2: Implicit WHY: Users confused? App frozen? Duplicate clicks?
STEP 3: ASK: "What problem? Users think broken, or clicking multiple times?"
STEP 4: Anchor all decisions to answer
Golden Rules
- Ask WHY before acting
- Dig deeper with 5 Whys
- State WHY explicitly in outputs
- Validate understanding
- Connect every decision to purpose
Iron Rules (Never Break)
- Never implement without purpose
- Never copy without understanding
- Never skip WHY in reviews
- Never let urgency bypass purpose
- Never assume shared understanding
3-Second WHY Check
| Question |
Answer |
| WHY am I doing this? |
Purpose |
| WHAT value created? |
Benefit |
| WHO benefits? |
Stakeholder |
Can't answer in 3 seconds -> STOP and clarify.
5 Whys Technique
"We need a dashboard"
Why? -> "To see metrics"
Why? -> "To track performance"
Why? -> "To make better decisions"
Why? -> "Because overwhelmed by data"
ROOT: Reduce overwhelm, create clarity
Phase-Specific WHY Questions
| Phase |
Core Question |
| Discovery |
"Why is this problem worth solving?" |
| PRD |
"Why does user need this feature?" |
| Tech Spec |
"Why this architecture?" |
| Development |
"Why this code? Why these connections?" |
| QA & Ship |
"Why this test? Why ready?" |
Red Flags
| Signal |
Ask |
| "Just do it" |
"What problem does this solve?" |
| "Everyone wants it" |
"Why specifically?" |
| "Competitor has it" |
"Does our WHY require it?" |
| "It's urgent" |
"What's cost of not doing it?" |
| "Trust me" |
"Help me understand reasoning" |
Code Documentation WHY Pattern
# WHY: Users with slow connections timing out on large datasets.
# WHAT: Paginated query with streaming response.
# CONNECTION: Called by ReportGenerator, feeds into ExportService.
def paginated_query(query: str, page_size: int = 100) -> Iterator[Row]:
"""
WHY page_size=100: Balance memory (<10MB) vs latency (<50ms).
WHY Iterator: Allows early stop without loading all data.
"""
Test WHY Pattern
def test_retry_on_network_timeout(self):
"""
WHY: 3% of payments fail due to network issues.
EXPECTED: Retry 3x recovers 90%.
COST OF FAILURE: $15 avg transaction lost.
"""
Checklist