Vision Creation Skill

This skill guides you through creating a comprehensive Vision Document that establishes clear project objectives, success criteria, and stakeholder alignment BEFORE proceeding to PRD creation.

When to Use

Use this skill when:

• Starting a new sprint or project
• Vision is unclear or undefined
• Multiple stakeholders need alignment
• Success criteria haven't been established
• Before creating a PRD

Do NOT use when:

• Vision document already exists and is validated
• Quick bug fix or chore (Level 0-1)
• Simple feature with clear scope

Vision Elicitation Process

Phase 1: Initial Discovery (5W1H Analysis)

Start by gathering core context using the 5W1H framework:

WHO (Users & Stakeholders)

• Who are the primary users?
• Who are the key stakeholders?
• Who will be affected by this change?

WHAT (Product & Problem)

• What problem are we solving?
• What is the desired outcome?
• What does success look like?

WHEN (Timeline & Urgency)

• When is this needed?
• What are the key milestones?
• Are there external deadlines?

WHERE (Context & Environment)

• Where will this be used?
• What is the technical environment?
• What constraints exist?

WHY (Strategic Rationale)

• Why does this matter now?
• Why is this the right approach?
• What happens if we don't do this?

HOW (Approach & Methodology)

• How will we measure success?
• How will this integrate with existing systems?
• How will we validate the solution?

Phase 2: Vision Canvas

After 5W1H, build out the Vision Canvas:

Phase 3: Problem-Solution Fit

Validate the problem-solution alignment:

1. Problem Definition: Clear articulation of the problem
2. Current Solutions: How is this handled today?
3. Gaps & Pain Points: What's missing or broken?
4. Proposed Solution: High-level approach
5. Value Proposition: Why this solution is compelling

Phase 4: Outcome Mapping

Define measurable outcomes:

1. Desired Outcomes: What will change when we're done?
2. Leading Indicators: Early signs of success
3. Lagging Indicators: Long-term success measures
4. Stakeholders: Who cares about each outcome?

Vision Document Template

Create docs/sprints/<sprint_name>/VISION.md with this structure:

# Vision Document: [Sprint Name]

**Author**: [Agent] | **Date**: [Date] | **Status**: [Draft/Validated/Approved]

## Executive Summary

[2-3 sentences capturing the essence of what we're building and why]

---

## 5W1H Analysis

### Who (Users & Stakeholders)
[Users, stakeholders, and affected parties]

### What (Product & Problem)
[Clear problem definition and desired outcome]

### When (Timeline & Urgency)
[Timeline, milestones, deadlines]

### Where (Context & Environment)
[Technical context, constraints, environment]

### Why (Strategic Rationale)
[Business justification and urgency]

### How (Approach & Methodology)
[High-level approach and success measurement]

---

## Vision Canvas

### Target Users
[Specific user personas with roles and contexts]

### User Needs
[Core needs and pain points being addressed]

### Product Vision
> [One clear vision statement]

### Key Features (Must-Have)
1. [Feature 1]
2. [Feature 2]
3. [Feature 3]

### Success Metrics
| Metric | Target | How Measured |
|--------|--------|--------------|
| [Metric 1] | [Target] | [Method] |
| [Metric 2] | [Target] | [Method] |

### Differentiators
[What makes this approach unique]

---

## Problem-Solution Fit

### Problem Definition
[Clear, specific problem statement]

### Current Solutions
[How this is handled today]

### Gaps & Pain Points
- [Gap 1]
- [Gap 2]

### Proposed Solution
[High-level solution approach]

### Value Proposition
[Why this solution is compelling]

---

## Outcome Mapping

### Desired Outcomes
1. [Outcome 1]
2. [Outcome 2]

### Leading Indicators
- [Indicator 1] - measured by [method]
- [Indicator 2] - measured by [method]

### Lagging Indicators
- [Indicator 1] - measured after [timeframe]
- [Indicator 2] - measured after [timeframe]

### Stakeholders
| Stakeholder | Interest | Success Criteria |
|-------------|----------|------------------|
| [Name/Role] | [Why they care] | [What they need] |

---

## Validation Checklist

- [ ] Problem is clearly articulated
- [ ] Target users are specific and realistic
- [ ] Success metrics are measurable
- [ ] Vision statement is clear and compelling
- [ ] Stakeholders are aligned
- [ ] Timeline is realistic
- [ ] Approach is technically feasible
- [ ] Value proposition is compelling

---

## Next Steps

1. Review and validate this vision with stakeholders
2. Proceed to PRD creation when vision is approved
3. Use vision document as input to `/prd-creation` skill

---

**Generated by**: Mary (Business Analyst) / ADWS Vision Creation
**Sprint**: [sprint_name]

Interactive Elicitation Pattern

When eliciting vision interactively:

1. Start with context: Ask about the project background
2. Probe for clarity: If answers are vague, ask follow-up questions
3. Validate assumptions: Confirm understanding before documenting
4. Identify gaps: Note areas needing more investigation
5. Summarize frequently: Reflect back what you've heard

Example Prompts

Opening: "Let's establish a clear vision for this sprint. I'll ask some questions to understand what we're building and why. First, can you tell me about the problem we're trying to solve?"

Probing: "You mentioned [X]. Can you help me understand who specifically would use this feature and what they're trying to accomplish?"

Validating: "So if I understand correctly, the main goal is [summary]. Is that accurate, or should we adjust?"

Closing: "Based on our discussion, I'll create a Vision Document. This will serve as the foundation for the PRD. Shall I proceed?"

Success Criteria

Vision document is complete when:

• All 5W1H questions are answered
• Vision Canvas elements are populated
• Problem-Solution Fit is validated
• Success metrics are defined and measurable
• Validation checklist has no critical gaps
• Document is saved to docs/sprints/<sprint_name>/VISION.md

Related Skills

• /prd-creation - Create PRD from validated vision
• /architecture-design - Design system architecture
• /story-writing - Create user stories from PRD