/focus-problem

name: focus-problem
description: "Deeply scope a problem before coding: parallel Explore agents map related files, similar implementations, and test patterns, producing a problem definition, boundaries, and minimal implementation plan. Use when planning a feature, investigating a bug, or entering an unfamiliar codebase area."
user-invocable: true

Focus Problem Analysis

Analyze: $ARGUMENTS

Explore Codebase First

Before diving in, use the Explore agent to understand the context:

Before dispatch, preserve the bounded exploration question and expected result. If Claude's Agent tool is unavailable or withheld, or Codex's `spawn_agent` interface is unavailable or withheld, the maximum depth is reached, or a concurrency limit rejects the call, do not retry or invent exploration findings. Return an incomplete `dispatch_request` and do not advance the plan.

Choose exactly one provider-native form:

• Claude Code: `Agent(subagent_type="Explore", model="haiku", prompt="<bounded prompt>")`
• Codex CLI: `spawn_agent(agent_type="explorer", task_name="focus_problem", message="<bounded prompt>")`

Agent(subagent_type="Explore", model="haiku", prompt="""
Explore the codebase for: $ARGUMENTS (thoroughness: medium)
Focus on:
1. Relevant files and modules
2. Existing similar features
3. Test patterns
4. Architecture patterns
""")

In Codex, send the same exploration request through `spawn_agent(...)`; do not invoke the Claude example as a second dispatch.

Analysis Framework

1. Core Problem Identification

• **What is the real problem?**
• **Why does it need to be solved?**
• **What happens if we don't solve it?**

2. Minimal Solution Scope

• **What's the minimum change needed?**
• **Which features are essential?**
• **What can be deferred or omitted?**

3. Solution Evaluation

• **Option A (Simplest):**
• **Option B (Balanced):**
• **Option C (Complete):**
• **Recommendation:** Choose the simplest viable option

4. Implementation Plan

• **Step 1:** Write tests
• **Step 2:** Minimal implementation
• **Step 3:** Update documentation
• **Step 4:** Commit changes

Output Template

## Problem Definition

### Summary
[One sentence description]

### User Need
[Who needs this? What do they want to achieve?]

### Success Criteria
[How do we know it's done?]

### Scope
- In scope: [List]
- Out of scope: [List]

### Affected Files
- [file1.ts] - [why]
- [file2.ts] - [why]

### Risk Assessment
- [Potential risks and mitigations]

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Follow this process strictly. Don't skip steps.