/create-epic-discovery

name: create-epic-discovery
description: Create a discovery document for research/customer discovery epics
argument-hint: <epic-key>

Epic Discovery Document Generator

**Epic Key:** $ARGUMENTS

---

Workflow Chain

This command creates a discovery document for research and customer discovery epics:

/create-epic-discovery <epic-key>  → Creates Discovery Document (YOU ARE HERE)
         ↓
[Manual research, interviews, experiments]
         ↓
/synthesize-discovery <doc-urls...>  → Synthesizes findings into actionable tickets
         ↓
Creates tickets in target implementation epics

---

Phase 0: Context Retrieval

1. **Fetch the epic** from Jira using `{Epic_Key}`

2. **Extract from epic:**

• `{Epic_Title}` - The epic title/name
• `{Jira_Project}` - The Jira project URL
• Linked tickets

3. **Determine Confluence location:**

• Default: `/Epics/Discovery/{Epic_Key}/`
• If location unclear, ask user

4. **FAILURE CONDITION - Missing Information:**

If epic cannot be found or has no linked tickets:

**STOP and prompt the user:**

   I was unable to retrieve epic {Epic_Key}.

   Issue: [epic not found / no linked tickets / access denied]

   Please provide:
   1. Confirm the epic key is correct
   2. Jira Project URL: [paste link]
   3. Confluence publish location: [paste link or confirm default]

**DO NOT PROCEED** until confirmed.

5. **MANDATORY CHECKPOINT - Epic Confirmation:**

   Please confirm before I proceed:

   Epic Key: {Epic_Key}
   Epic Title: {Epic_Title}
   Linked Tickets: [count] tickets found
   Publish Location: [Confluence path]

   Is this correct? (Yes / No / Correct)

**DO NOT PROCEED** without explicit user confirmation.

---

Phase 1: Question Extraction

1. **Read all Jira tickets** linked to epic `{Epic_Key}`

• Use JQL query: `"Epic Link" = {Epic_Key}` to find all child tickets
• Extract acceptance criteria from each ticket
• Identify ticket dependencies and relationships
• Note any technical constraints mentioned
• Extract explicit questions from ticket descriptions
• Identify implicit questions from ambiguous requirements
• Note assumptions that need validation
• Catalog unknowns and uncertainties

2. **Categorize questions** into themes:

• Customer/User Discovery (who, what problems, what workflows)
• Technical Feasibility (can we build it, how complex)
• Business Viability (is it worth it, what's the ROI)
• Integration Points (external systems, APIs, data sources)
• Scope Boundaries (what's in, what's out)

3. **Identify research methods** needed for each question:

• User interviews
• Data analysis
• Technical spikes/POCs
• Competitive research
• Expert consultation
• Prototyping

---

Phase 2: Discovery Document Creation

Create a discovery document with these sections:

1. Discovery Overview

• **Epic:** Link to epic with title
• **Discovery Goal:** What are we trying to learn?
• **Success Criteria:** How do we know discovery is complete?
• **Timeline:** Expected discovery duration (if known)
• **Stakeholders:** Who needs to be involved?

2. Hypothesis Map

For each major feature/capability in the epic:

| Hypothesis ID | Statement | Confidence | Validation Method | Status | |---------------|-----------|------------|-------------------|--------| | H1 | "Users need X because Y" | Low/Med/High | Interview/Data/Spike | Open | | H2 | "We can integrate with Z" | Low/Med/High | Technical spike | Open |

3. Research Questions Matrix

Organize questions by category and priority:

Customer/User Discovery

| ID | Question | Priority | Method | Owner | Status | |----|----------|----------|--------|-------|--------| | Q1 | Who are the primary users? | High | Interviews | [TBD] | Open | | Q2 | What pain points exist today? | High | Interviews + Data | [TBD] | Open |

Technical Feasibility

| ID | Question | Priority | Method | Owner | Status | |----|----------|----------|--------|-------|--------| | T1 | Can we integrate with X API? | High | Spike | [TBD] | Open | | T2 | What are the performance implications? | Med | Benchmark | [TBD] | Open |

Business Viability

| ID | Question | Priority | Method | Owner | Status | |----|----------|----------|--------|-------|--------| | B1 | What's the expected ROI? | High | Analysis | [TBD] | Open | | B2 | How does this compare to competitors? | Med | Research | [TBD] | Open |

Scope & Boundaries

| ID | Question | Priority | Method | Owner | Status | |----|----------|----------|--------|-------|--------| | S1 | What's the MVP vs full vision? | High | Discussion | [TBD] | Open | | S2 | What's explicitly out of scope? | High | Discussion | [TBD] | Open |

4. Dependencies & Blockers

• External dependencies (third-party APIs, vendor decisions)
• Internal dependencies (other teams, systems)
• Information blockers (data access, stakeholder availability)
• Timeline dependencies (seasonal, market timing)

5. Research Plan

For each high-priority question, outline:

Research Activity Template

**Activity:** [Interview/Spike/Analysis/etc.]
**Questions Addressed:** Q1, Q2, T1
**Method:** [Detailed approach]
**Participants/Resources:** [Who/what is needed]
**Expected Duration:** [Time estimate]
**Output:** [Deliverable format]

6. Decision Framework

Define how findings will be evaluated:

| Decision Point | Options | Criteria | Owner | |----------------|---------|----------|-------| | Build vs Buy for X | Build, Buy, Partner | Cost, Time, Control | [TBD] | | Target user segment | Segment A, B, Both | Market size, Fit | [TBD] |

7. Risk Register

| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation | Owner | |------|------------|--------|------------|-------| | Users don't want this feature | Med | High | Early validation interviews | [TBD] | | Technical integration too complex | Low | High | Spike before commitment | [TBD] |

8. Target Implementation Epics

L