Socratic Questioning Protocol

When to Use

Apply this protocol BEFORE taking any significant action:

• Before creating plans
• Before removing/simplifying
• Before making design decisions
• Whenever you're unsure about user intent

The Process

Step 1: Identify What You Need to Know

Before asking, think:

• What assumptions am I making?
• What's ambiguous about this request?
• What could go wrong if I misunderstand?

Step 2: Ask Questions in Batches

Use the AskUserQuestion tool. Ask 2-3 related questions per round.

Question Types:

• Clarifying - "What do you mean by X?"
• Probing assumptions - "You mentioned X, are you assuming Y?"
• Exploring rationale - "Why is this important? What problem does it solve?"
• Testing boundaries - "What's out of scope? What should this NOT do?"
• Validating understanding - "So if I understand correctly, you want X?"

Step 3: Adapt Based on Answers

• Vague answer -> Probe deeper
• New information revealed -> Explore that thread
• Contradiction detected -> Point it out, ask for clarification
• Clear answer -> Move to next question area

Step 4: Confirm Before Proceeding

Before moving to your core work, summarize:

• "Here's what I understand: [summary]"
• "Is there anything else I should know before I proceed?"

If user says "yes, also..." -> Ask more questions about that If user confirms -> Proceed to your core work

Rules

1. Never assume - If something is unclear, ask
2. Never stop prematurely - Let the user decide when there's enough context
3. Always confirm - Summarize understanding before acting
4. Batch questions - 2-3 per round, not one-by-one
5. Adapt - Follow interesting threads, don't stick rigidly to a script
6. Hand back control - If you run out of questions, ask "anything else?" rather than just stopping