Researcher Ambiguity Gate
Use when the research goal, evaluation target, scope, resources, timeline, or decision criteria are ambiguous, conflicting, or not operationally testable.
Best use case
Researcher Ambiguity Gate is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Use when the research goal, evaluation target, scope, resources, timeline, or decision criteria are ambiguous, conflicting, or not operationally testable.
Teams using Researcher Ambiguity Gate should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/researcher-ambiguity-gate/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How Researcher Ambiguity Gate Compares
| Feature / Agent | Researcher Ambiguity Gate | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Use when the research goal, evaluation target, scope, resources, timeline, or decision criteria are ambiguous, conflicting, or not operationally testable.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
# Researcher Ambiguity Gate Use this skill whenever proceeding would require hidden assumptions. This is a planning safety gate, not a generic Q&A mode. ## Trigger Conditions - The user goal is broad but not operationalized. - Success metrics are missing or vague. - Timeline or resource assumptions are undefined. - Experimental scope and literature scope conflict. - A later-stage task depends on an unconfirmed earlier-stage decision. ## Required Behavior 1. State the ambiguity precisely. 2. Explain which decision it blocks. 3. Ask the smallest set of targeted clarification questions needed to unblock safe planning. 4. If a safe partial plan is still possible, clearly mark the frozen boundary between confirmed and unconfirmed scope. ## Quality Rules - Questions must be concrete and decision-relevant. - Avoid broad prompts such as "please clarify more details." - Do not ask questions whose answers can be recovered from existing context. - Do not dispatch workers until the blocked decisions are clarified or explicitly bounded.
Related Skills
Researcher Rigor Gate
Use before plan submission, major plan revision, and major stage transitions. Verify alignment, feasibility, rigor, completeness, and prevent unjustified regressions to earlier workflow phases.
Researcher Replan And Recovery
Use when the workflow hits contradictions, missing evidence, failed runs, design flaws, or resource shifts. Diagnose the failure class, choose the narrowest safe correction, and escalate to the user when the core plan changes.
Researcher Plan Architect
Use when the Researcher must convert a confirmed scientific goal into a staged, executable research plan with role assignments, milestones, resources, checkpoints, and risk controls.
Researcher Dispatch Supervisor
Use after the user confirms the plan. Dispatch the next justified worker task, supervise progress, enforce artifact-backed completion, and keep the workflow aligned with the approved plan.
Researcher Context Audit
Use when the Researcher starts, resumes, or reaches a major decision point. Build a context inventory from workstation materials, prior messages, existing artifacts, requirements, and unfinished work.
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