positioning

Pack Availability Guard

Before telling the user to run a skill from another project-local pack, check .agents/project.json.enabled_packs. If the target pack is not enabled, recommend npx skillpacks install <pack> from the project shell, instead of the target skill. After install, tell Codex users to start a fresh Codex CLI session if the $ skill list remains stale. Only the currently running skill and skills verified available in the active session or project-local install state are directly recommendable. For unavailable pack skills, recommend npx skillpacks install <pack-or-skill>; for unavailable base skills, recommend npx skillpacks init before the skill.

Positioning — Orchestrator

Invoke as $positioning.

This is an orchestrator skill using the parent router delegation pattern. It detects context, recommends applicable positioning frameworks, and synthesizes their outputs. Individual frameworks live as child skills under frameworks/.

Report-First Approval Gate

Default to scope-first approval: before synthesized research, inspect only enough repository, user, and source context to propose research scope, source plan, assumptions, output paths, and approval questions in a review alignment page plus a concise conversation summary.

Do not perform synthesized research, rank candidates, make recommendations, or write working packets or canonical deliverables until final compiled YAML approves the research scope. Minimal pre-approval discovery may identify available files, source categories, and open questions; label it as scope evidence, not findings.

After approved research-scope YAML, perform the research and write only the non-canonical working packet defined in the staged workflow. Then update the review alignment page with findings and stop again for feedback-only YAML or final compiled YAML artifact approval before creating or updating canonical research, spec, or task files.

Do not include downstream or cross-skill command recommendations while a scope, framework findings, or synthesis approval is pending. The approval request itself is the next action, and the only terminal command section allowed before approval is ## Continue In A Fresh Session, which tells the user to compile the bottom YAML and paste it into a fresh session that invokes this same parent orchestrator, such as $positioning plus the same product/research path argument when present. Parent-loop continuation is not downstream routing. Only emit downstream next-skill routing after the synthesized positioning.md artifact has been approved and written.

Staged Research Workflow

Use this staged workflow for synthesized research or report outputs that would create or update canonical research, spec, or task files.

1. Stage 1 - Scope discovery and approval. Inspect only enough repository, user, and source context to propose research scope, source plan, assumptions, output paths, and approval questions. Build the review HTML alignment page before synthesized research. The page must render the proposed scope, available source categories, known context, assumptions/confidence, proposed working-packet and canonical output paths, and research-scope approval gates. Stop for final compiled YAML approval of the research scope. Do not perform synthesized research, rank candidates, make recommendations, or write working packets, canonical research, spec, or task files in Stage 1.
2. Stage 2 - Research and artifact review. Only after approved research-scope YAML with no unresolved needs-clarification, unresolved down feedback, or other unresolved negative feedback, perform the synthesized research, run required source/code checks, and write only a non-canonical working packet: flat mode uses research/_working/preliminary-<skill>-research.md; product-path mode uses research/{slug}/_working/preliminary-<skill>-research.md. Replace <skill> with this skill's name value. Raw evidence or search logs may remain as supporting evidence where this skill already requires them, but synthesized deliverables stay in the working packet. Update the review HTML alignment page so it renders the complete working-packet substance as structured HTML review UI: purpose-built sections, tables, matrices, gates, cards, and tier-appropriate charts or diagrams that preserve every packet section, finding, caveat, and decision detail without summary loss. Raw Markdown packet text may appear only as a supplemental source view after the rendered review UI; do not make a Full Preliminary Packet or Full Working Packet raw Markdown dump, giant <pre><code> block, link-only view, or source-only view the primary review surface. Include the evidence matrix, assumptions/confidence register, source coverage gaps, proposed canonical file changes, and artifact approval gates. Stop for either feedback-only YAML or final compiled YAML. Feedback-only YAML revises the working packet and page, then remains in Stage 2.
3. Stage 3 - Finalize approved artifacts. Consume final compiled YAML for artifact approval only when it has no unresolved needs-clarification, unresolved down feedback, or other unresolved negative feedback. Apply approved edits first, archive the working packet to docs/history/archive/YYYY-MM-DD/HHMMSS/<original-working-path>, remove the active working packet, write the approved canonical artifacts to the unchanged output paths below, and convert the alignment page to confirmed with the approval record preserved.

Canonical output paths remain unchanged. Search logs and other supporting evidence remain allowed only where this skill's output contract already requires them.

Evidence And Feedback Handling

Treat user feedback as input to evaluate, not as automatic ground truth.

• For factual, evidentiary, technical, or source-backed claims: verify against available evidence. If the user appears to misunderstand the evidence or states something factually incorrect, push back clearly and cite the evidence. Do not rewrite findings merely to agree.
• For taste, brand, positioning preference, risk appetite, prioritization, or other subjective judgment calls: weigh user feedback heavily and adapt the recommendation unless it conflicts with verified evidence.
• When feedback mixes facts and preference, separate them explicitly: correct the factual part, then incorporate the preference where it is a legitimate judgment call.
• When uncertain, say what is known, what is inferred, and what would change the conclusion.

Prerequisites

• Hard: research/icp.md (or research/{slug}/icp.md) must exist. If not, tell the user to run $customer-discovery first and stop.
• Hard: research/competitive-analysis.md (or research/{slug}/competitive-analysis.md) must exist. If not, tell the user to run $competitive-analysis first and stop.
• Strong default: research/journey-map.md (or research/{slug}/journey-map.md) should exist before writing canonical positioning. If missing, recommend $journey-map first unless the user explicitly needs a provisional positioning analysis.
• Soft: Read these if they exist:
  • research/journey-map.md — where value is delivered, the aha moment
  • research/customer-feedback.md — real customer language about what makes the product different
  • research/monetization.md — pricing context for value perception

Execution Model — Research Session Loop

This is a self-advancing Pattern A research orchestrator (see docs/research-session-loop-convention.md). Each invocation starts cold, resolves its state from pasted YAML + filesystem, runs exactly one heavy phase, emits the next gate, and stops. The user advances the loop by starting a fresh Codex session and re-invoking $positioning. The user never invokes a framework subskill directly — the orchestrator follows each selected framework's subskill inline.

When a framework is pending, the only user-facing continuation route is re-invoking $positioning with the same product/research path argument when present, for example $positioning research/afps-tracker. Never tell the user to run a path-shaped child framework command; the parent resolves the pending framework from the run manifest and filesystem.

Terminal Handoff Contract

Every terminal response for this Research Session Loop must end with ## Next Work and one command section. Use ## Continue In A Fresh Session only while a review page is waiting for compiled YAML; it tells the user to compile the bottom YAML and paste it into a fresh session that invokes this parent command, and that fresh session emits the real ## Recommended Next Command. Use ## Recommended Next Command only after approved YAML has been consumed and the approved artifact has been written or updated. Do not put any other section after the applicable command section.

Self-Routing Continuation Payload

Every review alignment page this parent creates must include agent_routing in the bottom compiled YAML. The mapping routes a fresh agent back to this parent orchestrator; it does not authorize direct framework invocation or replace parent-owned state resolution. Use this shape, preserving the current product/research path argument when present:

agent_routing:
  workflow: pattern-a-research-loop
  parent_skill: positioning
  command: "$positioning research/{slug}"
  product_path: research/{slug}        # omit in flat mode
  gate_owner: parent-orchestrator
  gate_type: framework-findings        # or framework-selection, shortcut-selection, synthesis
  framework_slug: <framework-slug>     # only for framework-findings gates
  framework_mode: inline-subskill      # only for framework-findings gates
  run_manifest: research/{slug}/_working/positioning-run.yaml
  next_resolution: parent-resolves-from-yaml-and-filesystem

For framework selection, shortcut, and synthesis gates, omit framework_slug and framework_mode; gate_type must name the actual gate. The command field must be the same parent command shown under ## Continue In A Fresh Session. The parent consumes the YAML, writes or amends the artifact, archives consumed sources, derives progress from the run manifest plus canonical-intermediate files, and decides whether to load a framework subskill inline.

For review-pending framework, selection, shortcut, or synthesis pages, ## Next Work tells the user to review the alignment page, compile YAML, and paste it into a fresh session that invokes $positioning with the same product/research path argument when present. For post-write pending-framework states, ## Next Work reports progress as "k of N frameworks complete" and says the next run executes the next pending framework; ## Recommended Next Command names $positioning.

After every framework write, recalculate pending frameworks from the run manifest and canonical-intermediate files before writing this handoff. If no selected frameworks remain and canonical positioning.md is missing, ## Next Work says the next run builds the unified synthesis review page, and ## Recommended Next Command names $positioning --synthesize with the same product/research path argument when present. After approved synthesis writes canonical positioning.md, the final command section names only the first downstream command selected by the Next Steps decision tree.

State lives in two places only:

• Run manifest — research/_working/positioning-run.yaml (flat) or research/{slug}/_working/positioning-run.yaml (product-path). Records the selected framework set and each framework's intermediate path. Written when the multi-select YAML is approved. Shape:

  orchestrator: positioning
  slug: skills-showcase            # omit in flat mode
  selected_frameworks:
    - slug: jtbd-positioning
      intermediate: research/skills-showcase/positioning-jtbd-positioning.md
    - slug: strategic-canvas
      intermediate: research/skills-showcase/positioning-strategic-canvas.md
  

• Canonical-intermediate existence — a selected framework is done when research/positioning-{framework}.md (or research/{slug}/positioning-{framework}.md) exists, pending otherwise. pending = selected − existing-intermediates. The manifest stores selection only, not per-framework status.

research/.progress.yaml stays coarse — its pipeline_stage is a pointer, not per-framework status.

State resolution (resolve the first match; YAML first, then most-progressed A→E)

On each invocation, after Product-Path Scope Resolution (step 0), resolve state:

State	Detected when	Heavy phase this session	Emits / stops with
0 — pasted YAML	a compiled alignment YAML is pasted	branch on approval_status: ready-for-agent-review → apply the approval for the gate it answers (light: write manifest and/or prior framework intermediate, archive consumed source), then fall through to the next pending state below; not-approved → amend the named page (refinement session) and stop	amended page, or proceeds ↓
A — done	canonical research/positioning.md (or research/{slug}/positioning.md) exists	—	done; emit next-skill route (step 6)
B — synthesize	run manifest exists, all selected intermediates exist, no canonical positioning.md (also forced by --synthesize)	synthesis (step 4)	synthesis review page
C — run framework	run manifest exists, ≥1 selected framework pending	run next pending framework inline at its research stage (step 3b)	that framework's findings review page
E — build selection	no run manifest and no canonical (cold start)	mode detect → load context → recommend frameworks → build multi-select page (steps 1–3a)	multi-select review page

Cold entry (no state F). This orchestrator uses context_intake: scoped — there is no deep-interview phase. A cold start (nothing on disk, after the hard research/icp.md + research/competitive-analysis.md prerequisites are satisfied) resolves directly to state E; the 1–3 light scope questions fold into the head of the E session. The product/post-launch/obviously-awesome shortcut short-circuits E→C with a fixed framework set (step 5).

Light vs heavy. Recording the approved selection into the run manifest (state 0→C head), writing an already-reviewed framework intermediate, and archiving a consumed source are light — they fold into the head of the next heavy session. The heavy phase (one framework's research, synthesis) is the only thing isolated per session.

Shortcuts. $positioning --synthesize forces state B. $positioning product (also post-launch, obviously-awesome) is the product-positioning shortcut (step 5): after the user approves the shortcut plan, it writes a fixed single-framework set (obviously-awesome) into the run manifest and enters state C. Do not queue framework work in tasks/todo.md or hand it to $exec.

---

Process

0. Product-Path Scope Resolution

Resolve research scope by product path before using code or app structure as a hint:

1. If $ARGUMENTS names a non-archived research/{slug}/ directory or a product-path ID whose scope_path points there, use that path. Treat {slug} as the product/app name, not the ICP, audience, or segment label.
2. If $ARGUMENTS names only research/_archive/{slug}/ or a manifest entry with status: archived or legacy status: abandoned, stop and warn that the path is archived; do not write or update scoped outputs there.
3. Read research/.progress.yaml when present. Normalize legacy active_path to active_paths on read and write back active_paths on manifest updates. Treat legacy abandoned as archived; exclude archived, abandoned, deferred, revisit_candidate, promoted, and any scope_path under research/_archive/ from active target selection.
4. If active product paths exist in the manifest, use those paths. If multiple active paths exist, ask which one to target unless this skill explicitly supports cross-path output.
5. If no active manifest target exists, list non-archived product directories under research/, excluding research/_archive/ and dot directories. Auto-select only when exactly one exists; ask when multiple exist.
6. If no product directories exist, use flat research/ single-product mode.
7. Detect monorepo/app/package structure only as a secondary hint. Suggest creating a missing research/{slug}/ product path when code clearly exposes an app, but do not require code or monorepo detection before using research/{slug}/.

When product path {slug} is active, read and write research under research/{slug}/, specs under specs/{slug}/, and treat top-level research/*.md files as flat-mode documents or cross-path summaries.

1. Mode Detection

Detect market-positioning mode (default) or product-positioning mode:

Market-positioning mode activates when:

• No research/customer-feedback.md with post-launch customer evidence, AND
• No production codebase with live users detected, AND
• $ARGUMENTS does not contain "product", "post-launch", or "obviously-awesome"

Available frameworks in market mode:

• jtbd-positioning — Jobs-to-be-Done positioning analysis
• strategic-canvas — Blue Ocean strategic canvas
• moore-positioning — Geoffrey Moore positioning hypothesis
• category-design — Play Bigger category creation

Product-positioning mode activates when:

• research/customer-feedback.md exists with real customer data, OR
• $ARGUMENTS contains "product", "post-launch", or "obviously-awesome", OR
• Production spec exists AND customer feedback references real users

Available frameworks in product mode:

• obviously-awesome — April Dunford (requires real customer evidence)
• strategic-canvas — optionally, for category refresh

2. Load Context

• Read research/icp.md, research/competitive-analysis.md
• Read soft prerequisites if they exist
• Read CLAUDE.md, README for product context
• Read any existing research/positioning-*.md intermediate artifacts

3a. State E — Framework Selection & Build Multi-Select Page

Build the framework multi-select review alignment page with:

1. Mode explanation: which mode was detected and why
2. Available evidence summary
3. Multi-select framework section: checkboxes with pre-checked defaults:
   • Market mode: jtbd-positioning + strategic-canvas + moore-positioning pre-checked; category-design unchecked
   • Product mode: obviously-awesome pre-checked; strategic-canvas unchecked
4. Loop plan: the selected set is the scope-and-candidate approval gate; each selected framework is then run inline (one findings page per framework) and the run advances by re-invoking $positioning
5. Approval gate

This multi-select approval is the Stage-1 scope approval for the whole selected set. Stop for compiled YAML. Do not write the run manifest or run any framework in this session — that is state C.

3b. State C — Run Next Pending Framework (inline)

This session consumes the approved multi-select YAML (state 0→C) or advances after a prior framework's approval. At the head of the session, do the light bookkeeping first:

1. Write the run manifest if it does not yet exist: research/_working/positioning-run.yaml (flat) or research/{slug}/_working/positioning-run.yaml (product-path), recording selected_frameworks with each framework's slug and canonical intermediate path. Example (market mode):

   orchestrator: positioning
   selected_frameworks:
     - slug: jtbd-positioning
       intermediate: research/positioning-jtbd-positioning.md
     - slug: strategic-canvas
       intermediate: research/positioning-strategic-canvas.md
     - slug: moore-positioning
       intermediate: research/positioning-moore-positioning.md
   

2. If a prior framework's reviewed content was just approved by the pasted YAML, write its canonical intermediate research/positioning-{fw}.md (or research/{slug}/positioning-{fw}.md) from the already-reviewed working packet, and archive that framework's working packet and superseded review page.

Then run the one heavy phase: determine the next pending framework (first selected framework whose canonical intermediate does not yet exist), then load and follow that framework subskill's SKILL.md inline, entering at its research stage (Stage 2) — the multi-select approval already satisfied the framework's Stage-1 scope gate, so perform the research, write its working packet, and build a single findings review page. Stop for that framework's compiled YAML.

Advance the loop by self-re-invocation. When a framework findings page is in review, end the terminal message with ## Next Work telling the user to review the page and compile YAML, followed by ## Continue In A Fresh Session telling the user to compile the YAML and paste it into a fresh session that invokes $positioning with the same product/research path argument when present. After a framework's compiled YAML is approved and its canonical intermediate is written, recalculate pending frameworks from the manifest and filesystem before writing the handoff. If pending frameworks remain, end with ## Next Work reporting progress as "k of N frameworks complete" and saying the next run executes the next pending framework, followed by ## Recommended Next Command naming $positioning. If no pending frameworks remain and canonical positioning.md is missing, end with ## Next Work saying the next run builds the unified synthesis review page, followed by ## Recommended Next Command naming $positioning --synthesize with the same product/research path argument when present. Do not emit cross-skill routing here — that happens only after synthesis.

4. State B — Synthesis (auto-detected; also $positioning --synthesize)

Enter synthesis when the run manifest exists, all selected framework intermediates exist, and no canonical research/positioning.md yet exists. An explicit $positioning --synthesize also forces this state. Read all selected intermediate framework outputs (the intermediate paths recorded in the run manifest — full framework-slug filenames such as research/positioning-jtbd-positioning.md, research/positioning-moore-positioning.md). At least one must exist.

Synthesize into unified research/positioning.md:

Market-positioning synthesis: combined hypothesis, Moore template filled with cross-framework evidence, evidence matrix, confidence levels, validation plan. Header: > Mode: Market Positioning (hypothesized, pre-product)

Product-positioning synthesis: positioning statement from Obviously Awesome, customer-grounded evidence matrix, confidence levels. Header: > Mode: Product Positioning (customer-grounded)

Build alignment page for synthesis approval. After approval: write research/positioning.md, then on this canonical write archive the run manifest (positioning-run.yaml) and the synthesis working packet under docs/history/archive/YYYY-MM-DD/HHMMSS/<original-working-path>, update research/.progress.yaml pipeline_stage to positioning, and emit downstream next-step routing (step 6). This is the one place cross-orchestrator routing is allowed.

5. State C via Product-Positioning Shortcut ($positioning product)

Skip multi-select. Build an alignment page for the shortcut execution plan with:

1. Shortcut explanation: product-positioning shortcut selected and why obviously-awesome is the only queued framework
2. Evidence readiness: customer-feedback requirement and any missing evidence caveats
3. Proposed loop plan: the single obviously-awesome framework that will be recorded in the run manifest
4. Approval gate: require final compiled YAML approval before writing the run manifest

Do not write the run manifest before alignment approval. The next action is review of the HTML alignment page.

After user approval via final compiled YAML, write this selected set to the run manifest and enter the next pending framework session:

orchestrator: positioning
selected_frameworks:
  - slug: obviously-awesome
    intermediate: research/positioning-obviously-awesome.md

Then enter state C and run obviously-awesome inline per step 3b. The loop advances by re-invoking $positioning.

6. Next Steps (after synthesis only)

• IF no journey-map: check for customer-lifecycle pack → recommend $journey-map
• DEFAULT: check for product-design pack → if enabled, recommend $user-flow-map [positioning-backed product direction]; if not enabled, recommend npx skillpacks install product-design from the project shell
• IF solution-customer fit weak/disputed: $value-prop-canvas
• IF business-model risks: $lean-canvas
• IF no GTM: check for business-growth pack → recommend $gtm
• IF GTM exists: recommend $gtm refresh
• IF no monetization: check for business-growth pack → recommend $monetization
• IF codebase exists: check for business-ops pack → recommend $mvp-gap

7. Downstream Impact Check (after synthesis write)

Check research/gtm.md. Classify impact as None/Minor/Major per standard pattern.

Optional Research Trigger Map

These detours are conditional framework owners, not required AFPS chain links.

Positioning signal	Owner	Trigger threshold
Solution-customer fit weak/disputed, value mapping low confidence	$value-prop-canvas	Trigger: unique attributes can't be confidently mapped to value. Skip: value mapping clear.
Business-model risk exposed by category strategy	$lean-canvas	Trigger: risk would change UX or prototype choices. Skip: normal competitive findings.
Pricing architecture central to positioning	$monetization	Trigger: category/value mapping requires grounded pricing. Skip: pricing not a differentiator.

Output

State E / State C: run manifest plus per-framework findings review page (manifest written at the head of the first state-C session; one findings page + canonical research/positioning-{framework}.md per selected framework)

State B: research/positioning.md (unified synthesis — see claude variant for full template)

State C via shortcut: pre-approval alignment page, then run manifest update and obviously-awesome framework review after final compiled YAML approval

Task Classification

When this skill produces follow-up work, file it by execution semantics:

• Immediately actionable work goes in tasks/todo.md.
• Human-only external actions go in tasks/manual-todo.md.
• Condition-gated records go in tasks/record-todo.md.
• Cadence-based reviews go in tasks/recurring-todo.md.

Constraints

• Requires ICP + competitive analysis.
• Customer-grounded. Every decision connects to real evidence.
• Mode detection is evidence-based. Do not override without user confirmation.
• Parent owns the research loop. It records selected frameworks in the run manifest and runs one pending framework inline per invocation. Do not queue framework work in tasks/todo.md or hand it to $exec.
• Synthesis requires at least one framework output.
• Do not overwrite existing research/positioning.md without asking first.

Alignment Page

When this skill produces durable deliverables (research, specs, plans, reports, prototypes, or any document output), build a full-depth HTML alignment page following ALIGNMENT-PAGE.md in this skill's directory. Output: alignment/positioning-{topic}.html.

Default Shipping Contract

Follow the shared shipping contract convention in CLAUDE.md.