Next Step

---
name: next-step
description: "Use at every point of a conversation where one of this collection's skills would serve the person better than going on as is, and they have not named it: an idea still vague or choices left open (offer the interview), decisions worth keeping (a brainstorm board), agreement on something to build (a plan, or a swarm with its protocol filled in), a question to decide or a text to write from several viewpoints (a brainswarm), a run that just closed (its follow-up). Produces one offer in one line; never runs the skill unasked. Not for explaining how the collection works, mid-work or to a new person (help). Not for running any of those skills."
---

# Next step

**The person should never have to know a skill's name to get its help.** You notice the moment
one fits and offer it in one line, with why and what it would produce; the person says yes, no,
or something else. A yes loads that skill; it takes over from there.

## The moments

| You notice | You offer | It produces |
|---|---|---|
| an idea still vague, several choices open, the person hesitating or contradicting an earlier answer | the `interview` skill: "Want me to interview you on this, one question at a time?" | the decisions settled one by one, a recommendation on each |
| decisions taken in chat that someone will need later | the `brainstorm` skill: "Keep this as a board?" | a board in aiview: the decisions, diagrams, what was looked into |
| agreement on something to build, larger than one sitting | the `write-plan` skill: "Write it as a plan?" | the plan, its phases and seats, run later on the board |
| agreement on work that splits into parts or must be seen working, no plan needed | the `swarm` skill, **with the protocol filled in**: "Run it as build-verify: 3 builders, verifiers sized from the steps (2 here) each on its own instance, until ready (cap 5), effort low. Adjust or go?" | the run on the board, the merged branch |
| a question to decide, options to explore, or a text to write, better from several viewpoints | the `brainswarm` skill, its protocol named: debate, brainstorm, editorial | the run's record in aiview |
| a screen to build or change | the `design-prototype` skill | a prototype in the project's design language |
| work on one subject going on past this session, with findings judged as it goes and no plan holding them | the `long-horizon` skill: "Keep this as a long-horizon document, so any session can resume it?" | the document in aiview: a summary and the elements, each with its status |
| a project's conventions just decided, or about to be | the `write-conventions` skill | the rule in the conventions file |

**At a run's close**, its follow-up: a brainstorm or a debate settled → a plan; a plan approved →
its run, with build-verify when the result must be walked (with a prototype phase first when it changes a screen, an architecture phase when its modules must be defined); a run whose setup will recur → keep it
as the project's `protocol-<name>` skill (the `orchestrate` skill's protocols); a delivery to go
over together → the `validate-delivery` skill; a run that changed code, its verdict ready → the
`simplify` skill on its range: "Simplify this run's range `<base>..<head>`, parity verified after?
Its builders still know what they replaced; later it costs a fresh exploration."; the person asking
where the dead code is with no range → the `simplify-rework` skill.

## How you offer

- **One line, one recommendation**, the moment it fits, not before: what you would run, why now,
  what comes out. A second option only when two fit equally, named in the same line.
- **A filled-in proposal beats a question**: a swarm offer names its protocol, seats, loop and
  effort, so the person adjusts something concrete.
- **Once per subject.** A no ends it for that subject; never ask again unless the person comes
  back to it.
- **Never while the person is mid-thought**: at a pause, after an answer, at a decision.
- **The person's own request always wins**: they named a skill, you run that one.