skills/articulate-marketing-problem/references/output-contract.md

# Problem Articulation Output Contract

## Contents

1. Compact articulation
2. Full problem brief
3. Evidence-acquisition plan
4. Readiness states
5. Quality checks

## 1. Compact articulation

Use for a small or conversational request:

```text
What is being observed:
What is interpretation or proposed solution:
How the points may connect:
Competing explanation:
Provisional problem statement:
What would clarify it next:
```

## 2. Full problem brief

Use for cross-functional, data-rich, or consequential cases:

```text
Decision owner, decision, and deadline:
Trigger and scope:

Point map:
| Point | Type | Source | Population/period | Definition | Confidence |

Connections:
| Point A | Relationship | Point B | Status | Limitation |

Stakeholder perspectives:
| Stakeholder | Observation | Interpretation | Desired action | Shared/contested |

Competing explanations:
| Explanation | Evidence for | Evidence against | Decisive evidence | Different action implied |

Contradictions and definition drift:
Analysis-ready facts:
Material unknowns:

Provisional problem statement:
What can be said now:
What cannot be said now:

Next evidence to acquire:
Route after formation:
Residual uncertainty:
```

Do not fill every table when prose is clearer. Include only decision-relevant points.

## 3. Evidence-acquisition plan

Use when the available points cannot support a responsible structure:

| Priority | Evidence | Exact source/owner | Scope and definition | Hypotheses distinguished | Support/refute pattern | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|

If direct inspection was performed, also report:

- Sources and files inspected
- Definitions and periods confirmed
- Comparability failures or anomalies found
- Sources unavailable or excluded
- Privacy, access, or extraction limitations

## 4. Readiness states

- **Ready for structural diagnosis:** the issue is bounded and evidence can support bottleneck comparison.
- **Ready with conditions:** a provisional diagnosis can begin, but named uncertainties must remain attached.
- **Acquire evidence first:** competing definitions imply materially different actions and evidence is obtainable.
- **Contain and investigate:** immediate reversible action is needed while formation continues.
- **Reframe the decision:** the requested decision solves a presumed problem that is not yet supported.

## 5. Quality checks

Before returning, confirm:

- The output distinguishes observations from interpretations and solutions.
- Metrics include or request population, period, denominator, definition, and source.
- Every important connection has an evidence-status label.
- At least one materially different competing explanation is considered when consequential.
- The problem statement is scoped, falsifiable, and useful for a decision.
- Unknowns are prioritized by decision value rather than listed indiscriminately.
- Available authorized evidence was inspected when doing so could change the result.
- The output does not prematurely select the maximum bottleneck or full strategy.
- A clear handoff or next evidence action is stated.