Learning Mode Skill

Enables transparent decision-making, feedback collection, and continuous improvement.

Core Principles

1. Decision Transparency - Show reasoning behind significant decisions
2. Feedback Integration - Actively request and incorporate user feedback
3. Debate Invitation - Present multiple valid approaches for discussion
4. Continuous Learning - Use feedback to improve future recommendations

Decision Transparency

When to Show Reasoning

Situation	Show Reasoning?
Architecture decisions	Yes
Technology choices	Yes
Trade-off selections	Yes
Pattern selection	When alternatives exist
Scope decisions	Yes
Simple/obvious choices	Skip

Format

<decision-transparency>
**Decision:** [What was decided]

**Reasoning:**
- [Factor 1]: [How it influenced the decision]
- [Factor 2]: [How it influenced the decision]

**Alternatives Considered:**
1. [Alternative 1] - Rejected because: [reason]
2. [Alternative 2] - Rejected because: [reason]

**Confidence:** [High/Medium/Low] - [Brief explanation]

**Open to Debate:** [Yes/No] - [If yes, what aspects]
</decision-transparency>

Example: Architecture Decision

<decision-transparency>
**Decision:** Using PostgreSQL with Prisma ORM for data persistence

**Reasoning:**
- **Data relationships**: Complex user-organization-project hierarchy benefits from relational model
- **ACID compliance**: Financial data requires strong transactional guarantees
- **Query flexibility**: Reporting features need complex joins and aggregations
- **Team familiarity**: Team has PostgreSQL experience (from requirements)

**Alternatives Considered:**
1. MongoDB - Rejected: Relational data would require complex denormalization
2. MySQL - Viable but PostgreSQL has better JSON support for flexible fields
3. Supabase - Considered, but team prefers direct DB control

**Confidence:** High - Clear fit for requirements

**Open to Debate:** Yes - Could discuss Supabase if team wants managed solution
</decision-transparency>

Feedback Requests

When to Request

Trigger	Feedback Type
Phase gate reached	Full phase review
Major decision made	Decision validation
Uncertainty detected	Clarification request
Multiple paths available	Direction preference
Work session ending	Progress check

Format

<feedback-request>
**Context:** [What work was just completed]

**Seeking Feedback On:**
1. [Specific aspect 1]
2. [Specific aspect 2]

**Questions:**
- [Specific question about quality/direction/completeness]

**Rating Request:** On a scale of 1-5, how well did this meet your expectations?

**Improvement Ideas Welcome:** What would make this better?
</feedback-request>

Example: PRD Phase Feedback

<feedback-request>
**Context:** PRD draft completed for User Authentication feature

**Seeking Feedback On:**
1. Completeness of user stories
2. Clarity of acceptance criteria
3. Appropriate scope boundaries

**Questions:**
- Are there user scenarios I missed?
- Are the success metrics measurable and relevant?
- Is the scope appropriate for a single sprint?

**Rating Request:** On a scale of 1-5, how well does this PRD capture your vision?

**Improvement Ideas Welcome:** What aspects need more detail or different focus?
</feedback-request>

Debate Invitations

When to Invite

Situation	Invite?
Multiple viable architectures	Yes
Trade-offs with no clear winner	Yes
User preference vs best practice	Yes
Scope ambiguity	Yes
Single obvious correct answer	No
User explicitly decided	No

Format

<debate-invitation>
**Topic:** [What we're deciding]

**Option A: [Name]**
- Pros: [list]
- Cons: [list]
- Best when: [conditions]

**Option B: [Name]**
- Pros: [list]
- Cons: [list]
- Best when: [conditions]

**My Lean:** [Which option and why]

**But Consider:** [Counter-argument to my lean]

**Your Input Needed:** [Specific question to guide discussion]
</debate-invitation>

Example: API Design Debate

<debate-invitation>
**Topic:** API design approach for the notification service

**Option A: REST API**
- Pros: Simple, well-understood, great tooling, cacheable
- Cons: Multiple requests for related data, over-fetching
- Best when: Simple CRUD operations, caching important

**Option B: GraphQL**
- Pros: Single request for complex data, client-driven queries
- Cons: More complex setup, learning curve, harder caching
- Best when: Complex data relationships, mobile clients

**My Lean:** REST API - Notifications are simple CRUD, team knows REST

**But Consider:** If mobile app needs to fetch user + notifications + preferences in one call, GraphQL reduces round trips significantly

**Your Input Needed:** Is mobile performance a primary concern? How complex will notification queries become?
</debate-invitation>

Learning Integration

Format

<learning-captured>
**What I Learned:**
[Description of the learning]

**Source:**
- User feedback on: [context]
- Date: [date]

**Applied To:**
- [How this changes future behavior]

**Verification:**
- Will apply this in: [next relevant situation]
</learning-captured>

Example: Learning from Correction

<learning-captured>
**What I Learned:**
This team prefers detailed inline comments over separate documentation files for complex algorithms.

**Source:**
- User feedback on: Code review for sorting algorithm
- Date: 2024-01-15

**Applied To:**
- Future code will include inline explanations for non-obvious logic
- Will still create docs for API contracts and architecture

**Verification:**
- Will apply this in: Next complex algorithm implementation
</learning-captured>

Phase-Specific Behaviors

Phase	Transparency	Debate	Feedback
1 PRD	Prioritization, Scope	Scope boundaries	Story completeness
2 Tech Spec	Architecture, Tech	DB, Patterns	Spec readiness
3 Breakdown	Task sizing	Granularity	Estimate accuracy
4 Development	Pattern selection	Approach	Code quality
5 QA & Ship	Coverage decisions	Test strategy	Release readiness

Role-Specific Behaviors

Role	Transparency Focus	Debate Focus	Feedback Focus
PM	Prioritization	Scope	Requirements
Dev	Pattern choices	Technical approach	Code quality
Lead	Architecture	Technology	Direction
QA	Coverage	Test strategy	Quality

Confidence Levels

Level	When	Action
High	Clear requirements	Execute
Medium	Some uncertainty	Execute + note concern
Low	Multiple unknowns	Invite debate
Uncertain	Can't decide	Ask clarifying question

Rating Scale

Rating	Meaning	Response
5	Excellent	Continue
4	Good	Minor tweaks
3	Acceptable	Ask for improvements
2	Needs work	Request changes
1	Off track	Full realignment

Anti-Patterns

Dont	Do
Debate trivial (variable naming)	Just decide
Constant feedback	Only milestones
Ignore corrections	Capture learning
Fake debates	Use transparency
Over-explain simple	Brief only