---
name: SpecPulse: Clarify
description: Address requirements clarifications without SpecPulse CLI
category: SpecPulse
tags: [specpulse, clarify, requirements]
---

# SpecPulse Requirements Clarification

Address requirements clarifications and resolve specification ambiguities without requiring SpecPulse CLI installation.

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**Guardrails**
- CLI-first approach: Always try SpecPulse CLI commands before file operations
- Keep changes tightly scoped to clarification resolution and documentation
- Only edit files in specs/, memory/, and project documentation directories
- Favor straightforward, minimal implementations first

**Steps**
Track these steps as TODOs and complete them one by one.
1. Parse arguments to determine clarification target and action
2. Check .specpulse/memory/context.md for active feature
3. Locate target specification or create new clarification item
4. Analyze current requirements and identify ambiguities
5. Generate clarifying questions based on gaps identified
6. Process clarification responses and resolve ambiguities
7. Update specifications with clarified requirements
8. Document clarification decisions and rationale
9. Validate updated requirements for completeness
10. Update feature context and memory with resolution

**Reference**
- Use specification templates for requirement analysis
- Check memory/decisions.md for decision tracking
- Refer to feature context for clarification scope
- Follow requirement clarification best practices

**Usage**
Arguments should be provided as: `[spec-id] [--interactive] [--import <clarification-file>]`

**Clarification Process:**

### Phase 1: Requirement Analysis
- **Gap Identification**: Find missing or ambiguous requirements
- **Consistency Check**: Identify conflicting requirements
- **Completeness Analysis**: Verify all business needs are covered
- **Feasibility Assessment**: Check technical and resource feasibility

### Phase 2: Question Generation
- **Contextual Questions**: Based on business domain and user needs
- **Technical Questions**: Architecture and implementation details
- **Process Questions**: Workflow and business process clarifications
- **Constraint Questions**: Limitations and boundary conditions

### Phase 3: Resolution and Documentation
- **Response Processing**: Analyze and understand clarification answers
- **Requirement Updates**: Incorporate clarified requirements
- **Decision Documentation**: Record clarification decisions
- **Impact Analysis**: Assess changes on existing work

**Clarification Workflow Template:**
```markdown
# Requirements Clarification: [Feature Name]
**Specification ID:** [spec-id]
**Clarification Session:** [timestamp]

## 🔍 Analysis Summary
### Current Requirements Status
- **Total Requirements:** [count]
- **Clear Requirements:** [count]
- **Ambiguous Requirements:** [count]
- **Missing Requirements:** [count]
- **Conflicting Requirements:** [count]

### Quality Assessment
**Requirement Clarity Score:** [xx]/100
**Completeness Score:** [xx]/100
**Consistency Score:** [xx]/100
**Overall Quality:** [Excellent/Good/Fair/Poor]

## ❓ Identified Clarification Areas

### 1) [Category Name] Requirements
**Current State:** [description of ambiguity/gap]
**Impact:** [high/medium/low] - [description of impact]

**Clarifying Questions:**
1. **Question 1:** [Specific question about requirement]
   - Context: [Why this question is important]
   - Expected Answer Type: [multiple choice/text/numeric]

2. **Question 2:** [Specific question about requirement]
   - Context: [Why this question is important]
   - Expected Answer Type: [multiple choice/text/numeric]

### 2) [Category Name] Requirements
[Similar structure for each clarification area]

## 📝 Clarification Session

### Interactive Questions (If --interactive mode)
**Question 1:** [First clarifying question]
**Options:**
- A) [Option A description]
- B) [Option B description]
- C) [Option C description]
- D) [Other - please specify]

**Your Answer:** [User's response]
**Analysis:** [Analysis of response and implications]

### Processed Responses
**Question 1 Answer:** [Recorded answer]
**Interpretation:** [How the answer clarifies requirements]
**Requirement Updates:** [Specific requirements to add/modify]

## ✅ Resolved Clarifications

### Clarification 1: [Title]
**Original Issue:** [Description of ambiguity/gap]
**Clarifying Question:** [Question that was asked]
**Resolution Answer:** [Response provided]
**Analysis:** [Interpretation and implications]

**Requirement Updates:**
```markdown
### Updated Requirement: [Requirement ID]
**Before:** [Original ambiguous requirement text]
**After:** [Clarified requirement text]

**Rationale:** [Explanation of the clarification decision]
**Impact:** [Effect on implementation, timeline, or other requirements]
```

### Clarification 2: [Title]
[Similar structure for each resolved clarification]

## 📋 Updated Requirements Specification

### Clarified Requirements
#### [Requirement Category]
**Requirement [ID]:** [Clear, unambiguous requirement text]
**Acceptance Criteria:**
- [Clear criteria 1]
- [Clear criteria 2]
- [Clear criteria 3]

**Business Value:** [Business justification and priority]
**Dependencies:** [Dependencies on other requirements]
**Constraints:** [Technical or business constraints]

### Decision Log
#### Decision [ID]: [Decision Title]
**Date:** [decision date]
**Context:** [What led to this decision]
**Decision:** [What was decided]
**Rationale:** [Why this decision was made]
**Alternatives Considered:** [Other options and why they were rejected]
**Impact:** [Effect on project]

**Stakeholders:** [Who was involved in decision]
**Confidence Level:** [High/Medium/Low]
**Reversible:** [Yes/No - can this decision be changed later]

## 🔭 Impact Analysis

### Changes to Existing Work
**Modified Requirements:** [count]
**New Requirements Added:** [count]
**Requirements Removed:** [count]

### Implementation Impact
**Architecture Changes:** [description of changes]
**API Modifications:** [description of changes]
**Database Schema Updates:** [description of changes]
**UI/UX Changes:** [description of changes]

### Timeline Impact
**Estimated Additional Effort:** [time estimate]
**Critical Path Impact:** [effect on project timeline]
**Milestone Adjustments:** [changes to project milestones]

## ✅ Validation Results

### Quality Improvements
**Requirement Clarity Score:** [xx]/100 (improved from [previous])
**Completeness Score:** [xx]/100 (improved from [previous])
**Consistency Score:** [xx]/100 (improved from [previous])

### Outstanding Issues
**Remaining Ambiguities:** [count]
**Open Questions:** [count]
**Stakeholder Review Required:** [Yes/No]

## 🎯 Next Steps

### Immediate Actions
1. **Review Updated Requirements:** [specific action]
2. **Stakeholder Validation:** [who needs to review]
3. **Implementation Planning Updates:** [planning required]

### Follow-up Activities
- Schedule stakeholder review meeting
- Update implementation plans
- Assess impact on current development work
- Communicate changes to development team

### Documentation Updates
- Update specification documents
- Modify acceptance criteria in task breakdowns
- Update API documentation if needed
- Communicate changes to all stakeholders

## 📁 Generated Files
```
.specpulse/specs/[feature]/
├── spec-[id]-clarified.md      # Updated specification
├── clarifications/
│   ├── clarification-[id].md   # This clarification session
│   └── decision-log.md         # Historical decisions
└── memory/
    ├── decisions.md            # Updated decision log
    └── context.md              # Updated feature context
```

**Clarification Status:** [completed/partial/needs-review]
**Confidence Level:** [High/Medium/Low]
**Ready for Implementation:** [Yes/No]
```

**CLI-Independent Benefits:**
- Works completely without SpecPulse CLI installation
- Interactive clarification resolution with intelligent question generation
- Comprehensive impact analysis and requirement updates
- Decision documentation and rationale tracking

**Advanced Features:**
- **Smart Question Generation**: AI-powered clarifying question creation
- **Impact Analysis**: Automated assessment of changes on existing work
- **Decision Tracking**: Complete audit trail of clarification decisions
- **Quality Metrics**: Quantitative measurement of requirement clarity improvements

**Interactive Mode Features:**
- Real-time question and answer processing
- Context-aware follow-up questions
- Multiple choice and open-ended question support
- Progress tracking through clarification agenda
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