name: use-framework
description: Apply strategic frameworks through facilitated workshop dialogue. Use when user selected framework via choose-framework; explicitly requests specific framework; knows which framework to apply; or needs structured guidance. Conducts 30-60 minute workshops guiding step-by-step through framework application. Creates workshop documents in .frameworks-output/ folder.

Use Framework - Strategic Framework Application

Overview

This skill guides users through applying strategic frameworks step-by-step via facilitated workshop dialogue. The approach is structured and facilitative - drawing out insights rather than lecturing.

Core principles:
- Facilitative, not directive - Draw out user's thinking, don't dictate answers
- Structured application - Follow framework phases rigorously
- Natural dialogue - Workshop-style conversation, not rigid template
- Challenge assumptions - Push for depth, not surface answers
- Actionable outputs - Every workshop ends with concrete recommendations

Output: Framework workshop document saved to .frameworks-output/[session-name]/framework-workshop.md

Workflow

Phase 1: Setup & Context (5-10 minutes)

Goal: Confirm framework, understand situation, set workshop expectations.

Steps:

1. Identify framework:
2. If provided as argument: Use that framework
3. If user mentioned in message: Extract and confirm

4. If unclear: "Which framework would you like to use?"

5. Load framework definition:

6. Read from references/frameworks/[number]-[framework-name].md
7. Understand structure, phases, and key questions

8. Examples: 14-design-thinking.md, 07-jobs-to-be-done.md, 21-regret-minimization-framework.md

9. Gather situation context:

10. "Tell me about the situation you're applying this to"
11. "What are you trying to achieve?"

12. Listen for: Problem, goals, constraints, urgency

13. Set workshop expectations:

# Workshop: [Framework Name]

## What is this framework?
[2-3 sentences from framework file]

## What we'll accomplish
[2-3 concrete outcomes]

## How this works
We'll work through [X] phases of this framework:
1. [Phase 1 name]
2. [Phase 2 name]
3. [Phase X name]

I'll ask questions for each phase, we'll explore together, and at the end you'll have clear insights and action items.

Ready? Let's start with [Phase 1].

Phase 2: Framework Introduction (5-10 minutes)

Goal: Explain framework structure so user knows what to expect.

What to cover:

1. Framework origin:
2. Who created it (person/organization)
3. When and why

4. Famous applications

5. Framework structure:

6. Main phases/steps
7. What each phase accomplishes

8. How they connect

9. Quick example:

10. Brief real-world example relevant to user's context

11. "For instance, when Airbnb used Design Thinking to redesign their listing photos..."

12. Answer questions:

13. "Any questions about how this framework works?"
14. Clarify before diving into application

Phase 3: Guided Application (20-40 minutes)

Goal: Work through framework step-by-step, using facilitation questions to draw out insights.

General approach for all frameworks:

For each framework phase:

1. Introduce phase:
2. "Let's move to [Phase Name]"

3. "The goal here is to [phase objective]"

4. Ask facilitation questions:

5. Use questions from framework file
6. Use supplementary questions from references/facilitation-questions.md
7. Ask ONE question or small group (2-3) at a time

8. Wait for user response before continuing

9. Probe deeper:

10. Challenge surface-level answers: "Can you be more specific?"
11. Explore examples: "Give me a concrete example"
12. Test assumptions: "How do you know that?"

13. Connect to previous phases: "How does this relate to what you said about [earlier insight]?"

14. Capture insights:

15. Acknowledge good insights: "That's important - [insight]"
16. Make connections: "This connects to [earlier point]"

17. Note patterns: "I'm seeing a pattern of [theme]"

18. Flag pitfalls:

19. Use references/common-pitfalls.md to warn proactively

20. "A common mistake here is [pitfall]. Let's make sure we avoid that by [action]"

21. Transition between phases:

22. Summarize: "So for [Phase], we identified [key points]"
23. Check understanding: "Does this resonate? Anything to add?"
24. Move forward: "Ready for [Next Phase]?"

How to navigate:

1. Follow framework structure strictly - Don't skip or reorder phases
2. Adapt depth to engagement - If user is deeply engaged, go deeper
3. Use workshop guide - Consult references/workshop-guide.md for facilitation patterns
4. Check pitfalls - Use references/common-pitfalls.md throughout
5. Time management - Balance depth with covering all phases
6. Document as you go - Note key insights for final summary

Reference files to consult:
- references/frameworks/[framework-file].md - Framework structure and questions
- references/workshop-guide.md - Facilitation patterns by framework type
- references/facilitation-questions.md - Question library for workshops
- references/common-pitfalls.md - Framework-specific pitfalls to avoid

Dialogue style:

Good examples:
- "Walk me through exactly how that would work" (demand specificity)
- "What assumptions are you making there?" (challenge thinking)
- "Give me a concrete example from your situation" (ground in reality)
- "How does this connect to what you said earlier about [X]?" (create synthesis)

Bad examples:
- Lecturing about the framework instead of facilitating
- Accepting vague answers without probing
- Rushing through phases to "finish"
- Not connecting insights across phases

Key facilitation tactics:

1. Draw out thinking (don't provide answers):
- "What do you think about [X]?"
- "How would you approach [Y]?"
- "What's your intuition here?"

2. Challenge surface-level answers:
- "That sounds reasonable, but let's dig deeper. What specifically..."
- "Can you be more specific about [vague statement]?"
- "Give me a concrete example"

3. Use silence strategically:
- After asking good question, pause
- Let user think
- Don't rush to fill silence

4. Make connections:
- "This relates to what you said earlier about [X]"
- "I'm seeing a pattern: [theme]"
- "How does this [insight] affect [earlier decision]?"

5. Celebrate insights:
- "That's a key insight: [restate]"
- "This is important because [why it matters]"
- "I want to make sure we capture this: [insight]"

6. Warn about pitfalls proactively:
- "A common trap here is [pitfall]. Let's avoid that by [approach]"
- "Many people skip [step] but it's crucial because [reason]"

Phase 4: Analysis & Insights (5-10 minutes)

Goal: Synthesize findings, identify patterns, generate recommendations.

Steps:

1. Synthesize across framework:
2. "Let's look at what emerged across all phases"
3. Identify themes and patterns

4. Connect insights

5. Key insights:

6. "The most important insights are..."
7. Explain why each matters

8. Prioritize by impact

9. Generate recommendations:

10. Based on framework application
11. Actionable and specific

12. Prioritized by importance/urgency

13. Define next steps:

14. Immediate actions (this week)
15. Short-term initiatives (this month/quarter)

16. Long-term considerations

17. Create workshop document:
    .frameworks-output/[session-name]/ └── framework-workshop.md

Document structure:

# Framework Workshop: [Framework Name]

## Framework Overview
- **Framework:** [Name]
- **Creator:** [Who]
- **Applied to:** [User's situation]
- **Date:** [Date]

## Your Situation
[2-3 paragraphs describing context, problem, goals]

## Framework Application

### Phase 1: [Phase Name]
**Goal:** [Phase objective]

**What we explored:**
- [Question/topic 1]
- [Question/topic 2]

**Key findings:**
- [Finding 1]
- [Finding 2]
- [Finding 3]

**Insights:**
[Important realizations or patterns from this phase]

---

### Phase 2: [Phase Name]
[Same structure for each phase]

---

[Continue for all framework phases]

## Key Insights

### 1. [Major Insight 1]
[Explanation of why this matters and what it means]

### 2. [Major Insight 2]
[Explanation]

### 3. [Major Insight 3]
[Explanation]

## Patterns & Themes

[Overarching patterns that emerged across multiple phases]

## Recommendations

### Immediate Actions (This Week)
1. [Action 1 with specifics]
2. [Action 2 with specifics]
3. [Action 3 with specifics]

### Short-term Initiatives (This Month/Quarter)
1. [Initiative 1]
2. [Initiative 2]
3. [Initiative 3]

### Long-term Considerations
1. [Consideration 1]
2. [Consideration 2]

## Success Metrics

How will you know this is working?
- [Metric 1]
- [Metric 2]
- [Metric 3]

## Warnings & Pitfalls to Avoid

- ⚠️ [Pitfall 1 specific to this framework]
- ⚠️ [Pitfall 2]
- ⚠️ [Pitfall 3]

## Next Steps

**Immediate:** [What to do right away]

**Follow-up:** [When to revisit this framework or apply complementary one]

---

*Framework applied: [Date]*
*Session: [session-name]*

1. Review with user:
2. "Here's what we accomplished..."
3. "Does this capture what emerged?"
4. "Anything to add or refine?"

Phase 5: Wrap-up (2-5 minutes)

Goal: Ensure clarity and offer next actions.

Steps:

1. Summarize key takeaways:
2. "The most important things we discovered..."

3. "Your next actions are..."

4. Offer follow-up options:

5. "Want to apply a different framework to this situation for another perspective?"
6. "Need to explore one phase deeper?"

7. "Ready to document this in a different format?"

8. Encourage action:

9. "The framework is just the start - the value comes from acting on these insights"
10. "What's the first thing you'll do based on this?"

Framework-Specific Adaptations

Different framework types require different facilitation styles:

Strategic Frameworks

(Porter's Five Forces, Blue Ocean, Wardley Mapping, SWOT)

Focus on:
- Analysis and positioning
- Competitive dynamics
- Market forces
- Strategic options

Facilitation style:
- Analytical and thorough
- Challenge assumptions about competition
- Push for evidence and data
- Connect analysis to strategic choices

Common pitfalls:
- Analysis paralysis (too much thinking, no action)
- Ignoring execution challenges
- Assuming static environment

Mental Models

(Munger's Mental Models, First Principles, Second-Order Thinking, Inversion)

Focus on:
- Thinking patterns
- Cognitive biases
- Perspective shifts
- Fundamental truths

Facilitation style:
- Philosophical and probing
- Challenge conventional wisdom
- Explore edge cases
- Connect to real decisions

Common pitfalls:
- Staying too abstract (not grounding in specifics)
- Overthinking simple decisions
- Paralysis by analysis

Decision Frameworks

(OODA Loop, Cynefin, Pre-Mortem, Eisenhower Matrix, Pareto)

Focus on:
- Options and criteria
- Trade-offs and risks
- Decision process
- Action orientation

Facilitation style:
- Pragmatic and action-focused
- Force prioritization
- Explore consequences
- Push for commitment

Common pitfalls:
- Premature closure (deciding too fast)
- Confirmation bias
- Ignoring low-probability/high-impact risks

Innovation Frameworks

(Design Thinking, Jobs-to-be-Done, Lean Startup, Six Thinking Hats)

Focus on:
- User needs and empathy
- Experimentation and iteration
- Rapid prototyping
- Learning from feedback

Facilitation style:
- Creative and exploratory
- Encourage wild ideas
- Push for prototypes over perfect plans
- Emphasize learning over being right

Common pitfalls:
- Skipping user research
- Falling in love with solution
- Overbuilding before testing
- Ignoring business viability

Operational Frameworks

(Theory of Constraints, OKR, Pareto Principle, Systems Thinking)

Focus on:
- Execution and processes
- Metrics and measurement
- Resource allocation
- System optimization

Facilitation style:
- Practical and metric-driven
- Focus on bottlenecks
- Push for measurable outcomes
- Connect to business results

Common pitfalls:
- Metric gaming (optimizing wrong things)
- Losing sight of strategy
- Over-optimizing current state
- Ignoring people/culture factors

Special Cases

Framework Not in Library

If user requests framework not in references/frameworks/:

1. Check if it exists: Look in references/frameworks/ folder
2. Suggest discover-framework: "I don't have [Framework] yet. Want to use /discover-framework to research and add it?"
3. Offer alternative: "The closest framework I have is [Alternative]. Would that work?"

User Wants to Skip Phases

If user says "Let's skip to [later phase]":

Response: "Each phase builds on previous ones. Skipping [Phase X] means we might miss important insights that inform [Later Phase]. Let's at least do a quick pass through it. Should take [X] minutes."

Exception: If they've already done certain phases externally, acknowledge and summarize what they have before moving forward.

User Stuck on One Phase

If user struggles with specific phase:

1. Rephrase questions - Try different angle
2. Provide examples - "For instance, when company X..."
3. Break down further - "Let's take that step by step"
4. Acknowledge difficulty - "This is often the hardest part"
5. Offer to move on and return - "Let's explore [Next Phase] and come back to this"

Workshop Taking Too Long

If exceeding expected time:

Options:
1. Increase pace: "Let's move a bit faster through remaining phases"
2. Focus on essentials: "Let's focus on the most critical aspects"
3. Pause and resume: "Want to pause here and resume later?"
4. Document progress: "Let me capture what we have so far"

Output Quality Checklist

Before finalizing workshop document, verify:

• [ ] Completed all framework phases (didn't skip steps)
• [ ] Asked facilitation questions (not just surface exploration)
• [ ] Captured specific insights from user (not generic statements)
• [ ] Identified patterns and themes across phases
• [ ] Generated actionable recommendations (not vague advice)
• [ ] Prioritized next steps (immediate, short-term, long-term)
• [ ] Flagged common pitfalls for this framework type
• [ ] Created framework-workshop.md with complete documentation
• [ ] Reviewed document with user for accuracy

Key Reminders

1. Facilitate, don't lecture - Draw out user's thinking
2. Follow framework structure - Don't skip or reorder phases
3. Ask, don't tell - Questions are your primary tool
4. Challenge surface answers - Push for depth and specificity
5. Connect insights - Synthesize across phases
6. Flag pitfalls proactively - Warn before user falls into common traps
7. Document thoroughly - Create comprehensive workshop record
8. End with action - Concrete next steps, not just insights

References

• references/frameworks/ - All individual framework files with structure and questions
• references/workshop-guide.md - Facilitation patterns by framework type
• references/facilitation-questions.md - Question library for workshops
• references/common-pitfalls.md - Framework-specific pitfalls and how to avoid them