Quality Attribute Discovery

Guide identification and prioritization of the quality attributes a future solution must satisfy, before architecture and design decisions begin. This is an interactive SKILL.

What is covered in this Skill?

Identifying candidate quality attributes (for example performance, security, availability, maintainability, scalability, usability, observability) relevant to the problem
Grounding each candidate in evidence from the problem frame, root causes, assumptions, and context map, not a generic checklist
Prioritizing candidate quality attributes by stakeholder impact and risk
Stopping at a prioritized discovery list rather than selecting or recording an architectural decision
Explicitly not producing ADRs or an architecture direction itself

Constraints

Discover and prioritize candidate quality attributes as input to later architecture work; do not make or record the architecture decision here. When this technique is orchestrated by another workflow, the orchestrator owns clarifying-question sequencing; when applied standalone, ask directly.

MUST read references/025-quality-attribute-discovery.md before applying Quality Attribute Discovery guidance
MUST ground each candidate quality attribute in evidence from the problem frame, root causes, assumptions, or context map
MUST prioritize candidate quality attributes by stakeholder impact and risk, not list them unordered
MUST stop at a prioritized discovery list without selecting or recording an architecture decision
MUST NOT record an architectural decision, ADR, or design direction as part of this skill's output
MUST NOT invent a quality attribute or priority when the available content is vague or ambiguous; flag the gap for a clarifying question instead

When to use this skill

Discover the quality attributes for this problem
Identify non-functional requirements before design begins
Prioritize candidate quality attributes for this issue
Apply quality attribute discovery before architecture decisions
Draft the Quality Attribute Discovery section of a Functional Specification

Workflow

Read the Reference

Read references/025-quality-attribute-discovery.md, then review the problem frame, root-cause findings, assumptions, and context map for evidence of quality pressure.

Identify Candidate Quality Attributes

Identify candidate quality attributes grounded in that evidence, avoiding a generic unfiltered checklist.

Prioritize by Impact and Risk

Prioritize the candidate quality attributes by stakeholder impact and risk if unmet.

Stop Before Architecture Decisions

Stop at the prioritized discovery list; do not select an architecture approach or record an ADR here.

Report the Discovery List

Report the prioritized quality attributes, stating explicitly that the output stops at this discovery list and does not select or record an architecture decision; flag any item left open pending a clarifying answer.

Reference

For detailed guidance, examples, and constraints, see references/025-quality-attribute-discovery.md.