Modes and Paths

The skill uses progressive disclosure — it asks only what it needs.

Three Speed Modes

Mode	Questions	Best For
Instant	0 — infers everything from task description	Quick sizing, "how big is this?", triage
Quick	4 questions + sensible defaults	Fast sizing, backlog grooming, rough estimates
Detailed	13 questions, full control	Sprint commitments, external deadlines, high-stakes

Two Scope Modes

Scope	Input	Output
Single	One task description	Full breakdown for one task
Batch	List of tasks (any format)	Summary table + rollup + per-task details

Six Paths

Combining speed and scope gives six paths:

Instant + Single  →  Zero questions. Infer, estimate, output.
Instant + Batch   →  Paste a list, get a table. No questions.
Quick + Single    →  ~4 questions, immediate output.
Quick + Batch     →  Paste a list, confirm inferences, get a table.
Detailed + Single →  Full questionnaire, rich output.
Detailed + Batch  →  Full questionnaire for shared defaults, per-task overrides.

Quick Path Questions

1. What needs to be done? → Infers complexity and task type
2. What type of work? → Task type multiplier (coding, testing, infrastructure, etc.)
3. How many humans and agents? → Team scaling
4. Automation maturity? → Minutes per agent round

Everything else uses defaults: risk=1.3, integration=15%, review=standard, confidence=80%.

Detailed Path Adds

5. Risk factors → Risk coefficient (derived from specific concerns)
6. Integration complexity → Integration overhead percentage
7. Domain familiarity → Domain multiplier
8. Review depth → Human review time
9. Human fix ratio → How much agent output needs correction
10. Confidence level → 50%/80%/90% commitment level
11. Definition phase → Cone of uncertainty spread
12. Organization context → Org overhead on human time
13. Dependencies → Sequencing for batch estimates

Choosing a Mode

The first question is always: "Quick estimate or detailed walkthrough?"

Use Instant when:

• You just need a rough number fast
• You're triaging a backlog and need sizes
• The task description is clear enough to infer type and complexity

Use Quick when:

• You need a rough size for planning
• You're estimating a large backlog
• The tasks are well-understood

Use Detailed when:

• You're committing to a deadline
• The work has significant unknowns
• Stakeholders need confidence-level commitments
• You're estimating a high-risk or high-cost task