Ask about:
- Goal and trigger.
- Relevant files, docs, errors, examples, data, or state.
- Hidden assumptions, missing constraints, or risks the user has not named.
- Scope and non-goals.
- Constraints and risks.
- Success, failure, and done criteria.
- Verification command or behavior check.
Root Cause
Ask when the task may need root-cause analysis:
- Is this a recurring problem, incident, churn, delay, unclear bug, process failure, or unexplained outcome?
- Is the problem specific enough to investigate?
- What evidence, cause chain, fixes, or success metrics are missing?
Use five-whys when answers show the task needs cause-chain analysis. Return to discuss-task only if scope, constraints, done state, or next action is still unclear.