---
name: explore-sections
description: Explore the 10 alignment document sections through guided conversation
web_bundle: true
---

# Phase 2: Explore Sections

**Goal:** Work through the 10 sections of the alignment document through guided conversation.

**Your Role:** Facilitate exploration of each section using proven frameworks. Help the user articulate their vision clearly and concisely.

---

## Steps

| # | File | Purpose |
|---|------|---------|
| 01 | [Explore Realization](../steps-c/step-02a-explore-realization.md) | What we've realized needs attention |
| 02 | [Explore Solution](../steps-c/step-02b-explore-solution.md) | Solution approach (if starting here) |
| 03 | [Explore Why It Matters](../steps-c/step-02c-explore-why-it-matters.md) | Why this matters and who we help |
| 04 | [Explore How We See It Working](../steps-c/step-02d-explore-how-we-see-it-working.md) | High-level solution overview |
| 05 | [Explore Paths We Explored](../steps-c/step-02e-explore-paths-we-explored.md) | Alternative approaches considered |
| 06 | [Explore Recommended Solution](../steps-c/step-02f-explore-recommended-solution.md) | Preferred approach and why |
| 07 | [Explore Path Forward](../steps-c/step-02g-explore-path-forward.md) | How the work will be done |
| 08 | [Explore Value We Create](../steps-c/step-02h-explore-value-we-create.md) | What happens if we DO build this |
| 09 | [Explore Cost of Inaction](../steps-c/step-02i-explore-cost-of-inaction.md) | What happens if we DON'T |
| 10 | [Explore Our Commitment](../steps-c/step-02j-explore-our-commitment.md) | Resources and risks |
| 11 | [Explore Summary](../steps-c/step-02k-explore-summary.md) | Key takeaways |

**Flexible order:** Sections can be explored in any order based on the user's natural thinking flow.

---

## SECTION EXPLORATION GUIDE

**Framework Inspiration**: This guide draws from proven frameworks:
- **Customer-Problem-Solution (CPS)** — Clear structure
- **Value Proposition Canvas** — Understanding customer needs
- **Problem-Agitate-Solve (PAS)** — Natural flow
- **Business Case Framework** — Investment and consequences

### 1. The Realization

**Framework**: Problem-Agitate-Solve (PAS) — Start here

**Questions to explore**:
- "What have you realized needs attention?"
- "What observation have you made?"
- "What challenge are you seeing?"
- "What evidence do you have that this is real?"

**Best Practice: Confirm the Realization with Evidence**

**Help them identify evidence:**

**Soft Evidence** (qualitative indicators):
- "Do you have testimonials or complaints about this?"
- "What have stakeholders told you?"
- "What patterns have you observed?"
- "What do user interviews reveal?"

**Hard Evidence** (quantitative data):
- "Do you have statistics or metrics?"
- "What do analytics show?"
- "Have you run surveys or tests?"
- "What do server logs or error reports indicate?"

**Help them combine both types** for maximum credibility:
- Start with soft evidence (testimonials, complaints, observations)
- Support with hard evidence (statistics, analytics, survey results)
- Show the realization is grounded in reality

**Keep it brief** — 2-3 sentences for the realization, plus 1-2 sentences of evidence

**Help them articulate**: Clear realization backed by evidence that frames a reality worth addressing

### 2. Why It Matters

**Framework**: Value Proposition Canvas + Impact

**Questions to explore**:
- "Why does this matter?"
- "Who are we helping?"
- "What are they trying to accomplish?" (Jobs)
- "What are their pain points?" (Pains)
- "What would make their life better?" (Gains)
- "How does this affect them?"
- "What impact will this have?"
- "Are there different groups we're helping?"

**Keep it brief** — Why it matters and who we help

**Help them think**: Focus on the value we're adding to specific people and why that matters

### 3. How We See It Working

**Questions to explore**:
- "How do you envision this working?"
- "What's the general approach?"
- "Walk me through how you see it addressing the realization"

**Keep it brief** — High-level overview, not detailed specifications

**Flexible language** — Works for software, processes, services, products, strategies

### 4. Paths We Explored

**Questions to explore**:
- "What other ways could we approach this?"
- "Are there alternative paths?"
- "What options have you considered?"

**Keep it brief** — 2-3 paths explored briefly

**If user only has one path**: That's fine — acknowledge it and move on

### 5. Recommended Solution

**Questions to explore**:
- "Which approach do you prefer?"
- "Why this one over the others?"
- "What makes this the right solution?"

**Keep it brief** — Preferred approach and key reasons

### 6. The Path Forward

**Purpose**: Explain how the work will be done practically — which WDS phases will be used and the workflow approach.

**Questions to explore**:
- "How do you envision the work being done?"
- "Which WDS phases do you think we'll need?"
- "What's the practical workflow you're thinking?"
- "Will we need user research, or do you already know your users?"
- "Do you need technical architecture planning, or is that already defined?"
- "What level of design detail do you need?"
- "How will this be handed off for implementation?"

**Keep it brief** — High-level plan of the work approach

**Help them think**:
- Which WDS phases apply (Trigger Mapping, Platform Requirements, UX Design, Design System, etc.)
- Practical workflow (research → design → handoff, or skip research, etc.)
- Level of detail needed
- Handoff approach

**Example responses**:
- "We'll start with Product Brief, then do UX Design for 3 scenarios, skip Trigger Mapping since we know our users, and create a handoff package for developers"
- "Need full WDS workflow: Brief → User Research → Architecture → Design → Handoff"
- "Just need design specs — skip research and architecture, go straight to UX Design"

### 7. The Value We'll Create

**Framework**: Business Case Framework — What's the return?

**Questions to explore**:
- "What's our ambition? What are we striving to accomplish?"
- "What happens if we DO build this?"
- "What benefits would we see?"
- "What outcomes are we expecting?"
- "How will we measure success?"
- "What metrics will tell us we're succeeding?"
- "What's the value we'd create?"

**Best Practice: Frame as Positive Assumption with Success Metrics**

**Help them articulate**:
- **Our Ambition**: What we're confidently striving to accomplish (enthusiastic, positive)
- **Success Metrics**: How we'll measure success (specific, measurable)
- **What Success Looks Like**: Clear outcomes (tangible results)
- **Monitoring Approach**: How we'll track these metrics (brief)

**Keep it brief** — Key benefits, outcomes, and success metrics

**Help them think**: Positive assumption ("We're confident this will work") + clear success metrics ("Here's how we'll measure it") = enthusiastic and scientific

### 8. Cost of Inaction

**Framework**: Problem-Agitate-Solve (PAS) — Agitate the problem / Business Case Framework

**Questions to explore**:
- "What happens if we DON'T build this?"
- "What are the risks of not acting?"
- "What opportunities would we miss?"
- "What's the cost of doing nothing?"
- "What gets worse if we don't act?"
- "What do we lose by waiting?"

**Keep it brief** — Key consequences of not building

**Can include**:
- Financial cost (lost revenue, increased costs)
- Opportunity cost (missed opportunities)
- Competitive risk (competitors gaining advantage)
- Operational impact (inefficiency, problems getting worse)

**Help them think**: Make the case for why we can't afford NOT to do this

### 9. Our Commitment

**Framework**: Business Case Framework — What are we committing to?

**Questions to explore**:
- "What resources are we committing?"
- "What's the time commitment?"
- "What budget or team are we committing?"
- "What dependencies exist?"
- "What potential risks or drawbacks should we consider?"
- "What challenges might we face?"

**Keep it brief** — High-level commitment and potential risks

**Don't force precision** — Rough estimates are fine at this stage

**Help them think**: Time, money, people, technology — what are we committing to make this happen? What risks or challenges should we acknowledge?

### 10. Summary

**Questions to explore**:
- "What are the key points?"
- "What should stakeholders remember?"
- "What's the main takeaway?"

**Keep it brief** — Summary of key points (let readers draw their own conclusion)

---

## INITIALIZATION

Start with `step-02a-explore-realization.md` (in steps-c/) or whichever section the user wants to explore first.
