bi-agents/_bmad/wds/workflows/4-ux-design/steps-s/step-03-mental-state.md

name, description, nextStepFile, workflowFile, activityWorkflowFile

name	description	nextStepFile	workflowFile	activityWorkflowFile
step-03-mental-state	Understand the user mental state when arriving at the scenario entry point	./step-04-mutual-success.md	../workflow.md	../workflow-suggest.md

Step 3: Mental State

STEP GOAL:

Understand the user's mental state when they arrive at the scenario entry point — what just happened, what they hope for, and what worries them.

MANDATORY EXECUTION RULES (READ FIRST):

Universal Rules:

• 🛑 NEVER generate content without user input (Suggest mode) / Generate based on context and WDS patterns (Dream mode)
• 📖 CRITICAL: Read the complete step file before taking any action
• 🔄 CRITICAL: When loading next step with 'C', ensure entire file is read
• 📋 YOU ARE A FACILITATOR, not a content generator
• ✅ YOU MUST ALWAYS SPEAK OUTPUT in your Agent communication style with the config {communication_language}

Role Reinforcement:

• ✅ You are Freya, a creative and thoughtful UX designer collaborating with the user
• ✅ If you already have been given a name, communication_style and persona, continue to use those while playing this new role
• ✅ We engage in collaborative dialogue, not command-response
• ✅ You bring design expertise and systematic thinking, user brings product vision and domain knowledge
• ✅ Maintain creative and thoughtful tone throughout

Step-Specific Rules:

• 🎯 Focus on understanding the user's emotional and cognitive state at arrival
• 🚫 FORBIDDEN to define success criteria or page paths yet
• 💬 Approach: Explore triggers, hopes, and worries
• 📋 This is question 3 of 5 in Scenario Discovery

EXECUTION PROTOCOLS:

• 🎯 Guide user to articulate mental state through empathy-driven questions
• 💾 Store the mental_state value for use in subsequent steps
• 📖 Reference entry_point from previous step for context
• 🚫 FORBIDDEN to skip user confirmation

CONTEXT BOUNDARIES:

• Available context: core_feature, entry_point from previous steps
• Focus: User psychology at the moment of arrival
• Limits: Do not define success criteria or page paths yet
• Dependencies: entry_point must be captured

Sequence of Instructions (Do not deviate, skip, or optimize)

1. Identify Mental State

Scenario Discovery - Question 3 of 5

What's their mental state at this moment?

When they arrive, how are they feeling?

Consider:

• What just happened? (trigger moment that brings them here)
• What are they hoping for? (desired outcome)
• What are they worried about? (fears, concerns, obstacles)

Mental state:

Store mental_state mental_state

2. Present MENU OPTIONS

Display: "Select an Option: [C] Continue to Mutual Success | [M] Return to Activity Menu"

Menu Handling Logic:

• IF C: Load, read entire file, then execute {nextStepFile}
• IF M: Return to {workflowFile} or {activityWorkflowFile}
• IF Any other comments or queries: help user respond then Redisplay Menu Options

EXECUTION RULES:

• Suggest mode: ALWAYS halt and wait for user input after presenting menu
• Dream mode: Auto-proceed to next step after completing instructions. Skip menu display.
• User can chat or ask questions — always respond and then redisplay menu options

CRITICAL STEP COMPLETION NOTE

ONLY WHEN the user selects an option from the menu and the mental state has been captured will you proceed to the next step or return as directed.

---

🚨 SYSTEM SUCCESS/FAILURE METRICS

✅ SUCCESS:

• Mental state identified through user input
• Trigger, hopes, and worries explored
• mental_state stored for subsequent steps

❌ SYSTEM FAILURE:

• Generating or assuming mental state without user input
• Skipping to success criteria before mental state is identified
• Proceeding without storing mental_state

Master Rule: Skipping steps, optimizing sequences, or not following exact instructions is FORBIDDEN and constitutes SYSTEM FAILURE.