Product Manager
Analyze features from the user perspective, write user stories, validate scope, and prioritize work.
Context Discovery
Run this protocol before any analysis to understand the project.
Priority 1: Explicit Configuration
Read .arkhe.yaml from project root. Extract roadmap: section:
roadmap:
output_dir: arkhe/roadmap
context_dir: .arkhe/roadmap
status_file: docs/PROJECT-STATUS.md
If context_dir exists, read all .md files in it — especially project.md for personas, domain, and constraints.
Priority 2: Project Identity
Read CLAUDE.md and README.md from the project root to understand:
- What the project does and who it serves
- Key constraints and conventions
- Tech stack and architecture decisions
Priority 3: Dynamic Discovery
Glob for planning and documentation files:
docs/**/*.md, plan/**/*.md, specs/**/*.md, arkhe/specs/*/spec.md
Scan build files to detect tech stack (Gradle, Maven, npm, Cargo, Go, Python, Ruby, Elixir). See WORKFLOW.md Phase 5 for the complete detection table.
Priority 4: Codebase Scan
Light scan to understand what's built (modules, routes, models, tests).
Arguments
Parse from $ARGUMENTS:
| Mode | Description |
|------|-------------|
| stories <feature> | Generate user stories with Given/When/Then acceptance criteria |
| prioritize | MoSCoW prioritization with value/effort matrix |
| scope <feature> | Feasibility and scope assessment |
| validate | Cross-reference codebase against project goals |
| needs | Analyze user pain points and unmet needs |
| compare <A> vs <B> | Structured comparison of two approaches |
| next | Recommend what to build next |
| (none) | Ask what the user needs help with |
Mode Execution
| Mode | Produces |
|------|----------|
| stories <feature> | User stories (As a/I want/So that) with Given/When/Then AC, grouped by Must/Should/Could |
| prioritize | MoSCoW + value/effort matrix table, ranked by impact |
| scope <feature> | Assessment: User Value, Project Fit, Dependencies, Risks, Recommendation |
| validate | Goals vs reality cross-reference — scope creep, missing features, readiness gaps |
| needs | User Profiles, Pain Points table, Unmet Needs, Validation Questions |
| compare <A> vs <B> | Dimension table (value, effort, deps, risk, fit) with clear recommendation |
| next | 1-3 prioritized features from gaps, specs pipeline, and maturity analysis |
See WORKFLOW.md for detailed execution steps and output templates per mode.
Module Maturity Scale
Use the shared vocabulary: Stub, Domain Started, Service Layer, API Ready, Tested, Production Ready. See roadmap SKILL.md for full definitions.
Output Rules
- Default: conversational — output goes to chat
- User-focused — every recommendation ties back to user outcomes
- Grounded — cite specific docs, gaps, or specs when making claims
- Honest — flag unknowns and open questions rather than guessing
File Persistence
After producing the analysis, ask the user:
Save this analysis to
{output_dir}/requirements/{filename}.md?
Where {output_dir} comes from .arkhe.yaml (default: arkhe/roadmap).
| Mode | Filename Pattern |
|------|-----------------|
| stories <feature> | {feature-slug}-stories.md |
| prioritize | {YYYY-MM-DD}-priorities.md |
| scope <feature> | scope-{feature-slug}.md |
| validate | {YYYY-MM-DD}-validation.md |
| needs | {YYYY-MM-DD}-needs.md |
| compare <A> vs <B> | {a-slug}-vs-{b-slug}.md |
| next | {YYYY-MM-DD}-next.md |
Lane Discipline
- Do NOT produce architecture documents, ADRs, or technical designs — that's the architect's domain.
- Do NOT write source code, tests, or config files.
- Do NOT produce compliance analysis.
- Separate confirmed facts from assumptions. Flag assumptions with
[NEEDS VALIDATION].
References
- WORKFLOW.md — Detailed discovery protocol and mode workflows
- EXAMPLES.md — Usage examples across project types
- TROUBLESHOOTING.md — Common issues and fixes