- name
- devils-advocate-suite
- description
- Execute structured adversarial thinking to stress-test high-stakes decisions, identify systemic risks, and prevent groupthink. Use when the user asks for a strategy review, risk assessment, pre-mortem, Amazon-style PR/FAQ review, or needs to challenge assumptions regarding a project or business model. Make sure to use this skill whenever a decision has dire consequences or shows signs of false consensus.
- license
- MIT
Devil's Advocate Suite: Operationalizing the Institutionalized Adversary
Work Philosophy
This skill is grounded in Adversarial Epistemology. It moves beyond casual contrarianism to provide a structured "override operation," forcing a "decoupling" of prior beliefs from the evaluation of evidence. Based on the research of Charlan Nemeth, this skill prioritizes authentic dissent over mere role-playing where possible, as authentic dissent is significantly more effective at stimulating divergent thinking and uncovering correct solutions. When role-playing is necessary, it employs specific protocols (Pre-Mortem, PR/FAQ, TRIZ) to prevent the "cognitive bolstering" of original views that often plagues assigned Devil's Advocates.
Operational Workflow
Phase 1: The Pre-Mortem (Prospective Hindsight)
Use this at the start of a project to increase the ability to identify future failure points by 30%.
- Scene Setting: State: "Imagine it is one year in the future. The project has failed spectacularly. It is an embarrassing and devastating disaster."
- Independent Generation: List all possible reasons for this failure silently for 2–5 minutes.
- Aggregation: Use
python scripts/premortem_aggregator.pyto organize these into a Risk Matrix (Likelihood vs. Impact). - Mitigation: Develop specific counter-measures for high-impact/high-likelihood threats.
Phase 2: Narrative Stress-Testing (Amazon Protocol)
Used for strategic alignment and ruthless prioritization.
- The PR/FAQ: Draft a one-page Press Release (PR) for the "successful" launch and an Internal FAQ addressing the most brutal questions about TAM, P&L, and dependencies.
- Silent Start: Spend 20 minutes reading the narrative in silence before any discussion. This prevents "charismatic leader" bias.
- The "So What" Critique: Every technical detail must answer for its business value; every strategic goal must specify concrete actions.
Phase 3: Dialectical Inquiry (DI)
Use for complex, ill-structured problems where a "Third Path" is needed.
- Subgroup Split: Divide into "Proposal Team" and "Counter-Proposal Team."
- Assumption Breakdown: The Counter-Proposal team must invent plausible counter-assumptions to every core claim of the original plan.
- Synthesis: Search for a new, superior alternative that incorporates the best components of both worldviews.
Phase 4: TRIZ Contradiction Resolution
Transform the Devil's Advocate from a "naysayer" into a "catalyst" for innovation.
- Identify Contradictions: Use
python scripts/triz_solver.pywhen an advocate identifies that improving one parameter (e.g., speed) worsens another (e.g., cost). - Apply Principles: Use principles like "Segmentation," "Taking Out," or "Intermediary" to solve the technical or business conflict.
Specific Commands
analyze --method premortem: Executes the 7-step failure simulation.analyze --method prfaq: Structures a strategy review around an Amazon-style narrative.solve --contradiction [Param A] vs [Param B]: Invokes the TRIZ solver.
References
Consult references/methodology_summary.md for full theoretical grounding on Nemeth dissent research, Klein pre-mortem, Amazon Working Backwards, Janis groupthink prevention, and TRIZ contradiction resolution.