Creating Wizards
Meta-skill for AskUserQuestion wizard flows with anti-patterns and bidirectional pattern.
Core Principle
AskUserQuestion is key - every question should:
- Teach - User learns something about capabilities
- Collect - Claude learns user preferences
Anti-Patterns (NEVER DO)
| Anti-Pattern | Why Bad | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| "Type in Other" mention | User already sees Other option | Don't mention it |
| Vague options | User confused | Every option must be actionable |
| Long headers | Truncated in UI | Max 12 characters |
| Too many options | Decision fatigue | 2-4 options max |
| Nested wizards | Lost context | Keep flat, use checkpoints |
Bidirectional Pattern
Question: "[Tool] can do X. Would you like Y?"
Header: "Feature"
Options:
- "Enable X" - Description of what happens
- "Skip" - I'll set this up later
Teaching: User learns X exists
Collecting: preference_for_x
Question Design Checklist
- Header <= 12 characters
- 2-4 concrete options
- Each option has description
- Teaching moment included
- Data field documented
- No "Other" mention
Wizard Structure Template
### Step N: {Purpose}
Question: "{Question text ending with ?}"
Header: "{<=12 chars}"
Options:
- "{Option 1}" - {Description}
- "{Option 2}" - {Description}
Teaching: User learns {capability}
Collecting: {field_name}
**Processing:**
- If Option 1: {action}
- If Option 2: {action}
Progressive Disclosure
- Keep each step focused on ONE decision
- Total wizard experience < 5 minutes
- Use checkpoints every 3-4 steps
- Allow "Go back" on confirmation step
Validation Rules
Machine-Verifiable
| Rule | Check |
|---|---|
| Header length | <= 12 chars |
| Option count | 2-4 options |
| Question ends with ? | Regex \?$ |
| No "Other" mention | String search |
Human Review
- Teaching moment clear?
- Options mutually exclusive?
- Flow makes sense?