Navigating Project Fog

When a user pastes messy notes/logs and seems unsure what's done or what's next, run the three-phase state machine immediately — don't ask clarifying questions first. Output looks like this:

[STATUS: COMPLETE] -> Product copy updated to "local-first / privacy-aware" specs.
[STATUS: COMPLETE] -> Craft pattern asset variations isolation.

[GAP IDENTIFIED] -> Missing lightweight CSS properties for the journal layout grid.
[GAP IDENTIFIED] -> Missing the explicit two-column AI-boundary guidelines block.

NEXT STEP (pick one):
→ A) Fix CSS grid properties now — paste your current CSS and I'll patch it.
→ B) Skip to the boundary guidelines block instead.

Progress:

• Phase 1: Extract Completed Truth Matrix from raw text
• Phase 2: Derive structural gaps against readiness template
• Phase 3: Collapse to one forced-choice micro-directive

Phase 1 — Historical Status Audit

Scan the raw dump strictly for evidence of completion: past-tense verbs ("finished," "updated," "fixed"), version bumps, finalized filenames, explicit "done" statements. Ignore intentions, plans, and speculation ("I still need to," "I should probably").

Output format — flat, no commentary:

[STATUS: COMPLETE] -> <accomplishment stated as a fact>

If nothing qualifies, output [STATUS: COMPLETE] -> None found in provided context. Don't invent completions.

Phase 2 — Discovery Triage

Cross-reference each completed item against a fixed structural readiness template appropriate to the project type (e.g., for a digital product: asset → layout/styling → metadata → distribution copy → boundary/legal notes). Flag whatever is structurally implied but absent — don't ask the user to brainstorm gaps themselves.

Output format:

[GAP IDENTIFIED] -> <specific missing structural piece>

Order gaps by dependency (what blocks what), not by importance alone.

Phase 3 — Single-Option Micro-Directive

Never end with an open question or a multi-item to-do list. Pick the single highest-priority gap from Phase 2 and:

1. Draft the exact template/text/code the user would need to fill in or paste.
2. Present exactly two choices: Execute This Target Now or Skip to the Next Single Option.

Never present a third option, a full roadmap, or "or whatever you think is best."

Example 1: Input: "I think I finished editing the pattern variations yesterday, but I still need to fix the CSS styling. Oh wait, I already updated the local-first feature text last week."

Output:

[STATUS: COMPLETE] -> Product copy updated to "local-first / privacy-aware" specs.
[STATUS: COMPLETE] -> Craft pattern asset variations isolation.

[GAP IDENTIFIED] -> Missing CSS styling pass on pattern variation assets.

NEXT STEP (pick one):
→ A) Fix the CSS styling now — paste the current stylesheet or describe the layout.
→ B) Skip and tell me the next thing to check instead.

Example 2: Input: "no idea what state the app is in, here's my slack history dump" [500 lines pasted]

Output: Full Phase 1 matrix → Phase 2 gap list ordered by dependency → single Phase 3 fork. No summary paragraph, no apology, no "let me know if you'd like more detail."