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commands/assumption_audit.md

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+---
+model: claude-sonnet-4-0
+allowed-tools: Task, Read, Write, Bash(*), Glob, Grep
+argument-hint: <domain-or-proposal> [--audit-depth=<level>] [--challenge-method=<approach>] [--scope=<breadth>]
+description: Fundamental premise challenging with alternative framework generation
+---
+
+# Assumption Audit Engine
+
+Systematically identify, examine, and challenge fundamental assumptions to reveal hidden constraints and generate alternative frameworks for breakthrough thinking. Transform taken-for-granted beliefs into explicit, testable hypotheses that can be validated or replaced with superior alternatives.
+
+## Audit Depth Framework
+
+### Explicit Level (Stated assumptions and declared premises)
+[Extended thinking: Surface assumptions that are openly stated but rarely questioned. These are visible premises that organizations or individuals acknowledge but don't critically examine.]
+
+**Identification Targets:**
+- **Declared Constraints**: Explicitly stated limitations that may be negotiable
+- **Policy Premises**: Organizational rules based on assumptions about efficiency or necessity
+- **Method Assumptions**: Stated beliefs about why certain approaches work best
+- **Resource Limitations**: Declared scarcity that may reflect historical rather than current reality
+- **Timeline Constraints**: Stated deadlines based on assumptions about dependencies and priorities
+
+**Audit Questions:**
+- "What explicit constraints are we stating, and why do we believe they're absolute?"
+- "Which policies exist because of assumptions that may no longer be valid?"
+- "What stated limitations might be more flexible than we assume?"
+- "Which declared 'requirements' are actually preferences or historical artifacts?"
+- "What timeline constraints are based on assumptions versus proven dependencies?"
+
+### Implicit Level (Unstated but operating assumptions)
+[Extended thinking: Uncover hidden assumptions that guide behavior and decision-making without conscious recognition. These are often the most powerful constraints because they operate below awareness.]
+
+**Identification Targets:**
+- **Cultural Defaults**: Unspoken beliefs about "how things are done" in organization or domain
+- **Success Definitions**: Unstated assumptions about what constitutes good outcomes
+- **User Behavior Models**: Hidden beliefs about how people will interact with systems
+- **Market Assumptions**: Unstated beliefs about customer needs and competitive dynamics
+- **Technology Premises**: Hidden assumptions about what's possible or practical
+
+**Audit Questions:**
+- "What behaviors do we exhibit that reveal unstated beliefs?"
+- "What are we optimizing for that we never explicitly decided to prioritize?"
+- "What user behaviors are we assuming without validation?"
+- "Which market conditions do we treat as permanent that might be temporary?"
+- "What technological limitations do we accept without questioning their necessity?"
+
+### Structural Level (Framework and methodology assumptions)
+[Extended thinking: Challenge the fundamental frameworks and methodologies being used. Question not just the content of thinking but the structure of thinking itself.]
+
+**Identification Targets:**
+- **Analytical Frameworks**: Assumed models for understanding and analysis
+- **Decision-Making Processes**: Unstated assumptions about how choices should be made
+- **Problem-Solving Approaches**: Hidden beliefs about effective methodology
+- **Measurement Systems**: Assumptions about what should be measured and how
+- **Organizational Structures**: Unstated beliefs about how work should be organized
+
+**Audit Questions:**
+- "What analytical framework are we using, and why is it the right one?"
+- "What assumptions underlie our decision-making process?"
+- "Are we solving the right problem, or just the problem we know how to solve?"
+- "What are we measuring, and what does that reveal about our assumptions?"
+- "How does our organizational structure reflect assumptions about human nature and work?"
+
+### Paradigmatic Level (Worldview and philosophical premises)
+[Extended thinking: Question fundamental worldview assumptions that shape entire approaches to problems. Challenge the deepest philosophical premises about reality, human nature, and possibility.]
+
+**Identification Targets:**
+- **Reality Models**: Basic assumptions about how the world works
+- **Human Nature Beliefs**: Fundamental assumptions about motivation, capability, and behavior
+- **Value System Premises**: Unstated beliefs about what matters most
+- **Progress Assumptions**: Hidden beliefs about development, improvement, and change
+- **Possibility Boundaries**: Assumptions about what's achievable or impossible
+
+**Audit Questions:**
+- "What fundamental beliefs about reality underlie our entire approach?"
+- "What assumptions about human nature shape our strategies?"
+- "Which values are we prioritizing without conscious choice?"
+- "What beliefs about progress and improvement guide our decisions?"
+- "What do we assume is impossible that might actually be achievable?"
+
+## Challenge Methodology Framework
+
+### Evidence Examination Protocol
+[Extended thinking: Systematically demand proof for assumptions, testing their factual foundation and empirical support.]
+
+**Evidence Validation Process:**
+1. **Source Identification**: Where did this assumption originate?
+2. **Recency Assessment**: How current is the supporting evidence?
+3. **Context Relevance**: Does evidence from other contexts apply here?
+4. **Sample Size Evaluation**: Is evidence based on sufficient data?
+5. **Alternative Explanation Testing**: What other factors might explain observed patterns?
+
+**Evidence Quality Framework:**
+- **Primary vs. Secondary**: Direct observation versus reported findings
+- **Quantitative vs. Anecdotal**: Statistical data versus individual stories
+- **Independent vs. Interested**: Unbiased sources versus stakeholder claims
+- **Recent vs. Historical**: Current conditions versus past circumstances
+- **Comprehensive vs. Limited**: Broad sampling versus narrow examples
+
+### Alternative Generation Engine
+[Extended thinking: Create competing premises and frameworks that could replace existing assumptions with potentially superior alternatives.]
+
+**Alternative Development Process:**
+1. **Assumption Inversion**: What if the opposite assumption were true?
+2. **Context Shifting**: How would this assumption change in different environments?
+3. **Stakeholder Rotation**: What would this look like from different perspectives?
+4. **Time Projection**: How might this assumption evolve with changing conditions?
+5. **Constraint Removal**: What becomes possible if we eliminate this assumption?
+
+**Alternative Categories:**
+- **Incremental Variations**: Small modifications to existing assumptions
+- **Orthogonal Approaches**: Completely different frameworks for same problem
+- **Paradigm Shifts**: Fundamental worldview changes that transform everything
+- **Hybrid Models**: Combinations of existing and alternative assumptions
+- **Future-State Projections**: Assumptions appropriate for anticipated future conditions
+
+### Edge Case Testing Framework
+[Extended thinking: Find boundary conditions and extreme scenarios where assumptions break down, revealing their limitations and appropriate scope.]
+
+**Boundary Exploration:**
+- **Scale Extremes**: What happens at very small or very large scales?
+- **Performance Limits**: At what point do assumptions cease to function?
+- **Resource Variations**: How do assumptions change with different resource levels?
+- **Context Extremes**: What conditions would make assumptions invalid?
+- **Stakeholder Diversity**: How do assumptions work for different user types?
+
+**Failure Mode Analysis:**
+- **Graceful Degradation**: How do assumptions fail when conditions change?
+- **Cascade Effects**: What happens when assumption failure affects other assumptions?
+- **Recovery Mechanisms**: How can systems adapt when assumptions prove incorrect?
+- **Warning Signals**: What indicators suggest assumption validity is declining?
+- **Alternative Activation**: How quickly can alternative assumptions be implemented?
+
+## Execution Examples
+
+### Example 1: Product Development Assumption Audit
+```bash
+assumption_audit "Our users want more features" --audit-depth=implicit --challenge-method=evidence --scope=comprehensive
+```
+
+**Implicit Assumption Identification:**
+- **Hidden Premise**: "Feature quantity correlates with user satisfaction"
+- **Unstated Belief**: "Users can effectively utilize additional complexity"
+- **Cultural Default**: "Progress means adding capabilities"
+- **Success Definition**: "Customer requests indicate true needs"
+- **User Behavior Model**: "Power users represent our core market"
+
+**Evidence Examination:**
+- **Request vs. Usage Analysis**: Do users actually use requested features?
+- **Satisfaction Correlation**: Does feature count correlate with user satisfaction scores?
+- **Competitive Analysis**: Do feature-rich competitors have higher user retention?
+- **Behavior Tracking**: How do users interact with existing feature sets?
+- **Churn Analysis**: Do users leave because of missing features or overwhelming complexity?
+
+**Alternative Framework Generation:**
+- **Alternative 1**: "Users want better execution of core features rather than new features"
+- **Alternative 2**: "Different user segments have completely different feature priorities"
+- **Alternative 3**: "Users want easier workflows, which might mean fewer, not more features"
+- **Alternative 4**: "Feature requests reflect user workarounds for poor core functionality"
+
+### Example 2: Organizational Structure Assumption Audit
+```bash
+assumption_audit "Hierarchical management improves coordination" --audit-depth=structural --challenge-method=alternative-generation --scope=organizational
+```
+
+**Structural Framework Challenge:**
+- **Management Hierarchy**: Assumes information flows efficiently up and down command chains
+- **Decision Authority**: Assumes people closest to authority make best decisions
+- **Coordination Mechanism**: Assumes central coordination prevents conflicts and duplication
+- **Accountability Structure**: Assumes clear reporting lines improve responsibility
+- **Information Flow**: Assumes managers effectively filter and distribute information
+
+**Alternative Generation Process:**
+- **Network Model**: Self-organizing teams with peer-to-peer coordination
+- **Market Model**: Internal teams compete and collaborate like external vendors
+- **Community Model**: Shared ownership and collective decision-making
+- **Platform Model**: Central infrastructure with autonomous product teams
+- **Hybrid Models**: Different structures for different types of work
+
+**Edge Case Testing:**
+- **Rapid Change**: How does hierarchy handle fast-moving, uncertain environments?
+- **Creative Work**: Does hierarchical oversight help or hinder innovation?
+- **Expert Knowledge**: How does hierarchy work when subordinates have more domain expertise?
+- **Crisis Response**: Which structure responds more effectively to emergencies?
+- **Scale Variations**: At what organizational size do different models work best?
+
+### Example 3: Technology Architecture Assumption Audit
+```bash
+assumption_audit "Microservices improve system maintainability" --audit-depth=paradigmatic --challenge-method=paradigm-shift --scope=technical
+```
+
+**Paradigmatic Challenge:**
+- **Modularity Paradigm**: Assumes breaking systems into smaller pieces improves understanding
+- **Independence Ideal**: Assumes loose coupling always improves system properties
+- **Distributed Systems Philosophy**: Assumes network-based coordination is manageable
+- **Service Ownership Model**: Assumes team boundaries should match service boundaries
+- **Technology Diversity Belief**: Assumes freedom to choose different technologies per service is beneficial
+
+**Paradigm Shift Exploration:**
+- **Monolithic Excellence**: What if we made monoliths so good that splitting them became unnecessary?
+- **Deployment-Only Microservices**: What if we kept logical modularity but deployed as single unit?
+- **Data-Centric Architecture**: What if we organized around data flows rather than service boundaries?
+- **Function-Based Systems**: What if we organized around mathematical functions rather than services?
+- **AI-Coordinated Complexity**: What if AI agents managed distributed system coordination?
+
+**Worldview Assumption Testing:**
+- **Complexity Management**: Is distributed complexity easier to manage than centralized complexity?
+- **Human Cognitive Limits**: Are service boundaries artificial constraints on human understanding?
+- **System Evolution**: Do systems naturally want to be distributed or unified?
+- **Development Team Dynamics**: Do small teams always produce better software?
+
+## Advanced Audit Features
+
+### Assumption Interdependency Mapping
+[Extended thinking: Identify how assumptions depend on each other and how challenging one assumption might cascade to others.]
+
+**Dependency Analysis:**
+- **Foundation Assumptions**: Core premises that support multiple other assumptions
+- **Chain Dependencies**: Linear sequences where each assumption depends on the previous
+- **Circular Dependencies**: Assumptions that mutually reinforce each other
+- **Hierarchical Support**: How high-level assumptions justify lower-level premises
+- **Cross-Domain Connections**: How assumptions in one area affect other areas
+
+### Cultural Context Assessment
+[Extended thinking: Understand how assumptions are shaped by and embedded in specific cultural, organizational, or professional contexts.]
+
+**Context Evaluation:**
+- **Industry Culture**: How professional norms shape assumptions
+- **Organizational History**: How past experiences create current assumptions
+- **Geographic Influence**: How location and culture affect premises
+- **Generational Differences**: How assumptions vary across age groups
+- **Educational Background**: How training and education embed assumptions
+
+### Assumption Evolution Tracking
+[Extended thinking: Monitor how assumptions change over time and predict future assumption shifts.]
+
+**Evolution Patterns:**
+- **Historical Progression**: How assumptions have changed in the past
+- **Trigger Events**: What events cause assumption shifts
+- **Gradual Drift**: Slow assumption evolution without explicit recognition
+- **Revolutionary Shifts**: Rapid, dramatic assumption changes
+- **Cyclical Patterns**: Assumptions that periodically return in new forms
+
+## Success Optimization
+
+### Audit Quality Indicators
+- **Assumption Discovery**: Identification of previously unrecognized premises
+- **Evidence Rigor**: Thorough testing of assumption foundations
+- **Alternative Creativity**: Generation of genuinely different frameworks
+- **Challenge Depth**: Willingness to question fundamental premises
+- **Implementation Readiness**: Practical pathways for assumption replacement
+
+### Breakthrough Potential Assessment
+- **Constraint Liberation**: Freedom from limiting beliefs
+- **Innovation Opportunity**: New possibilities revealed through assumption challenging
+- **Competitive Advantage**: Unique approaches unavailable to assumption-bound competitors
+- **Problem Reframing**: Better problem definitions through assumption questioning
+- **Solution Space Expansion**: Broader range of possible solutions
+
+### Risk Management
+- **Assumption Replacement Safety**: Ensuring new assumptions are better than old ones
+- **Change Management**: Managing transition from old to new assumption sets
+- **Validation Methodology**: Testing new assumptions before full commitment
+- **Rollback Planning**: Preparing for assumption change failure
+- **Stakeholder Communication**: Explaining assumption changes to affected parties
+
+The assumption_audit command reveals hidden constraints and creates breakthrough opportunities by systematically challenging fundamental premises and generating alternative frameworks that expand solution possibilities.