Constraint Map Planner

Turns a messy blocked plan into a constraint map with hard limits, soft limits, assumptions, evidence checks, tradeoff levers, feasible paths, and next actions.

Overview

Use this prompt-only skill when a user feels stuck because a plan has too many limits mixed together. The skill separates hard constraints from soft constraints, assumptions, preferences, external rules, internal limits, and negotiable boundaries. It then turns the map into practical options and next actions.

The goal is not to choose for the user. The goal is to make the shape of the problem visible so the user can design around real limits, challenge flexible limits, and stop treating every obstacle as equally fixed.

When to Use

Use this skill when the user asks to:

• map constraints for a decision or plan
• get unstuck on a project, purchase, schedule, move, career plan, family plan, or workflow
• separate real limits from assumptions
• find tradeoff levers under time, money, policy, energy, or stakeholder constraints
• generate feasible paths that respect hard boundaries
• decide what to verify, negotiate, or design around first

Trigger keywords: constraint map, constraint mapping template, hard constraints, soft constraints, stuck plan, decision constraints, tradeoff levers, what is really blocking this

Required Inputs

Ask only for enough information to map the blockage:

• The goal or decision being planned
• What currently feels blocked
• Deadline or time horizon
• What good enough would mean
• Known limits around time, money, policy, people, tools, skills, energy, space, risk, or obligations
• Stakeholders or authorities involved
• Consequences if a constraint is misunderstood

If details are missing, begin with a provisional map and mark uncertain items for verification.

Workflow

1. State the planning goal. Clarify the desired outcome, current blockage, deadline, and good-enough threshold.
2. List all perceived constraints. Capture time, money, policy, people, skills, tools, space, energy, health, risk, norms, obligations, and dependencies without judging them yet.
3. Classify each constraint. Label items as hard, soft, assumed, preference-based, external, internal, negotiable, or unknown.
4. Check the evidence. For each important constraint, state what proves it is real and what would prove it is flexible.
5. Identify dominant conflicts. Map where constraints collide and which constraint dominates if a tradeoff is required.
6. Find levers. Look for ways to reduce scope, change sequence, ask permission, borrow resources, automate, substitute, delay, split the decision, or change the acceptance threshold.
7. Generate feasible paths. Create two to four options that respect hard constraints while testing or negotiating soft ones.
8. Select next actions. Choose one constraint to verify, one to negotiate or reframe, and one to design around.
9. Name risks and review points. Mark high-stakes assumptions, expert-confirmation needs, and when to revisit the map.

Output Format

Produce a constraint map with these sections:

1. Planning Snapshot
   • Goal
   • Current blockage
   • Deadline or time horizon
   • Good-enough threshold
   • Stakes if wrong
2. Constraint Inventory
   • Constraint
   • Category: hard, soft, assumed, preference, external, internal, negotiable, or unknown
   • Source or evidence
   • Confidence level
3. Evidence Checks
   • What proves the constraint is real
   • What would show it is flexible
   • Who or what can confirm it
4. Conflict Map
   • Constraints in tension
   • Dominant constraint
   • Tradeoff created
5. Levers and Workarounds
   • Scope reduction
   • Sequence change
   • Permission or negotiation
   • Resource substitution
   • Delay, automation, delegation, or split decision
6. Feasible Paths
   • Option name
   • How it respects hard constraints
   • Which soft constraints it challenges
   • Pros, risks, and prerequisites
7. Next Actions
   • Verify one constraint
   • Negotiate or reframe one constraint
   • Design around one constraint
   • Review date or trigger

Safety & Compliance

Explicit Boundaries

• No authority override. Do not treat legal, medical, financial, employment, school, contractual, safety, accessibility, immigration, housing, or regulatory requirements as flexible without confirmation from a qualified source or relevant authority.
• No unsafe shortcuts. Do not recommend actions that evade safety rules, protective policies, contracts, professional duties, or consent requirements.
• No final professional advice. The map can organize questions and options, but it does not replace legal, medical, financial, engineering, HR, academic, or safety advice.
• No pressure tactics. Negotiation suggestions should be respectful, truthful, and non-coercive.
• No hidden risk. High-stakes assumptions must be labeled and verified before action.

Additional Safety Notes

• Treat constraints involving other people as relationship-sensitive and consent-sensitive.
• If the user is under severe stress, prefer smaller reversible next actions.
• When constraints affect safety, money, housing, employment, health, or legal status, recommend authoritative confirmation before acting.
• Do not encourage the user to ignore official rules just because a workaround seems convenient.

Acceptance Criteria

1. Produces a constraint map for a specific blocked plan or decision.
2. States the goal, blockage, deadline, good-enough threshold, and stakes.
3. Lists perceived constraints across time, money, policy, people, skills, tools, space, energy, risk, and obligations as relevant.
4. Classifies constraints as hard, soft, assumed, preference-based, external, internal, negotiable, or unknown.
5. Includes evidence checks for whether important constraints are real or flexible.
6. Maps conflicts between constraints and identifies dominant constraints.
7. Generates practical levers such as scope reduction, sequencing, permission, substitution, delay, automation, delegation, or split decisions.
8. Offers two to four feasible paths that respect hard constraints.
9. Produces next actions to verify, negotiate, and design around constraints.
10. Avoids overriding legal, medical, financial, workplace, school, safety, or contractual requirements.

Example

User says: "I want to move apartments, but money, timing, lease rules, and family logistics are all tangled."

Skill response: Build a constraint map that separates lease rules and cash limits from preferences and assumptions, identifies what must be verified, names negotiation levers, creates feasible move paths, and ends with next actions.