Scqa Framework

1---
2name: scqa-framework
3description: Narrative structure for complex topics - Situation, Complication, Question, Answer
4foundation: McKinsey SCQA framework (derived from pyramid principle)
5use_case: Opening hooks, persuasive narratives, problem-solution content
6---
7 
8# SCQA Framework Skill
9 
10**Foundation**: McKinsey's SCQA (Situation-Complication-Question-Answer) framework, derived from Barbara Minto's pyramid principle
11 
12**Core Concept**: Build compelling narrative by establishing situation, introducing complication, raising question, then delivering answer.
13 
14**Why This Works**:
15- Engages reader with familiar situation
16- Creates tension with complication (problem)
17- Raises question reader now wants answered
18- Delivers answer with impact (reader is primed)
19- Natural storytelling flow
20 
21---
22 
23## The SCQA Structure
24 
25**Four elements in sequence**:
26 
27### 1. Situation (S)
28**What**: The stable, uncontroversial starting point everyone agrees on
29 
30**Purpose**: Establish common ground with reader
31 
32**Example**:
33> "Software engineers use AI coding assistants to boost productivity."
34 
35**Characteristics**:
36- Non-controversial (reader nods along)
37- Familiar to target audience
38- Sets the stage for complication
39 
40### 2. Complication (C)
41**What**: The problem, change, or challenge that disrupts the situation
42 
43**Purpose**: Create tension and make reader care
44 
45**Example**:
46> "But generic AI agents produce unreliable code - state corruption, context loss, hallucinations. Teams abandon them after weeks of frustration."
47 
48**Characteristics**:
49- Introduces conflict/problem
50- Makes status quo untenable
51- Resonates with audience pain
52- Creates urgency
53 
54### 3. Question (Q)
55**What**: The question reader now wants answered (often implicit)
56 
57**Purpose**: Focus attention on the answer you're about to provide
58 
59**Example**:
60> "How can we get AI productivity benefits without the reliability chaos?"
61 
62**Characteristics**:
63- Natural question arising from complication
64- What reader is now thinking
65- Can be explicit or implicit
66- Sets up your answer
67 
68### 4. Answer (A)
69**What**: Your solution, recommendation, or core message
70 
71**Purpose**: Deliver the answer reader is now primed to receive
72 
73**Example**:
74> "CAF provides production-grade architecture that prevents AI chaos through stateless, file-based patterns proven over 6 months."
75 
76**Characteristics**:
77- Directly addresses question
78- This is your core message
79- Reader is now receptive
80- Rest of content supports this answer
81 
82---
83 
84## Complete Example
85 
86**Topic**: Introducing CAF
87 
88**Situation**:
89> Claude Code has become a popular AI coding assistant, with developers using it daily for everything from bug fixes to feature development.
90 
91**Complication**:
92> However, Claude Code out-of-box is a generic assistant. It doesn't understand your domain, workflows, or constraints. As projects grow complex, generic responses become frustrating - developers spend more time correcting AI suggestions than coding.
93 
94**Question** (implicit):
95> How can we customize Claude Code for our specific domain without losing the ease of the IDE-based experience?
96 
97**Answer**:
98> **The Claude Agent Framework (CAF) transforms Claude Code into domain-specific agents through simple markdown-based customization.** Define domain commands, specialized agents, and behavioral skills - no programming required.
99 
100---
101 
102## Variations
103 
104### SCQ (Implicit Answer)
105**When to use**: Answer is your entire document
106 
107**Structure**:
108- Situation
109- Complication
110- Question
111- [Your entire article/doc is the answer]
112 
113**Example opening**:
114> **Situation**: AI coding assistants promise productivity gains.
115> **Complication**: Generic assistants don't understand domain specifics.
116> **Question**: How do we customize AI for our domain?
117>
118> [Rest of white paper answers this question]
119 
120### SCA (Implicit Question)
121**When to use**: Question is obvious from complication
122 
123**Structure**:
124- Situation
125- Complication
126- Answer (question implied)
127 
128**Example**:
129> **Situation**: Developers use AI assistants daily.
130> **Complication**: But generic AI produces unreliable code - state corruption, context loss.
131> **Answer**: CAF prevents this through stateless architecture.
132>
133> [Implied question: "How do we prevent AI reliability issues?"]
134 
135### CSA (Situation Assumed)
136**When to use**: Audience already knows situation
137 
138**Structure**:
139- Complication (jump right to problem)
140- [Situation implied]
141- Answer
142 
143**Example**:
144> **Complication**: Generic AI assistants keep producing unreliable code.
145> **Answer**: Domain-specific customization through CAF solves this.
146>
147> [Implied situation: "We're using AI assistants"]
148 
149---
150 
151## Application to Content Types
152 
153### Application 1: Opening Hook
154 
155**Use SCQA for article/document opening**:
156 
157```markdown
158# [Title]
159 
160[Situation - 1 paragraph]
161Establish the current state that readers recognize.
162 
163[Complication - 1-2 paragraphs]
164Introduce the problem or challenge that disrupts equilibrium.
165Make readers feel the pain.
166 
167[Question - optional, can be implicit]
168What readers are now asking.
169 
170[Answer - 1 paragraph]
171Your core message / solution / recommendation.
172This is what the rest of the document will elaborate on.
173 
174---
175 
176[Rest of document provides evidence and detail for the answer]
177```
178 
179### Application 2: Persuasive Narrative
180 
181**Structure for convincing readers**:
182 
183**Situation**: "Here's how things are..."
184**Complication**: "But this problem exists..."
185**Question**: "So what should we do?"
186**Answer**: "We recommend [solution]"
187 
188**Body**: Provide evidence for answer
189**Closing**: Reinforce answer + call to action
190 
191### Application 3: Problem-Solution Content
192 
193**SCQA maps to problem-solution**:
194 
195- **Situation + Complication** = Problem definition
196- **Question** = Bridge to solution
197- **Answer** = Solution statement
198- **Body** = Solution elaboration
199 
200### Application 4: Positioning Statement
201 
202**SCQA for competitive positioning**:
203 
204**Situation**: "Current alternatives exist (Alt A, Alt B)"
205**Complication**: "But they have these limitations..."
206**Question**: "What's needed?"
207**Answer**: "We provide [unique value] that alternatives don't"
208 
209---
210 
211## Integration with Pyramid Principle
212 
213**SCQA + Pyramid work together**:
214 
215**SCQA**: How to structure the opening/hook (narrative flow)
216**Pyramid**: How to structure the answer and supporting arguments (hierarchical)
217 
218**Combined structure**:
219```markdown
220Opening (SCQA):
221├─ Situation
222├─ Complication
223├─ Question
224└─ Answer [This is Level 1 of pyramid]
225 
226Body (Pyramid):
227├─ Argument 1 supporting Answer [Level 2]
228│  └─ Evidence [Level 3]
229├─ Argument 2 supporting Answer [Level 2]
230│  └─ Evidence [Level 3]
231└─ Argument 3 supporting Answer [Level 2]
232   └─ Evidence [Level 3]
233 
234Closing:
235└─ Reinforce Answer + CTA
236```
237 
238**SCQA gets reader to care about your answer. Pyramid organizes proof of answer.**
239 
240---
241 
242## Crafting Effective Components
243 
244### Crafting Situation
245**Good situation**:
246- ✅ Familiar to audience
247- ✅ Non-controversial
248- ✅ Concise (1 paragraph)
249- ✅ Sets stage for complication
250 
251**Bad situation**:
252- ❌ Controversial (audience disagrees)
253- ❌ Unfamiliar (audience confused)
254- ❌ Too long (reader loses interest)
255- ❌ Doesn't connect to complication
256 
257### Crafting Complication
258**Good complication**:
259- ✅ Resonates with audience pain
260- ✅ Creates urgency
261- ✅ Makes status quo untenable
262- ✅ Leads naturally to question
263 
264**Bad complication**:
265- ❌ Audience doesn't relate
266- ❌ No urgency (so what?)
267- ❌ Too dramatic (not believable)
268- ❌ Doesn't set up your answer
269 
270### Crafting Question
271**Good question**:
272- ✅ Natural from complication
273- ✅ What reader is thinking
274- ✅ Your answer addresses it
275- ✅ Can be implicit (often better)
276 
277**Bad question**:
278- ❌ Disconnected from complication
279- ❌ Too broad or vague
280- ❌ Your answer doesn't address it
281- ❌ Stated explicitly when obvious
282 
283### Crafting Answer
284**Good answer**:
285- ✅ Directly addresses question
286- ✅ Your core message
287- ✅ Concise and memorable
288- ✅ Rest of content supports it
289 
290**Bad answer**:
291- ❌ Doesn't answer question
292- ❌ Vague or generic
293- ❌ Too complex (save detail for body)
294- ❌ Not your actual core message
295 
296---
297 
298## Common Mistakes
299 
300### Mistake 1: Starting with Complication
301❌ **Don't jump to problem without context**:
302```markdown
303AI coding assistants produce unreliable code...
304```
305**Why**: Reader doesn't have context. What AI assistants? Who's using them?
306 
307✅ **Establish situation first**:
308```markdown
309Software engineers use AI coding assistants daily. But these assistants produce unreliable code...
310```
311 
312### Mistake 2: Weak Complication
313❌ **Complication doesn't create urgency**:
314```markdown
315Situation: Developers use AI assistants.
316Complication: Sometimes the suggestions could be better.
317```
318**Why**: "Could be better" doesn't create enough tension.
319 
320✅ **Strong complication with real pain**:
321```markdown
322Situation: Developers use AI assistants.
323Complication: But 40% abandon them within weeks due to state corruption and unreliable output - wasted time, broken code, lost trust.
324```
325 
326### Mistake 3: Answer Doesn't Match Question
327❌ **Mismatched Q&A**:
328```markdown
329Question: How do we make AI assistants more reliable?
330Answer: CAF provides markdown-based customization.
331```
332**Why**: Answer talks about customization, not reliability.
333 
334✅ **Matched Q&A**:
335```markdown
336Question: How do we make AI assistants more reliable?
337Answer: CAF prevents failures through stateless architecture and file-based persistence.
338```
339 
340### Mistake 4: Answer Too Complex
341❌ **Answer tries to explain everything**:
342```markdown
343Answer: CAF is a meta-framework that provides commands, agents, and skills organized in a plugin architecture with markdown-based configuration that allows...
344```
345**Why**: Too much detail. Save for body.
346 
347✅ **Concise answer, details later**:
348```markdown
349Answer: CAF transforms Claude Code into domain-specific agents through markdown-based customization.
350 
351[Body provides details about commands, agents, skills]
352```
353 
354---
355 
356## Quality Checklist
357 
358**When applying SCQA, verify**:
359 
360- [ ] Situation is familiar and non-controversial
361- [ ] Complication creates real tension/urgency
362- [ ] Complication resonates with audience pain
363- [ ] Question naturally arises from complication
364- [ ] Question is what reader now wants answered
365- [ ] Answer directly addresses question
366- [ ] Answer is your core message
367- [ ] Answer is concise (details in body)
368- [ ] Flow is natural (S→C→Q→A)
369- [ ] Reader is now primed to hear evidence
370 
371---
372 
373## Integration with Positioning
374 
375**SCQA + Positioning Manifest**:
376 
377**From positioning manifest**:
378- Core message = Your Answer (A)
379- Audience context/pain = Informs Complication (C)
380- Desired action = Influences how you state Answer
381 
382**Example**:
383```json
384{
385  "core_message": "CAF transforms Claude Code into domain agents",
386  "audience_context": "Developers frustrated by generic AI assistants"
387}
388```
389 
390**Becomes SCQA**:
391- **S**: Developers use AI assistants
392- **C**: But generic assistants frustrate with domain-ignorant responses
393- **Q**: How to get domain-specific AI?
394- **A**: CAF transforms Claude Code into domain agents
395 
396---
397 
398## References
399 
400**Foundation**: McKinsey's SCQA framework, derived from Barbara Minto's pyramid principle
401 
402**Key insight**: People engage with stories that start where they are (Situation), introduce tension (Complication), raise a question they want answered (Question), then deliver the answer (Answer).
403 
404**Application**: Use SCQA for openings and persuasive narratives. Use Pyramid for organizing supporting evidence.
405 
406---
407 
408**Skill Version**: 1.0
409**Created**: 2025-10-31
410**Used by**: author agent (optional, for narrative structure)
411**Key Innovation**: Narrative engagement that primes reader to receive core message
412