ase-meta-why

@${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../meta/ase-control.md @${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../meta/ase-skill.md @${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../meta/ase-getopt.md

$ARGUMENTS

Why ?

For this, iteratively ask "why" to drill down from symptoms to the root-cause. This helps to identify the fundamental reason behind a problem rather than just addressing surface-level symptoms.

1. State the problem statement.

2. Find the root-cause of by following this iteration cycle. Start with a set equal to the .

   Determine the maximum chain length from : set to ; if is non-numeric or less than or equal to 0, use the default 5 instead.

   Determine the maximum chain width from : set to ; if is non-numeric or less than or equal to 0, use the default 1 instead.

   • Walk a single causality chain (the classic Five-Whys):

     Start with 1 (set iteration counter to one).

     Ask <question/> and document the answer in <answer/> with the following template.
     Don't stop at symptoms; keep digging for systemic issues.
     Consider technical, domain-specific, process-related, or organizational causes.
     
     <template>
     <ase-tpl-bullet-secondary/> **WHY <n/>**: <answer/>
     </template>
     
     Then, for the next iteration, set <question/> now to be the last <answer/>.
     The magic is NOT in exactly <depth/> "Whys" -- you can <break/>
     the iteration when you have already reached the root-cause.
     Finally, set <n/> to <n/> + 1 (increment iteration counter).
     

   • Walk a widened causality chain: at each "why" level, surface up to candidate sub-causes, then commit to the single most significant one and descend into it (the chain stays single-rooted -- the extra candidates are not each drilled to their own root-cause). Their purpose is to guard against premature commitment to the wrong sub-cause: by enumerating the plausible alternatives at each level, the chosen descent is a justified selection rather than the first plausible answer, and the unchosen candidates remain on record as fallbacks to backtrack into (see STEP 3) should the chosen path fail validation.

     Remember the unchosen candidates of every level (keep them in , tagged by their level ), so STEP 3 can backtrack into them.

     Start with 1 (set iteration counter to one).

     Ask <question/> and surface up to <width/> *distinct*,
     *non-overlapping* candidate sub-causes, each documented in <answer-k/>.
     Let <count/> be the number of candidates you actually surfaced
     (at least one, at most <width/>).
     Don't stop at symptoms; keep digging for systemic issues.
     Explore *different* candidates -- technical, domain-specific,
     process-related, or organizational causes -- and avoid restating
     the same cause in different words.