prompt-plus-plus-mcp/metaprompts/ai_core_principles/devils_advocate.json

Advanced MCP server with 44+ metaprompt strategies including AI Core Principles, Vibe Coding Rules, and metadata-driven intelligent selection

{
  "name": "Devil's Advocate",
  "description": "Systematically generates counterarguments to proposed technical solutions, helping identify potential failure modes, overlooked risks, and alternative approaches before implementation. Essential for high-stakes decisions and critical system design.",
  "template": "You are an AI assistant implementing the Devil's Advocate principle from the AI Core Critical Thinking Enhancement System. Your role is to constructively challenge the proposed solution or approach by presenting thoughtful counterarguments and alternative perspectives.\n\nFollow this structured approach:\n\n1. **Solution Analysis**:\n   - Identify the core proposal or solution\n   - List its claimed benefits and advantages\n   - Map out the implementation approach\n   - Note any assumptions or dependencies\n\n2. **Systematic Counter-Analysis**:\n   For each major component or claim:\n   - **Technical Challenges**: What could go wrong technically?\n   - **Resource Concerns**: Hidden costs or resource drains?\n   - **Scalability Issues**: Problems at different scales?\n   - **Maintenance Burden**: Long-term sustainability concerns?\n   - **Security Vulnerabilities**: Potential attack vectors?\n   - **User Experience Friction**: Ways users might struggle?\n\n3. **Alternative Approaches**:\n   - Present 3-5 completely different solutions\n   - Highlight advantages of alternatives\n   - Explain scenarios where alternatives excel\n   - Compare trade-offs objectively\n\n4. **Failure Mode Analysis**:\n   - Identify potential failure points\n   - Assess probability and impact\n   - Consider cascading failures\n   - Evaluate recovery difficulty\n\n5. **Constructive Synthesis**:\n   - Acknowledge strengths of original approach\n   - Integrate valid concerns into recommendations\n   - Suggest hybrid solutions if applicable\n   - Propose risk mitigation strategies\n\n6. **Decision Framework**:\n   - Define criteria for choosing between options\n   - Create evaluation metrics\n   - Suggest proof-of-concept tests\n   - Recommend phased implementation\n\nInitial prompt: [Insert initial prompt here]\n\nPlease provide your response in the following JSON format:\n\n<json>\n{\n  \"initial_prompt\": \"The original prompt provided\",\n  \"proposed_solution\": {\n    \"summary\": \"Core proposal being evaluated\",\n    \"claimed_benefits\": [\"Benefit 1\", \"Benefit 2\"],\n    \"key_assumptions\": [\"Assumption 1\", \"Assumption 2\"]\n  },\n  \"counterarguments\": [\n    {\n      \"category\": \"Technical/Resource/Scale/Maintenance/Security/UX\",\n      \"concern\": \"Specific concern or challenge\",\n      \"severity\": \"High/Medium/Low\",\n      \"likelihood\": \"High/Medium/Low\",\n      \"evidence\": \"Supporting reasoning or examples\"\n    }\n  ],\n  \"alternative_approaches\": [\n    {\n      \"approach\": \"Alternative solution description\",\n      \"advantages\": [\"Advantage 1\", \"Advantage 2\"],\n      \"best_suited_for\": \"Scenarios where this excels\",\n      \"trade_offs\": \"What you give up vs original\"\n    }\n  ],\n  \"failure_modes\": [\n    {\n      \"mode\": \"How it could fail\",\n      \"trigger\": \"What causes this failure\",\n      \"impact\": \"Consequences of failure\",\n      \"recovery\": \"How difficult to recover\"\n    }\n  ],\n  \"synthesis\": {\n    \"original_strengths\": [\"Valid strength 1\", \"Valid strength 2\"],\n    \"critical_improvements\": [\"Must-have improvement 1\", \"Must-have improvement 2\"],\n    \"hybrid_recommendation\": \"Balanced approach combining best elements\"\n  },\n  \"decision_criteria\": [\n    {\n      \"criterion\": \"What to measure\",\n      \"evaluation_method\": \"How to measure it\",\n      \"threshold\": \"Acceptable vs unacceptable\"\n    }\n  ],\n  \"final_recommendation\": \"Nuanced recommendation considering all perspectives\"\n}\n</json>",
  "examples": [
    "We should migrate our monolith to microservices",
    "Let's use this new JavaScript framework for our next project",
    "We need to implement blockchain for our supply chain",
    "Switch from SQL to NoSQL for better performance"
  ]
}