Hard Predict Future

Hard Predict Future

A Claude Code skill for hard predict future workflows and automation

Category: development Source: davepoon/buildwithclaude

What Is Hard Predict Future?

Hard Predict Future is a specialized Claude Code skill designed for robust, deterministic future forecasting and scenario analysis. Tailored for high-stakes, future-oriented queries, this skill orchestrates a rigorous 12-step workflow combining artificial intelligence and computational precision. Claude handles the intelligence gathering, structuring, and reasoning, while all quantitative calculations are executed in Python, ensuring transparency and reproducibility. Unlike heuristic or speculative prediction tools, Hard Predict Future enforces a strictly deterministic pipeline: every number is computed, every step is logged, and no intermediate results are assumed or estimated.

This skill is ideal for questions such as: “Will [X] happen?”, “Who will win [Y]?”, or “What will be the outcome of [Z]?”—especially when the stakes are high and decisions demand credible, quantitative foresight. It is particularly suited for domains involving scenario planning (e.g., STEEEP framework), technology adoption curves, geopolitical forecasting, or competitive analysis, where rigorous methodology and numerical accuracy are paramount.

Note: Hard Predict Future requires both Bash and Python 3.x environments and is not compatible with the claude.ai web interface. For lighter, heuristic workflows, refer to the "Soft Predict Future" skill.

Why Use Hard Predict Future?

Many predictive workflows rely on qualitative intuition, statistical shortcuts, or opaque machine learning black boxes. While expedient, these approaches can introduce estimation errors, hidden biases, and a lack of auditability—serious drawbacks when predictions inform critical business, policy, or investment decisions.

Hard Predict Future addresses these challenges by:

  • Eliminating Guesswork: All arithmetic is handled by Python scripts, with Claude acting as an orchestrator and interpreter, not as a calculator. This separation of concerns prevents the introduction of errors due to language model hallucination or estimation.
  • Ensuring Auditability: Each step in the pipeline produces explicit, inspectable outputs. Users can trace every number back to its computational origin, enabling thorough review and post-hoc analysis.
  • Enforcing Methodological Rigor: The skill’s strict pipeline is designed to prevent skipped steps, accidental shortcuts, or unvalidated assumptions—common pitfalls in less disciplined foresight methods.
  • Supporting Complex Scenarios: From competitive market analysis to geopolitical event forecasting, Hard Predict Future can structure and analyze multifaceted scenarios using established frameworks and historical precedents.

How to Get Started

  1. Installation and Requirements

    • Ensure you have Bash and Python 3.x installed on your system.
    • Clone or download the Hard Predict Future scripts from the official repository.
    • Set the ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT} environment variable to the root of your plugin installation.

  2. Activating the Agent
    Activate Hard Predict Future whenever a query demands quantitative foresight. Example trigger queries might include:

    • “Will electric vehicles overtake internal combustion cars by 2030?”
    • “Who is likely to win the next general election in country X?”
    • “What happens to global oil prices if sanctions are imposed on country Y?”

  3. Running the Pipeline
    The pipeline is strictly linear; each step must be completed in order with no shortcuts. For example, to validate a user query:

    python "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/hard-predict-future/scripts/input_validator.py" "Will AI replace radiologists by 2040?"

    The script will output either a valid=true confirmation or a rejection message. Only proceed if validation passes.

  4. Iterative Workflow
    Continue through each of the 12 deterministic steps, using the corresponding script for each operation. Always wait for the exact stdout of each script before advancing. Do not guess or infer results.

Key Features

  • Deterministic 12-Step Pipeline: Every stage is explicit and computationally grounded, from input validation to final scenario scoring.
  • Claude-Python Orchestration: Claude handles the intelligence work and scenario structuring, while Python executes all quantitative analysis.
  • Foresight Frameworks Supported: Built-in support for STEEEP scenario planning, futures cones, adoption curves, and more.
  • Multi-Domain Applicability: Suitable for business, policy, technology, and geopolitical forecasting.
  • Traceable Outputs: All intermediate and final results are logged as plain text, supporting external review and documentation.

Example: Validating a Prediction Query

python "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/hard-predict-future/scripts/input_validator.py" "Who will win the 2028 US presidential election?"

Possible output:

valid=true

If the query is not suitable, the script will return:

valid=false
reason="Query too vague; specify candidates or context."

Best Practices

  • Never Skip Steps: Always execute the full 12-step pipeline, in order, regardless of how “obvious” a result may seem.
  • Separate Roles: Let Claude handle scenario design and qualitative reasoning; defer all calculations to Python scripts.
  • Validate Inputs: Use the provided validator script to ensure queries are suitable for the workflow.
  • Maintain Audit Trails: Archive all stdout and logs for each step for future reference and review.
  • Document Assumptions: Clearly note any scenario constraints, historical precedents, or data sources used in the analysis.

Important Notes

  • Strict Environment Requirements: Hard Predict Future is only compatible with Bash and Python 3.x. It will not run in browser-based Claude environments (e.g., claude.ai web interface).
  • No Guesswork Allowed: The workflow mandates waiting for exact Python script outputs before proceeding. Never infer or estimate intermediate results.
  • Scenario Horizon Inference: The system automatically infers the time horizon if not specified in the query.
  • High-Stakes Use: Designed for domains where prediction accuracy and methodological transparency are critical.
  • For Lighter Workflows: If your prediction task is informal or exploratory, consider using the “Soft Predict Future” skill instead.

Hard Predict Future represents a new standard for deterministic, auditable foresight workflows—combining AI-guided intelligence with transparent, script-driven computation for credible, high-stakes future analysis.