Questions Tool

Questions Tool: How Obvious Asks for Input

Obvious Agents use structured question cards to gather necessary information, speeding up workflows and ensuring accurate responses.

Obvious Agents use the Questions Tool to ask structured questions when they need more input before continuing a task. Instead of back-and-forth chat, Obvious presents a clear question card, allowing you to provide the exact information needed to move forward efficiently.

Why Obvious Uses Question Cards

Obvious Agents use question cards to efficiently gather precise information, avoiding lengthy chat conversations. This structured approach ensures clarity, simplifies processing your answers, and minimizes the risk of overlooked details. Agents deploy question cards when they require a specific decision, preference, value, or an ordered selection to proceed.

Types of Questions Obvious Asks

Obvious Agents can ask for various types of input using these structured question types:

• Text — a short freeform answer
• Textarea — a longer freeform answer
• Yes/No — a binary choice
• Single choice — pick one option
• Multiple choice — pick one or more options
• Numeric scale — choose a number within a range
• Ordering — rank items in priority order

The agent automatically selects the question type that best suits the information it needs from you.

How to Answer a Question Card

1. Read the prompt in the card.
2. Fill in the field or fields.
3. Click the submit action in the card.
4. Wait for Obvious to continue in chat.

If a question card presents multiple fields, complete all required inputs before submitting. For choice-based questions, simply select the appropriate option rather than typing a response.

How to Skip Questions

If you prefer not to answer immediately, you can select Skip questions. When you skip, Obvious proceeds using the information it already possesses. Be aware that if the skipped detail becomes critical later, Obvious might ask for it again or default to a safer, pre-defined path.

When Obvious Asks Questions

Obvious Agents ask questions when they require specific information to determine the next step in a workflow, or when your input is needed to choose among multiple valid paths.

Obvious typically proceeds without asking questions when:

• the next step is unambiguous
• the agent already has enough context
• there is only one safe or obvious path forward

Tips for Responding to Obvious Questions

• Answer with the most specific option or value you can.
• Use ordering when priority matters.
• Use multiple choice when more than one answer applies.
• If you skip, expect Obvious to continue with the best available context.
• If the agent asks again, it usually means the missing detail matters to the next step.

The Agent's Role in Using Question Cards

Question cards are an integral part of how Obvious Agents operate within chat. The agent intelligently determines when to present a question card, selects the appropriate input type, and decides when to proceed after you provide your response. If a workflow requires your decision, the question card serves as the handoff point between your input and the agent's next action.

Troubleshooting Question Cards

If you encounter issues such as a question card failing to load, not submitting, or repeatedly asking for the same information, first try reloading the page and re-entering your answer. If the problem persists, please contact help@obvious.ai for assistance.