diff --git a/openspec/changes/napkin-changes/.openspec.yaml b/openspec/changes/napkin-changes/.openspec.yaml
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+schema: spec-driven
+created: 2026-01-20
diff --git a/openspec/changes/napkin-changes/proposal.md b/openspec/changes/napkin-changes/proposal.md
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+## Why
+
+When users start a new change with `/opsx:new`, their initial description gets lost. The system creates an empty folder and shows a template, but the user's intent—the thing they said they wanted to build—isn't captured anywhere. They have to describe it again when creating the proposal.
+
+This adds friction and breaks the natural flow of: idea → capture → expand → implement.
+
+## What Changes
+
+- Introduce "napkin" as a lightweight precursor to a full change
+- Napkins are simple markdown files: `<name>.napkin.md` in `openspec/changes/`
+- When promoted via `/opsx:continue`, napkin content seeds the proposal and the napkin file is deleted
+- Full changes remain as folders with artifacts (no change to existing behavior)
+
+**File structure:**
+```
+openspec/changes/
+├── dark-mode.napkin.md       ← napkin (lightweight, just an idea)
+├── auth-refactor/            ← full change (folder with artifacts)
+│   ├── .openspec.yaml
+│   ├── proposal.md
+│   └── ...
+```
+
+**Lifecycle:**
+1. `/opsx:new "add dark mode"` → creates `dark-mode.napkin.md` with user's description
+2. User can edit, add notes, refine thinking
+3. `/opsx:continue` → promotes napkin to full change folder, creates `proposal.md` using napkin content
+4. `dark-mode.napkin.md` is deleted after promotion
+
+## Capabilities
+
+### New Capabilities
+
+- `napkin-changes`: Support for lightweight napkin files (`.napkin.md`) as precursors to full changes, including creation, listing, and promotion to full change folders
+
+### Modified Capabilities
+
+- `change-creation`: Add support for creating napkin files instead of folders
+- `cli-change`: Update `openspec new change` to support napkin creation
+- `cli-list`: Show napkins alongside full changes in `openspec list` output
+
+## Impact
+
+- `src/utils/change-utils.ts` - Add napkin creation/detection utilities
+- `src/commands/change.ts` - Support `--napkin` flag or make napkin the default
+- `src/commands/list.ts` - Include napkins in change listing
+- `.claude/skills/openspec-new-change/` - Update to create napkins by default
+- `.claude/skills/openspec-continue-change/` - Handle napkin → full change promotion
+- `.claude/commands/opsx/new.md` - Update skill instructions
+- `.claude/commands/opsx/continue.md` - Update to handle napkin promotion