Prompt Improver Skill

Prompt Improver Skill

Purpose

Transform vague, ambiguous prompts into actionable, well-defined requests through systematic research and targeted clarification. This skill is invoked when the hook has already determined a prompt needs enrichment.

When This Skill is Invoked

Automatic invocation:

• UserPromptSubmit hook evaluates prompt
• Hook determines prompt is vague (missing specifics, context, or clear target)
• Hook invokes this skill to guide research and questioning

Manual invocation:

• To enrich a vague prompt with research-based questions
• When building or testing prompt evaluation systems
• When prompt lacks sufficient context even with conversation history

Assumptions:

• Prompt has already been identified as vague
• Evaluation phase is complete (done by hook)
• Proceed directly to research and clarification

Core Workflow

This skill follows a 4-phase approach to prompt enrichment:

Phase 1: Research

Create a dynamic research plan using TodoWrite before asking questions.

Research Plan Template:

1. Check conversation history first - Avoid redundant exploration if context already exists
2. Review codebase if needed:
   • Task/Explore for architecture and project structure
   • Grep/Glob for specific patterns, related files
   • Check git log for recent changes
   • Search for errors, failing tests, TODO/FIXME comments
3. Gather additional context as needed:
   • Read local documentation files