Enhancing The Requirements Feedback Skill
Hey guys! Let's dive into a neat little upgrade for the requirements-feedback skill. We're talking about making it super easy for Claude (or any AI, really) to understand and act on user requests. Right now, things are a bit jumbled, and we're gonna fix that by using a clear routing table and some quick action patterns. This will significantly boost the skill's efficiency and make it a breeze to use. Get ready to level up your workflow!
The Problem: Clunky Routing and Meta-Instructions
Alright, let's break down the issue. The current setup in the "When This Skill Loads" section (lines 9-29 of SKILL.md) is a bit of a mess, mixing up the routing logic with the skill's actual content. It's like trying to find your way through a maze without a map. There's no straightforward guide for how Claude should handle different user requests and direct them to the right resources. Instead, it's a long-winded explanation of what to do, rather than a direct instruction. This makes it hard for Claude to quickly grasp the different paths it can take. It’s like telling Claude about the instructions, rather than giving the instructions. This isn't ideal for automated systems that thrive on clear, concise information. We need to cut through the fluff and get straight to the point.
For example, the current approach looks something like this (simplified): "First, identify the requirement level... Then determine their current need: 1. Collecting feedback ... - Load references/feedback-techniques.md". See what I mean? It's telling Claude how to figure things out, not what to do when it understands the user's intent. We're aiming for something more direct, something that acts like a handy cheat sheet for the AI. This is all about making things cleaner and more efficient. The goal here is to make the skill as user-friendly as possible, not just for humans but, more importantly, for the AI that will be using it. This will greatly improve the workflow and ensure a better interaction with the AI.
The Solution: A Clear Routing Table and Quick Actions
So, what's the plan to fix this? We're going to replace the current, confusing section with a crystal-clear routing table and a set of quick action patterns. This is going to give Claude the information it needs in an easy-to-digest format. Think of it as a well-organized index that immediately tells Claude where to go and what to do based on the user's intent. This is the cornerstone of the improvement.
1. The Routing Table
The routing table is the heart of our solution. It’s a simple, straightforward table that maps user intents to specific actions and resources. This table allows for easy parsing and understanding of user requests, and ensures that the AI can quickly find the appropriate resource. It's designed to be easily read by both humans and AI, making it a win-win. We will introduce a table format like this:
## Routing
| User Intent | Action | Resource |
|-------------------------------|-----------------------------|--------------------------------------|
| Collecting feedback methods | Load techniques reference | `references/feedback-techniques.md` |
| Stage-specific guidance | Load stage guide | `references/stage-feedback-guide.md` |
| Running a review | Load checklist | `references/feedback-checklist.md` |
| Incorporating feedback | Use 7-step workflow | This file (Quick Reference section) |
| Complete example | Load example | `examples/feedback-workflow-example.md` |
This table directly links user actions with the corresponding resources. When a user says they want to collect feedback methods, the AI immediately knows to load the techniques reference. Simple, right? This format is far easier for Claude to parse than the current narrative. This is all about clarity and efficiency, and this table provides that in spades.
2. Quick Actions
Next, we'll add a "Quick Actions" section at the top of the SKILL.md file. This will provide a handy list of common action patterns, making it even easier for the AI to understand and respond to the most frequent requests. It's like a quick-start guide, so the AI can jump right into the most common tasks without any delay. This addition is meant to increase efficiency, and it gives the AI a clear understanding of the immediate responses to common user inputs.
Here’s what the “Quick Actions” section will look like:
## Quick Actions
- User wants to collect feedback → Load `references/feedback-techniques.md`
- User has feedback to incorporate → Walk through 7-step workflow below
- User asks about feedback for [Vision/Epic/Story/Task] → Load `references/stage-feedback-guide.md`
This section offers a set of common scenarios, making it quick and easy for the AI to understand user needs and respond accordingly. This gives the AI a clear view of the most common user requests and corresponding actions. This helps create a more intuitive and responsive experience, especially for common tasks. By including these quick action patterns, the skill becomes more reactive and easier to use. This makes for a more fluid interaction.
Component and Specifics
We're focusing on the plugins/requirements-expert/skills/requirements-feedback/SKILL.md file. This means we'll be making targeted changes to this specific file to implement the routing table and quick action patterns. This approach ensures a direct and efficient upgrade, keeping the rest of the skill unchanged and safe from disruption. It's all about making precise, effective adjustments.
Alternatives Considered
We looked at a few different options, but ultimately, the routing table and quick actions were the best choices.
Narrative Improvement
One option was to simply reword the current narrative format to make it clearer. But we decided that a table format would be significantly easier for the AI to parse and understand. While improving the wording could help, it wouldn't offer the same level of clarity and efficiency as the table format. It's all about making the interaction as streamlined as possible.
Separate Routing File
Another idea was to move all the routing logic to a separate references/ file. However, this was rejected because it would make the routing information less immediately visible. The goal is to make the routing patterns as clear and accessible as possible. Keeping the routing instructions close to the actual skill instructions makes everything easier to manage and update. This approach makes it simple for anyone working with the skill, especially when they need to make adjustments.
Additional Context and Benefits
This change is part of a larger effort to improve the requirements-feedback skill. It addresses the issues identified during a comprehensive skill review. The routing table and quick action patterns will solve the problems identified in the review. The aim is to make the skill more directive and action-oriented by providing clear, concise instructions for different user intents.
This improvement helps eliminate the "meta-instructional" nature of the current setup and replaces it with directive patterns. This is all thanks to the integration of the clear routing patterns. This makes the skill way more efficient and useful. As a result, users will have a better experience overall. The goal is to make this skill the best it can be.
Priority and Impact
This feature is considered High-priority. It will significantly improve the AI's ability to understand and respond to user requests. The current structure of the skill scores a 7/10 for AI consumption. This improvement is expected to raise the score to 9/10, making the skill far more effective. The main aim of this effort is to create a more efficient and user-friendly experience.
So, there you have it, guys. By implementing a clear routing table and quick action patterns, we're giving the requirements-feedback skill a massive boost. This will make it easier for Claude (and other AI) to understand and respond to user requests. The result? A more efficient and enjoyable workflow for everyone involved. Let's make this skill the best it can be! Ready to implement these changes and see the magic happen!