| name | tcrei-prompt |
| description | TCREI prompt structuring tool. Rewrites rough prompts into Google's TCREI
(Task, Context, References, Evaluate, Iterate) format so they produce
consistent results when reused in the next session.
Triggers: "TCREI", "structure this prompt", "prompt enhance", "make a prompt for next session",
"rewrite as TCREI", "improve this prompt".
|
| version | 1.0.0 |
| allowed-tools | ["Read","Write","Glob","Grep","AskUserQuestion","Task"] |
TCREI Prompt Transformer
Hermes Agent Compatibility
When this skill is loaded through Hermes as tcrei-prompt:tcrei-prompt, map Claude/Codex tool names to Hermes tools:
| Claude/Codex term | Hermes tool |
|---|
| Read | read_file |
| Write | write_file |
| AskUserQuestion | clarify |
| Task | delegate_task |
Treat $ARGUMENTS as the natural-language arguments supplied when the user asks Hermes to load the skill. Plugin-provided skills are explicit opt-in loads in Hermes; use skill_view("tcrei-prompt:tcrei-prompt") (or ask Hermes to load that qualified skill) rather than relying on bare text.
Rewrites rough prompts into Google's TCREI 5-step structure and outputs
copy-paste-ready prompts for the next session. Based on Google's Prompting
Essentials (Coursera): Task, Context, References, Evaluate, Iterate.
Trigger Examples
Context: User has a rough prompt and wants it structured
user: "Turn this into a TCREI prompt: write a blog post"
assistant: Loads TCREI skill, diagnoses missing elements, and starts interview.
Explicit TCREI keyword with a target prompt provided - direct trigger.
Context: User wants a reusable prompt for a future session
user: "Make a prompt I can use next time for this task"
assistant: Loads TCREI skill to produce a structured, session-transferable prompt.
"next time" + "prompt" signals session-transfer intent.
Context: User wants to improve an existing prompt
user: "This prompt gives inconsistent results, make it better"
assistant: Loads TCREI skill, diagnoses gaps, and interviews for missing elements.
Prompt quality improvement request - systematic TCREI restructuring.
Critical Rules
- Use AskUserQuestion for all questions - never ask in plain text
- Skip elements already present - if Task is clear in the original, do not ask about Task
- Interview only missing elements - do not ask about all 5; collect only what is missing
- Output must be a copy-paste-ready prompt - not an explanation or tutorial
- Self-verify with OMC verifier - auto-check quality after generation
- Save to file - store the final prompt at
.claude/prompts/{YYYY-MM-DD}-{name}.md
Phase 0: Diagnose the Original Prompt
Analyze the user's prompt and determine which TCREI elements are present vs missing.
Diagnosis Criteria
| Element | Present if... | Missing if... |
|---|
| Task | Has 2+ of: action verb, output format, constraints | Only a vague verb ("do this", "write something") |
| Context | Specifies 1+ of: audience, purpose, source material | No background information at all |
| References | Includes samples, format specs, schemas, or tone examples | No hint about desired output shape |
| Evaluate | Has 1+ of: must-have, must-not, verification criteria | No quality standards defined |
| Iterate | Mentions improvement direction or version requests | One-shot request only |
Diagnosis Output
Show the diagnosis to the user, then proceed to interview:
## TCREI Diagnosis
| Element | Status | Found |
|---------|--------|-------|
| Task | Partial | "write a blog post" - verb only, no output format or constraints |
| Context | Missing | - |
| References | Missing | - |
| Evaluate | Missing | - |
| Iterate | Missing | - |
Starting interview to fill in missing elements.
Phase 1: TCREI Interview (Interview Methodology)
Interview the user for missing elements only, using AskUserQuestion.
Follow interview-methodology principles:
- No obvious questions
- Follow-up on each answer
- Provide options for easy answering
Interview Questions by Element
When Task is missing
Question: "What output format do you need?"
Options:
1. "Markdown document" - Structured text with headers
2. "JSON / structured data" - Machine-readable, tool-friendly
3. "Free-form text" - Essay, letter, narrative
4. "Table / comparison" - Side-by-side data
Question: "Any length or format constraints?"
Options:
1. "Short (5 sentences or less)" - Key points only
2. "Medium (1 page)" - Moderate detail
3. "Long (comprehensive)" - Full coverage
4. "Specific format" - Custom input
When Context is missing
Question: "Who is the audience for this output?"
Options:
1. "Myself only" - Personal reference
2. "Team / colleagues" - Internal sharing
3. "Clients / customers" - External delivery
4. "General public" - Published content
Question: "What is the purpose of this task?"
Options:
1. "Inform / educate" - Help understand something
2. "Persuade / market" - Drive action
3. "Document / archive" - Record keeping
4. "Support decisions" - Aid judgment
When References are missing
Question: "Do you have a preferred tone or style?"
Options:
1. "Professional / formal" - Reports, official docs
2. "Friendly / conversational" - Blog, social media
3. "Concise / bullet-point" - Summaries, briefs
4. "Provide a sample" - I'll give an example
Question: "Do you want a fixed output structure? (e.g., JSON schema)"
Options:
1. "Free form" - Let AI decide the structure
2. "Fixed key structure" - JSON/YAML schema
3. "Match existing template" - Provide a file path
When Evaluate is missing
Question: "What must the output include?"
multiSelect: true
Options:
1. "N key points" - Specify a number
2. "Call-to-action (CTA)" - Reader should do something
3. "Data / evidence" - Sourced information
4. "Custom requirement" - Specify directly
Question: "What must the output avoid?"
multiSelect: true
Options:
1. "Exaggeration / hype" - Facts only
2. "Jargon overload" - Keep it simple
3. "Unsourced claims" - Everything needs evidence
4. "Custom restriction" - Specify directly
When Iterate is missing
Iterate instructions are auto-generated (no interview needed).
Generate 3 context-specific refinement prompts based on the assembled TCREI content.
Interview Guidelines
- Max 2 questions per round - batch into AskUserQuestion's questions array
- 1-2 missing elements = 1 round; 3-4 missing = 2 rounds - keep it short
- Cross-pollinate answers - a Context answer may fill in Task details
- Follow up on "Custom" selections - probe open-ended answers into specifics
Phase 2: Generate TCREI Prompt
Assemble the structured prompt from collected information.
Output Template
# TCREI Prompt: [Title]
> Structured with Google's TCREI framework. Copy and paste directly to any AI.
---
## Task
[Verb] to produce [output].
**Constraints:**
- [Format / length / tone constraint 1]
- [Constraint 2]
- [Constraint 3]
## Context
- **Audience**: [Who will read this]
- **Purpose**: [Why this is needed]
- **Source material**: [What to base it on - attach below or mark "to be attached"]
[Additional background if any]
## References
**Style guide:**
- [Tone / voice rule 1]
- [Tone / voice rule 2]
**Output samples (for tone reference):**
> "[Sample sentence 1]"
> "[Sample sentence 2]"
[If JSON schema is needed:]
```json
{
"key1": "description",
"key2": "description"
}
Evaluate
After completing the task, self-check against these criteria:
Must-have:
Must-not:
Verify:
Iterate
Use these refinement prompts if the output needs improvement:
- "[Specific refinement 1 - includes numbers/metrics]"
- "[Specific refinement 2 - includes action directive]"
- "[Specific refinement 3 - includes format/structure change]"
### Generation Rules
1. **Each section must be self-contained** - understandable without reading other sections
2. **Use specific numbers** - "5 sentences" not "short"; "1 page" not "moderate"
3. **Iterate prompts must be context-aware** - not generic "make it better" but task-specific
4. **Must be copy-paste ready** - no meta-commentary or instructional text inside the prompt body
## Phase 3: Self-Verification (OMC Iterate)
Verify the generated prompt using the OMC verifier agent.
### Verification Process
Delegate to verifier via Task tool:
Task(
subagent_type="claude",
model="haiku",
prompt="Verify this TCREI prompt for quality:
1. Task: Has action verb + output format + constraints?
2. Context: Has 2+ of audience / purpose / source material?
3. References: Has 1+ of tone / format / sample?
4. Evaluate: Has 2+ of must-have / must-not / verify?
5. Iterate: Has 2+ refinement prompts with specific numbers/rules/actions?
6. Is the entire prompt copy-paste ready (no meta-commentary)?
Pass threshold: 5 of 6 criteria met
On fail: List deficient items with specific improvement suggestions
[Full generated prompt here]"
)
### On Verification Failure
1. Auto-fix the deficient items identified by the verifier
2. Re-verify (max 2 retry rounds)
3. If still below threshold after 2 rounds, output current state and notify user of gaps
## Phase 4: Final Output and Save
### Output
1. Display the completed TCREI prompt in the conversation
2. Save to `.claude/prompts/{YYYY-MM-DD}-{name}.md`
- Create `.claude/prompts/` directory if it does not exist
- Filename in kebab-case
3. Show verification summary:
Verification Results
| Criterion | Status |
|---|
| Task (verb + output + constraints) | Pass |
| Context (audience + purpose + source) | Pass |
| References (tone + format + sample) | Pass |
| Evaluate (must-have + must-not + verify) | Pass |
| Iterate (numbers + rules + actions) | Pass |
| Copy-paste ready | Pass |
Saved to: .claude/prompts/2026-02-16-blog-post.md
## Domain-Specific TCREI Gap Patterns
Common gaps by domain with default remediation:
| Domain | Commonly missing | Default remediation |
|--------|-----------------|-------------------|
| **Development** | References (code style), Evaluate (test criteria) | Match existing codebase patterns, include test cases |
| **Marketing** | Context (target persona), Evaluate (conversion criteria) | Define persona, add CTA verification |
| **Education** | References (difficulty samples), Iterate (learning progression) | Separate beginner/intermediate, add step-by-step deepening |
| **Documents** | Context (reader level), References (existing templates) | Distinguish exec/practitioner, reference company templates |
| **Translation** | References (glossary), Evaluate (consistency) | Unify technical terms, verify tone consistency |
## Interview Anti-Patterns
1. **Asking about all 5 elements** - skip what is already present; it wastes time
2. **Abstract questions** - offer concrete options instead of "what vibe do you want?"
3. **5 questions at once** - batch max 2 per AskUserQuestion call
4. **Ignoring cross-signals** - a Context answer may reveal Task or Reference details
5. **Interviewing for Iterate** - auto-generate is more effective (context-aware specifics beat generic user input)
