eli-me-maker

name	eli-me-maker
description	Create or update a private eli-me skill that captures a user's preferred explanation style. Use when the user says "eli-me-maker", asks to make an "eli-me" skill, wants a reusable personalized communication-preference skill, or wants examples-based questions that discover how they like concepts defined, explained, scoped, and checked.
depends_on	["ask-cascade","mmdx","skill-issue"]

Eli Me Maker

Create a private eli-me skill for one person. This public skill owns the repeatable maker workflow; ask-cascade owns dependency-aware calibration questions; mmdx owns optional preference maps; the generated eli-me skill owns the private preference content.

First Progress Marker

Start with the exact prefix:

Using eli-me-maker

Preferred format:

Using eli-me-maker to build a private explanation-preference skill. I will separate the public maker workflow from the private eli-me output, use ask-cascade for calibration, and use MMDX only when a map clarifies the preference.

Ownership Boundary

• eli-me-maker belongs in a public skills catalog.
• eli-me belongs in a private skills root or private client overlay.
• Do not put a real person's preference card, examples, repo map, names, or private writing samples in the public eli-me-maker skill.
• Do not claim the generated skill is saved until the files are actually written and validated.
• Ask before writing to memory, global instructions, or a long-lived agent profile. Writing a private SKILL.md in the requested private root is the normal output of this workflow.

Inputs

Before asking the user, infer what you can from the prompt and environment:

• Target skill name: default eli-me.
• Target root: a private skills directory, private overlay, or user-named path.
• Starting examples: any explanation-style examples the user provided.
• Existing skill: whether a private eli-me/SKILL.md already exists.

If the target root is unclear, ask one placement question before collecting style preferences. Placement changes where every generated file goes.

Workflow

1. Confirm Placement

Use this branch only when placement is not already clear.

Root decision: where should the private eli-me skill live?

1. Private skills root (recommended)
   Why: the skill is reusable across projects but contains personal preference.
   Happy path:
   - create or update eli-me/SKILL.md privately
   - keep public eli-me-maker generic
   - validate the private skill
   - optionally activate/link it for the current workspace
2. Repo-local private overlay
3. Print a draft only; do not write files

Reply with 1, 2, 3, or give the target path.

2. Gather Examples With Ask-Cascade

Do not dump a survey. Run the ladder in Calibration Prompts.

Rules:

• Ask the highest-impact explanation fork first.
• Use concrete A/B/C examples, not abstract adjectives like "friendly" or "detailed" by themselves.
• Accept terse answers such as 1, 2B, more like the failure-first one, or none.
• Stop after enough signal to write a useful first version. The private eli-me skill can improve from future corrections.

3. Map The Preference With MMDX When Useful

Use MMDX when the user's preference has several interacting axes, such as starting shape, evidence type, compression, and checkpoint cadence. Do not make a diagram when a short preference card is clearer.

Public reference:

python3 mmdx/scripts/mmd.py eli-me-maker/references/eli-me-maker-flow.mmdx --preflight-only

Private generated maps:

• Save maps beside the private eli-me skill or in a private overlay, not in this public skill.
• If the user wants the map in their Buildooor account, invoke mmdx's durable private save flow after writing the local private source, then record the returned diagram id/version id in the closeout. Do not treat a pako preview link as the saved private map.
• Keep the public MMDX stack generic. Do not add real preference answers, personal examples, or private repo references to it.
• Link only high-leverage nodes, such as Ask-cascade calibration or MMDX preference map, so drilldowns answer "why this step exists" rather than restating every branch.

4. Synthesize The Preference Contract

Turn the answers into a compact, operational card:

## Eli-Me Preference Card

Default explanation shape:
- Start with:
- Then show:
- Then prove:
- Then ask:

Definition preference:
- Preferred:
- Avoid:

Examples:
- Use:
- Avoid:

Question cadence:
- Ask before explaining when:
- Explain first when:

Compression:
- Default:
- Expand when:

Keep it behavioral. Avoid vague traits such as "clear", "smart", "human", or "good" unless each one is tied to an observable output rule.

5. Generate Or Patch The Private Skill

Use eli-me-template.md as the starting point.

For a new skill:

1. Create {private_skills_root}/eli-me/SKILL.md.
2. Fill the preference-card placeholders from calibration.
3. Add only generic process guidance plus the user's private preference card.
4. Avoid scripts unless the user explicitly needs deterministic transforms.

For an existing skill:

1. Read the current private eli-me/SKILL.md.
2. Preserve existing validated preferences unless the user corrected them.
3. Patch the smallest section that needs updating.
4. Add a dated note only when it helps explain a preference change.

6. Validate And Activate

Run the skill validator from the public skills checkout when available:

python3 skill-issue/scripts/quick_validate.py {private_skills_root}/eli-me

If the user wants the generated skill usable immediately, activate or link it only at the requested scope. Prefer project/workspace scope for personal operator skills unless the user explicitly asks for global installation.

Output Shape

Close with:

• Private skill path written or draft-only status.
• Validation command and result.
• Activation/link status if performed.
• Any unresolved placement or preference question.

Do not include the full private preference card in a public PR description, public issue, or public README.

Required Closeout

Before finishing, verify:

• Public eli-me-maker stayed generic.
• The generic MMDX stack validates if it changed.
• Private eli-me contains the personalized preference content.
• The generated or patched private skill validates, or the validation blocker is explicit.
• No public repo file contains private examples or personal preference details.

If this public skill changed, validate it from the public skills repo:

python3 skill-issue/scripts/quick_validate.py eli-me-maker