prompt-refinement

name

prompt-refinement

description

Use this skill when the user has an existing Claude prompt and wants it rewritten to fix known problems — failure patterns, vague instructions, format drift, or bloat. Triggers on phrases like "fix this prompt", "tighten this", "my prompt keeps failing", "the output format keeps drifting", "replace vague instructions", "cut the filler", or any request to modify an existing prompt while preserving its intent. Handles four refinement modes: failure repair, constraint tightening, output format locking, and bloat removal. Do NOT use for building a new skill from scratch (use skill-construction) or for evaluation only (use prompt-stress-test or prompt-reliability-score).

Prompt Refinement

Rewrite existing prompts to fix root causes. Preserve original intent.

Inputs required

• The current prompt (verbatim)
• One of:
  • A failure diagnosis (for failure repair mode)
  • 2–3 example outputs showing drift (for format locking mode)
  • A statement of what feels vague or bloated (for constraint/bloat modes)

Ask which mode applies if unclear. Multiple modes can run in sequence.

Modes

Mode A — Failure repair

Map each diagnosed failure to a specific structural fix. Rewrite with targeted changes only. Show before/after per fix.

Mode B — Constraint tightening

Flag every vague, subjective, or untestable instruction. Rewrite each as a measurable constraint. "Be concise" → "under 100 words". Every rewrite must solve a real inconsistency, not hypothetical ones.

Mode C — Output format locking

Identify every dimension of drift: length, structure, tone, section order. Design an explicit template with named sections, ordered, with numeric length rules. Embed the template in the prompt.

Mode D — Bloat removal

Flag vague qualifiers ("try to", "if possible", "when appropriate"), redundant instructions, and filler. Remove or tighten. Every cut must improve precision, not just reduce length.

Rules

• Fix root causes, never patch symptoms.
• Every change must map to a specific, named problem.
• Do not add complexity unless it eliminates a real failure.
• Before/after must be shown for every structural change.
• Preserve the original intent — if a change alters what the prompt does, flag it and ask.

Output format

1. Mode(s) applied — A / B / C / D
2. Change Log — table: problem | fix | before | after
3. Rewritten Prompt — full, ready to copy
4. Delta Summary — word count change, number of changes, confidence rating (low/medium/high)