git:20260705.8c2f9bc to git:20260705.ba8ee52

1 added, 1 removed. Audit A to A.

---

name: prompt-optimization

- description: Analyze and improve existing prompts for better performance. Use when: auditing an existing prompt for clarity, structure, or completeness issues, fixing vague instructions, or producing a before/after optimization report.

+ description: "Analyze and improve existing prompts for better performance. Use when: auditing an existing prompt for clarity, structure, or completeness issues, fixing vague instructions, or producing a before/after optimization report."

allowed-tools: Read, Write, Edit

---

# Prompt Optimization

Skill for analyzing and improving existing prompts.

## References

- [common-problems.md](references/common-problems.md) - Load when: diagnosing a vague or ambiguous prompt — 5 before/after examples (vague instructions, missing context, undefined format, no error handling, weak emphasis)

- [improvement-techniques.md](references/improvement-techniques.md) - Load when: strengthening a prompt with Chain-of-Thought, few-shot examples, or reinforced guardrails

- [scorecard-template.md](references/scorecard-template.md) - Load when: writing the before/after optimization report to hand off

## Optimization Workflow

```

1. ANALYZE current prompt

↓

2. IDENTIFY issues

↓

3. APPLY corrections

↓

4. VALIDATE improvement

↓

5. DOCUMENT changes

```

## Analysis Checklist

### Clarity

- [ ] Unambiguous instructions?

- [ ] Clearly defined objective?

- [ ] Precise vocabulary?

### Structure

- [ ] Well-delimited sections?

- [ ] Logical order?

- [ ] Clear hierarchy?

### Completeness

- [ ] Output format defined?

- [ ] Error cases handled?

- [ ] Examples if needed?

### Guardrails

- [ ] Explicit limits?

- [ ] Forbidden behaviors listed?

- [ ] Appropriate security?

For common problem patterns with before/after fixes, see [common-problems.md](references/common-problems.md). For techniques to strengthen a prompt (CoT, examples, guardrails), see [improvement-techniques.md](references/improvement-techniques.md).

## Forbidden

- Never change the original meaning of the prompt

- Never add unrequested features

- Never remove existing guardrails

- Never make the prompt longer without justification