Skill Creator
Table of Contents
This skill applies Mortimer Adler's systematic reading methodology ("How to Read a Book") through a six-step progressive approach: inspectional reading, structural analysis, component extraction, synthesis, skill construction, and validation. The process is collaborative -- at decision points, options and trade-offs are presented for the user to choose.
Methodology composition. All five extractable steps are now backed by domain-neutral standalone skills, reusable beyond skill creation. The orchestration is owned by the skill-creator agent; this skill-file remains as documentation of the methodology and as a way to apply the methodology without the agent's session-workspace overhead.
| Step | Standalone skill | purpose_context to pass | Local resource still useful for |
| ---- | ---------------- | ------------------------- | ------------------------------- |
| 1 | inspectional-reading | skill_extraction_from_methodology | session init mechanics ($SESSION_DIR, global-context.md) |
| 2 | structural-analysis | skill_extraction_from_methodology | unity-formula examples specific to skill creation |
| 3 | component-extraction | skill_extraction_from_methodology | section-based reading patterns specific to long-form skill sources |
| 4 | synthesis-application | skill_construction | completeness inventory specific to skills (terms / propositions / arguments / solutions / decision-criteria / triggers) |
| 5 | skill-construction | skill_construction | rubric template + complexity-level decision aid |
| 6 | evaluation-rubrics | (existing skill, no purpose_context needed) | n/a |
Workflow
COPY THIS CHECKLIST and work through each step:
Skill Creation Workflow
- [ ] Step 0: Initialize session workspace
- [ ] Step 1: Inspectional Reading
- [ ] Step 2: Structural Analysis
- [ ] Step 3: Component Extraction
- [ ] Step 4: Synthesis and Application
- [ ] Step 5: Skill Construction
- [ ] Step 6: Validation and Refinement
Step 0: Initialize Session Workspace
Create working directory and global context file. See resources/inspectional-reading.md#session-initialization for setup commands.
Step 1: Inspectional Reading
Skim document systematically, classify type, assess skill-worthiness. Writes to step-1-output.md. See resources/inspectional-reading.md#why-systematic-skimming for skim approach, resources/inspectional-reading.md#why-document-type-matters for classification, resources/inspectional-reading.md#why-skill-worthiness-check for assessment criteria.
Step 2: Structural Analysis
Reads global-context.md + step-1-output.md. Classify content, state unity, enumerate parts, define problems. Writes to step-2-output.md. See resources/structural-analysis.md#why-classify-content, resources/structural-analysis.md#why-state-unity, resources/structural-analysis.md#why-enumerate-parts, resources/structural-analysis.md#why-define-problems.
Step 3: Component Extraction
Reads global-context.md + step-2-output.md. Choose reading strategy, extract terms/propositions/arguments/solutions section-by-section. Writes to step-3-output.md. See resources/component-extraction.md#why-reading-strategy for strategy selection, resources/component-extraction.md#section-based-extraction for programmatic approach, resources/component-extraction.md#why-extract-terms through resources/component-extraction.md#why-extract-solutions for what to extract.
Step 4: Synthesis and Application
Reads global-context.md + step-3-output.md. Evaluate completeness, identify applications, transform to actionable steps, define triggers. Writes to step-4-output.md. See resources/synthesis-application.md#why-evaluate-completeness, resources/synthesis-application.md#why-identify-applications, resources/synthesis-application.md#why-transform-to-actions, resources/synthesis-application.md#why-define-triggers.
Step 5: Skill Construction
Reads global-context.md + step-4-output.md. Determine complexity, plan resources, create SKILL.md and resource files, create rubric. Writes to step-5-output.md. See resources/skill-construction.md#why-complexity-level, resources/skill-construction.md#why-plan-resources, resources/skill-construction.md#why-skill-md-structure, resources/skill-construction.md#why-resource-structure, resources/skill-construction.md#why-evaluation-rubric.
Step 6: Validation and Refinement
Reads global-context.md + step-5-output.md + actual skill files. Score using rubric, present analysis, refine based on user decision. Writes to step-6-output.md. See resources/evaluation-rubric.json for criteria.
Notes
- File-Based Context: Each step writes output files to avoid context overflow
- Global Context: All steps read
global-context.mdfor continuity - Sequential Dependencies: Each step reads previous step's output
- User Collaboration: Always present findings and get approval at decision points
- Quality Standards: Use evaluation rubric (threshold ≥ 3.5) before delivery