Prompt Improver

Prompt Improver

Analyze and improve prompts using Anthropic's official best practices and the 5-Element Persona Framework.

Workflow

Step 1: Identify the Prompt & Intent

• Get the prompt if not provided
• Clarify: Is this for Claude 4.x? API or chat interface?
• Understand: What outcome does the user want to improve?

Step 2: Diagnose the Core Issue

Quick triage against common failure modes:

| Symptom | Likely Cause | |---------|--------------| | Generic/shallow output | Missing persona depth or constraints | | Wrong format | No output specification or examples | | Inconsistent results | Needs few-shot examples with reasoning | | Unrealistic suggestions | Missing constraints (budget/time/resources) | | Ignores instructions | Needs XML structure or system/user separation | | Verbose/over-engineered | Missing explicit direction (Claude 4.x issue) | | Off-topic responses | Lacks context about purpose/audience |

Step 3: Apply the 5-Element Persona Framework

For any prompt involving expertise or role-play, ensure ALL five elements:

1. Role + Seniority — "Senior Backend Engineer with 8 years..."
2. Industry/Domain Context — "B2B SaaS in fintech, enterprise customers"
3. Methodologies — "Uses JTBD framework, presents at 95% confidence"
4. Constraints — "$50K budget, 6-week timeline, team of 3"
5. Output Format — "2-page executive brief with 3 options + recommendation"

Constraints are the game-changer—without them, Claude gives fantasy answers.

See references/persona-framework.md for templates and examples.

Step 4: Apply Structural Techniques

Select techniques based on the diagnosed issue:

| Issue | Technique | |-------|-----------| | Complex reasoning needed | Chain of thought with `` tags | | Multiple components | XML tag structure | | Format compliance | Prefill (API) + XML output tags | | Inconsistent outputs | Few-shot WITH reasoning (input→reasoning→output) | | Instruction injection risk | System/User separation |

See references/techniques.md for implementation details.

Step 5: Apply Claude 4.x Optimizations

Modern Claude models require explicit direction:

• Be explicit: Add "Go beyond basics" if you want comprehensive output
• Explain the why: Context behind instructions improves compliance
• Tell what TO do: Not "don't use jargon" → "Use plain language a 10th grader understands"
• Match prompt style to output: Reduce markdown in prompt → less markdown in output
• Opus 4.5: Add "Keep solutions simple" to prevent over-engineering

Step 6: Generate the Improved Prompt

Produce the complete improved prompt using this structure:

[SYSTEM PROMPT - when using API or Projects]
You are [role + seniority] with [X years] in [industry/domain].
You specialize in [expertise]. 
Your approach: [methodologies/frameworks]
Your constraints: [budget/time/resources/tradeoffs]
Deliver: [specific output format]

[USER PROMPT]

[Background, purpose, audience, success criteria, WHY this matters]

[Clear, numbered steps - tell what TO do, not what NOT to do]

[Negative constraints: "Never assume X", "Do not exceed Y words"]

[2-3 examples showing: INPUT → REASONING → OUTPUT]

[Exact structure with XML tags for reliable parsing]

[Actual task/content to process]

When to Load References

• references/techniques.md — For detailed technique explanations, API-specific guidance (prefilling), extended thinking tips, or system/user separation patterns
• references/persona-framework.md — When building expert personas, role-based prompts, or adding constraints to get realistic outputs
• references/examples.md — When the user needs before/after demonstrations or few-shot patterns

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: zocomputer
• Source: zocomputer/skills
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.