Apply Prompt Feedback

Apply user feedback to prompts with calibrated precision—addressing feedback intent fully while avoiding over-fitting, maintaining information density, and preventing regressions.

Overview

This skill applies feedback through:

1. Initial Application - Apply feedback to prompt using Application Techniques
2. Verification - prompt-feedback-verifier checks for issues (over-fitting, regression, density loss)
3. Refinement - Fix issues based on verifier findings, iterate if needed (max 5 iterations)
4. Output - Atomic replacement only after verification passes

Loop: Gather inputs → Copy → Apply feedback → Verify → (Iterate if issues) → Output

Key principles:

• Just-right application: Address ALL of feedback, ONLY feedback, nothing more
• Information density: Use minimal text to achieve the change
• Regression prevention: Preserve everything feedback didn't mention
• Verifier validates: Verifier catches over-fitting, under-fitting, and regressions

Required tools: This skill requires Task tool to launch the verifier agent. If Task is unavailable, report error: "Task tool required for verification loop." This skill uses TodoWrite to track progress. If TodoWrite is unavailable, track progress internally.

Workflow

Phase 0: Create Todo List (TodoWrite immediately)

Create todos tracking workflow phases:

- [ ] Input validation; done when prompt + feedback files read successfully
- [ ] Initial application→verify; done when verifier returns VERIFIED or issues fixed
- [ ] (Expand: refinement iterations on ISSUES_FOUND)
- [ ] Output updated prompt; done when updated prompt displayed + optionally saved

Phase 1: Input Validation

Mark "Input validation" todo in_progress.

Step 1.1: Parse arguments

Extract from $ARGUMENTS:

• Prompt (file path or inline)
• Feedback (may be in arguments or need to ask)

Step 1.2: Determine prompt source

Priority: If ambiguous, treat as file path first; if not found, treat as inline.

Step 1.3: Gather feedback

If feedback not in arguments, use AskUserQuestion:

questions: [
  {
    question: "What feedback do you want to apply to this prompt?",
    header: "Feedback",
    options: [
      { label: "I'll type it", description: "Enter feedback in the text field" }
    ],
    multiSelect: false
  }
]

Step 1.4: Validate inputs

• If prompt file exists and has content: Use file content
• If prompt file empty: Error: "Cannot apply feedback to empty prompt: {path}"
• If file not found: Re-classify as inline, write to temp file
• If no prompt: Error: "Usage: /apply-prompt-feedback [feedback] OR provide feedback when prompted"
• If no feedback after asking: Error: "Feedback required to proceed"

Step 1.5: Store metadata

• source_path: Source file path (or temp path for inline)
• is_inline: Boolean
• original_content: Full prompt text
• feedback: User's feedback text
• original_path: /tmp/feedback-original-{YYYYMMDDHHMMSS}-{4-lowercase-alphanumeric}.md (copy of original for verifier comparison)
• working_path: /tmp/feedback-modified-{YYYYMMDDHHMMSS}-{4-lowercase-alphanumeric}.md (modified version)

Mark "Input validation" todo completed.

Phase 2: Initial Application

Mark "Initial application" todo in_progress.

Step 2.1: Create working copies

Using Write tool:

1. Copy original content to original_path (untouched reference for verifier)
2. Copy original content to working_path (will be modified)

Step 2.2: Apply feedback

Apply the feedback to the prompt using Application Techniques (see below). Write the updated prompt to working_path.

Key principle: Apply feedback with just-right calibration—address the full intent without over-fitting or adding unrelated changes.

Step 2.3: Verify application

Launch prompt-feedback-verifier agent via Task tool:

• subagent_type: "prompt-engineering:prompt-feedback-verifier"
• prompt: "Verify feedback application. Original: {original_path}. Modified: {working_path}. Feedback: {feedback}. Check for: feedback not addressed, partial incorporation, over-fitting, over-specification, regression, information density loss. Report VERIFIED or ISSUES_FOUND with specific details."

Step 2.4: Handle verifier response

• If "VERIFIED": Mark todo completed, proceed to Phase 4
• If "ISSUES_FOUND": Mark todo completed, save issues, add "Refinement iteration 1" todo, proceed to Phase 3
• If verifier fails: Retry once. If retry fails, proceed to Phase 4 with warning: "Verification failed - manual review recommended."

Step 2.5: Display findings

If issues found:

Feedback Summary: {summary from verifier}
Verifier found {count} issues. Proceeding with refinement...

Mark "Initial application" todo completed.

Phase 3: Refinement Loop (Verifier-Driven)

Mark "Refinement iteration 1" todo in_progress.

Key principle: All refinements driven by verifier feedback. Only fix issues the verifier reported.

For each iteration from 1 to 5:

1. Apply fixes from verifier feedback: For each issue, apply the Suggested Fix using Application Techniques. Write to working_path.

   • Only address issues the verifier identified
   • If Write tool fails: display error, proceed to Phase 4 with most recent version

2. Re-verify: Launch prompt-feedback-verifier agent via Task tool:

   • subagent_type: "prompt-engineering:prompt-feedback-verifier"
   • prompt: "Verify feedback application. Original: {original_path}. Modified: {working_path}. Feedback: {feedback}. Check for: feedback not addressed, partial incorporation, over-fitting, over-specification, regression, information density loss. Report VERIFIED or ISSUES_FOUND with specific details."

3. Handle response:

   • If "VERIFIED": mark todo completed, exit loop, proceed to Phase 4
   • If "ISSUES_FOUND" and iteration < 5: mark todo completed, save issues, add "Refinement iteration {next}" todo, continue
   • If "ISSUES_FOUND" and iteration = 5: mark todo completed with note, proceed to Phase 4 with warning
   • If verifier fails: display error, retry once. If retry fails, proceed to Phase 4 with warning: "Verification incomplete - manual review recommended."

Application Techniques

Apply feedback using these calibrated techniques:

Incorporation Techniques

Calibration Techniques

Preservation Techniques

Information Density Rules

When applying feedback, maximize information density:

1. Minimal additions: Add only text necessary to address feedback
2. Concise phrasing: Use fewest words that convey meaning precisely
3. No duplication: Don't repeat what prompt already says
4. Consolidate: Merge related additions into existing sections when possible
5. Delete redundancy: If adding X makes existing text Y redundant, remove Y

Density checklist before writing:

• Can this be said in fewer words?
• Does existing text already partially cover this?
• Can this be merged with an existing section?
• Am I adding explanation where a rule suffices?

Resolution Strategy

For each issue:

Issue from verifier
    │
    ▼
Is the fix text provided in Suggested Fix?
    │
    ├─ YES → Apply exact fix text
    │
    └─ NO → Use Application Techniques
             │
             ▼
         Apply minimal change that:
         1. Addresses the issue
         2. Uses fewest possible words
         3. Preserves existing content
         4. Doesn't introduce new issues

Phase 4: Output

Mark "Output updated prompt" todo in_progress.

Step 4.1: Apply changes

After application complete:

• For file input: mv {working_path} {source_path} (atomic replacement)
• For inline input: Keep at working_path, report location

Step 4.2: Display results

If verification passed:

Updated: {path}
Iterations: {count}
Status: Feedback applied

Feedback: {original feedback}

Changes applied:
- {List each change as bullet, categorized: "Incorporation:", "Calibration:", or "Preservation:"}

If verification failed after 5 iterations:

Updated with warnings: {path}
Iterations: 5
Status: Some issues may remain

Feedback: {original feedback}

Unresolved issues:
- {list from last verification}

Review the changes manually.

Mark "Output updated prompt" todo completed. Mark all todos complete.

Key Principles

Edge Cases

Example Usage

# Apply feedback to a prompt file
/apply-prompt-feedback prompts/assistant.md "Make it handle empty input gracefully"

# Apply feedback to inline prompt (will be prompted for feedback)
/apply-prompt-feedback "You are a helpful assistant. Answer questions concisely."

# Apply multiple feedback points
/apply-prompt-feedback skills/reviewer/SKILL.md "Add timeout handling and clarify what 'significant' means"

Example Output

Updated: prompts/assistant.md
Iterations: 2
Status: Feedback applied

Feedback: Make it handle empty input gracefully

Changes applied:
- Incorporation: Added "If input is empty, respond with 'Please provide a question or topic.'"
- Preservation: Existing response format unchanged
- Calibration: Kept addition minimal (single sentence vs. elaborate error handling)