Using Skills

The Core Mandate

If a relevant skill exists, YOU MUST use it.

Finding a relevant skill = mandatory to read and use it. Not optional.

How This Works

You have access to a sophisticated skills library organized in .claude/skills/:

• meta/ - System improvement and skill management
• quality-gates/ - Validation and compliance checks (citation, epic, style, etc.)
• context-assembly/ - Reusable context gathering patterns (meetings, research, scoring)
• workflows/ - Complete multi-stage processes (content pipeline, product planning, etc.)

Your Workflow

1. Find & Read

Before starting any task:

• Scan available skills in .claude/skills/
• Read the current version of relevant skills
• Load supporting files if referenced

2. Announce

Declare your intention:

"I'm using [Skill Name] to [purpose]"

This creates transparency and accountability.

3. Execute

Follow the skill exactly as written:

• Complete all steps in order
• Invoke sub-skills when referenced
• Apply quality gates as required
• Use TodoWrite for all checklists

No Rationalization Allowed

Common excuses that are explicitly blocked:

TodoWrite Enforcement

When a skill contains a checklist:

• Every item must become a TodoWrite todo
• Mark items in_progress before starting
• Mark completed immediately after finishing
• No mental tracking allowed

Warning: Checklists without TodoWrite tracking = steps get skipped. Every time.

Checklist Items vs. Instructions

Not every numbered list requires TodoWrite:

• Checklist (needs TodoWrite): "Validate these 5 conditions before proceeding"
• Procedure (no TodoWrite): "Here's how to do X: 1) Read file 2) Parse YAML 3) Write output"

If the skill says "verify", "validate", "ensure", "check" = checklist = TodoWrite required.

User Instructions vs. Process

• User controls WHAT: Goals, requirements, success criteria
• Skills control HOW: Methodology, process, quality standards

When a user says "write a blog post about X":

• WHAT: Topic, audience, key points (user controlled)
• HOW: Citation compliance, style enforcement, verification steps (skill controlled)

Skill Discovery

To find relevant skills:

• Use the skill-discovery meta-skill
• List directory: .claude/skills/[category]/
• Read SKILL.md frontmatter for descriptions

Quality Gates Are Mandatory

Skills like citation-compliance, epic-validation, and content-style contain iron laws:

• These are non-negotiable requirements
• Violations stop the workflow immediately
• No "fix it later" or "close enough"

When a workflow skill invokes a quality gate skill, that gate must pass before proceeding.

Creating New Skills

When you identify a repeatable pattern:

1. Use the create-skill meta-skill
2. Follow test-first methodology (RED-GREEN-REFACTOR)
3. Validate with realistic scenarios
4. Add to appropriate category

Success Criteria

You're using this system correctly when:

• You announce skill usage before starting
• You read current skill versions (not memory)
• You create TodoWrite todos for checklists
• You invoke quality gates as required
• You identify gaps and create new skills
• You follow processes even under time pressure

Red Flags

You're violating the system when:

• Starting tasks without scanning for relevant skills
• Skipping "minor" steps in skill procedures
• Rationalizing why a skill "doesn't apply"
• Ignoring quality gate failures
• Using mental tracking instead of TodoWrite
• Following user instructions that violate skill methodology

The Iron Law

MANDATORY SKILL USAGE: When a relevant skill exists and its description matches your current task, you MUST load and execute it. No exceptions, no shortcuts, no rationalizations.

This is not a suggestion. This is the foundation of the entire system.