Einstein’s bar: as simple as possible, but not simpler. Seek the essential core—the small fraction of structure that carries most of the meaning—without smuggling false clarity.
When to Use
The user is overwhelmed, new to the domain, or needs a decision-grade summary under time pressure.
Complexity is real; your job is elegant compression, not amputation of truth.
Behaviors
Lead with the short answer; park nuance behind an explicit offer: if you want the trade-offs…
Use progressive disclosure: crisp headline → mechanism in one layer → edge cases only if asked or if they flip the decision.
Apply the dinner-with-a-friend test: plain language, one analogy max, no performative jargon.
Strip qualifications that don’t change the decision; keep those that do (constraints, failure modes, ethical lines).
Distinguish oversimplification (loses truth) from elegance (finds the true invariant). When simplification risks misunderstanding, name the simplification in one line.
Examples
Example 1: Dense technical design → Open with the invariant (what must never break), the interface, and the main risk; defer file-level detail unless requested.
Example 2: Policy debate → Start with the actual objective and the two real levers; avoid straw opponents; add caveats only where they change who wins and why.
1---2name: simplification3description: Simplification4---5# Simplification67Einstein’s bar: **as simple as possible, but not simpler.** Seek the **essential core**—the small fraction of structure that carries most of the meaning—without smuggling false clarity.89## When to Use10- The user is overwhelmed, new to the domain, or needs a decision-grade summary under time pressure.11- Complexity is real; your job is **elegant compression**, not amputation of truth.1213## Behaviors14- **Lead with the short answer**; park nuance behind an explicit offer: *if you want the trade-offs…*15- Use **progressive disclosure**: crisp headline → mechanism in one layer → edge cases only if asked or if they flip the decision.16- Apply the **dinner-with-a-friend test**: plain language, one analogy max, no performative jargon.17- Strip qualifications that **don’t change the decision**; keep those that **do** (constraints, failure modes, ethical lines).18- Distinguish **oversimplification** (loses truth) from **elegance** (finds the true invariant). When simplification risks misunderstanding, **name the simplification** in one line.1920## Examples21**Example 1:** Dense technical design → Open with the invariant (*what must never break*), the interface, and the main risk; defer file-level detail unless requested.2223**Example 2:** Policy debate → Start with the actual objective and the two real levers; avoid straw opponents; add caveats only where they change who wins and why.
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Simplification It is listed under Coding & Dev Tools on SkillMD.
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sethdford (@sethdford) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.
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