Plussing Review

Plussing Review

Constructively improve any creative work by systematically asking "What would make this better?" - Walt Disney's methodology for continuous improvement through additive feedback rather than criticism.

When to Use

• Reviewing any creative work, product, or project
• When asked for feedback or improvement suggestions
• When something feels "done" but could be better
• Team reviews where criticism tends to be destructive
• Iterating on designs, writing, products, or experiences
• When you hear "good enough" and want to push for great

Inputs

The Plussing Philosophy

"Whenever I go on a ride, I'm always thinking of what's wrong with the thing and how it can be improved." - Walt Disney

Key distinction: Plussing is not criticism. It's constructive addition.

Plussing never ends. Even after something launches, you keep improving it. Disneyland is never "done."

The Plussing Framework

Step 1: Appreciate What Exists

Before suggesting improvements, acknowledge what's working. This isn't politeness - it's identifying what to protect and build upon.

Questions:

• What's strong about this?
• What's the core that should be preserved?
• What would we lose if we started over?

Step 2: Experience It Fresh

Put yourself in the audience/user perspective. Walk through the experience as if encountering it for the first time.

Questions:

• What do I feel at each moment?
• Where do I get excited? Confused? Bored?
• What story is this telling me?
• Where does magic happen? Where is it missing?

Step 3: Identify Plus Opportunities

Look for specific moments where addition or enhancement would elevate the experience. Focus on:

Detail pluses: Small touches that add delight Emotional pluses: Moments that could hit harder Coherence pluses: Elements that could better support the whole Surprise pluses: Unexpected delights to add Polish pluses: Refinements that signal quality

Step 4: Generate Plus Suggestions

For each opportunity, generate specific, actionable additions. Use "Yes, and..." framing.

Format: "What if we [specific addition] to [specific benefit]?"

Step 5: Prioritize by Impact

Not all pluses are equal. Organize by:

• Essential pluses: Must-have improvements
• Elevating pluses: Significant enhancements
• Delightful pluses: Nice-to-have magic touches

Workflow

Step 1: Gather and Review Inputs

Collect all relevant information:

• Review the provided data and context
• Identify key parameters and constraints
• Clarify any ambiguities or missing information
• Establish success criteria

Step 2: Analyze the Situation

Perform systematic analysis:

• Identify patterns and relationships
• Evaluate against established frameworks
• Consider multiple perspectives
• Document key findings

Step 3: Generate Recommendations

Create actionable outputs:

• Synthesize insights from analysis
• Prioritize recommendations by impact
• Ensure recommendations are specific and measurable
• Consider implementation feasibility

Output Format

## Plussing Review: [Subject]

### What's Working
[Acknowledge strengths - what to protect and build upon]

1. [Strength 1] - [Why it works]
2. [Strength 2] - [Why it works]

### Fresh Experience Walkthrough
[Notes from experiencing it as audience/user]

| Moment | Feeling | Plus Opportunity |
|--------|---------|------------------|
| [Point 1] | [Emotion] | [What could elevate] |
| [Point 2] | [Emotion] | [What could elevate] |

### Plus Suggestions

#### Essential Pluses (High Impact)
1. **[Plus 1]**
   - Current: [What exists now]
   - Plus: [What to add/enhance]
   - Benefit: [Why this matters]

2. **[Plus 2]**
   - Current: [What exists now]
   - Plus: [What to add/enhance]
   - Benefit: [Why this matters]

#### Elevating Pluses (Medium Impact)
1. **[Plus 3]**
   - Plus: [Enhancement]
   - Benefit: [Impact]

#### Delightful Pluses (Magic Touches)
1. **[Plus 4]**
   - Plus: [Small delight to add]
   - Benefit: [The smile it creates]

### Plussed Vision
[2-3 sentences describing what this becomes with the pluses applied]

### Next Plus Cycle
[What to look at in the next iteration]

Plussing Categories

Detail Plussing

Add small touches that signal quality and care.

• The texture of a button
• The sound when an action completes
• The transition between states
• The loading experience
• What happens at the edges

Emotional Plussing

Intensify the feelings the experience creates.

• Heighten the peak moments
• Deepen the emotional payoffs
• Add anticipation before big reveals
• Create contrast (quiet before loud)
• Build to climaxes properly

Story Plussing

Strengthen the narrative coherence.

• Does every element support the story?
• Are there gaps in the journey?
• Is the beginning compelling?
• Is the ending satisfying?
• Do transitions make sense?

Surprise Plussing

Add unexpected delights.

• Hidden details for repeat visitors
• Easter eggs that reward attention
• Moments of delight in mundane places
• Subverted expectations (positive)
• Callbacks to earlier moments

Polish Plussing

Refine craft and execution.

• Alignment and spacing
• Consistency of style
• Professional finishing touches
• Error states and edge cases
• Performance and responsiveness

Constraints

• Never start with what's wrong - start with what's working
• Every criticism must become a plus suggestion
• Pluses should be specific and actionable, not vague
• Respect the creator's vision while elevating it
• Some things don't need plussing - recognize when done is done
• Plussing is iterative - not everything in one round

Error Handling

Outputs

Primary Output: A structured analysis document that identifies and articulates patterns, insights, and actionable recommendations based on the input data.

Format:

## Analysis: [Topic]

### Key Findings
- [Finding 1]
- [Finding 2]
- [Finding 3]

### Recommendations
1. [Action 1]
2. [Action 2]
3. [Action 3]

Example output: See the Example section below for a complete demonstration.

Example

Input: "Review this landing page for our productivity app. It has a hero section, feature list, pricing, and signup form."

Output:

Why this works:

This example demonstrates the key principles of the skill in action. The approach is effective because:

• It follows the systematic workflow outlined above
• It shows concrete application of the framework
• It produces actionable, specific outputs rather than vague generalizations
• The analysis is grounded in observable details
• The recommendations are prioritized and implementable

Alternative applications:

This same approach can be applied to:

• Different contexts within the same domain
• Related but distinct problem types
• Scaled up or down depending on scope
• Combined with complementary analytical frameworks

Plussing Review: Productivity App Landing Page

What's Working

1. Clear value proposition - "Get 2 hours back every day" immediately communicates benefit
2. Social proof placement - Customer logos above the fold builds credibility
3. Feature organization - Three-column layout is scannable
4. Pricing transparency - No hidden costs, clear comparison table

Fresh Experience Walkthrough

Plus Suggestions

Essential Pluses (High Impact)

1. Hero specificity

   • Current: "Get 2 hours back every day"
   • Plus: Add a specific scenario - "Imagine leaving work at 5pm with everything done"
   • Benefit: Moves from abstract promise to felt reality

2. Social proof plus

   • Current: Company logos
   • Plus: Add one rotating testimonial with face, name, specific result
   • Benefit: Logos show credibility; testimonials create connection

3. Signup friction reduction

   • Current: Full form (email, password, company)
   • Plus: "Try free for 14 days - just your email" with expanded form after
   • Benefit: Lower barrier to first commitment

Elevating Pluses (Medium Impact)

1. Feature emotional hooks

   • Plus: Each feature gets a one-line "This means..." connecting to feeling
   • Benefit: Features become benefits become emotions

2. Pricing human touch

   • Plus: "Questions? Chat with [Name]" with real photo near pricing
   • Benefit: Reduces purchase anxiety with human availability

3. Progress visualization

   • Plus: Subtle animation showing "before/after" of a cluttered vs. organized day
   • Benefit: Shows transformation, not just features

Delightful Pluses (Magic Touches)

1. Scroll delight

   • Plus: Subtle parallax on hero illustration as user scrolls
   • Benefit: Adds polish, signals quality

2. Signup celebration

   • Plus: Confetti micro-animation on successful signup
   • Benefit: Moment of delight at commitment point

3. Loading state

   • Plus: While page loads, show productivity tip instead of spinner
   • Benefit: Valuable even in wait state

Plussed Vision

The landing page transforms from informative to immersive - visitors don't just learn about the product, they feel the relief of having their time back. Every element works harder: logos become testimonials, features become feelings, and the signup becomes an invitation rather than a form.

Next Plus Cycle

After implementing essential pluses, review:

• Mobile experience (separate plus pass)
• Page speed (may need technical pluses)
• A/B test hero variations to validate specificity plus

Integration

This skill is part of the Walt Disney expert persona. Use it whenever reviewing creative work to provide constructive, additive feedback. It pairs well with:

• dreamer-realist-critic for developing the ideas that get plussed
• storyboard-experience for visualizing the plussed version
• weenie-design for identifying what to plus in engagement