# 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. - Skill: `sethmblack/plussing-review` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add sethmblack/plussing-review` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/sethmblack/plussing-review/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - License: MIT - Author: sethmblack (https://skillmd.com/u/sethmblack) - Updated: 2026-09-08 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/sethmblack/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 | Input | Required | Description | |-------|----------|-------------| | subject | Yes | The work to be reviewed and improved | | context | No | Goals, constraints, or intended audience | | focus_areas | No | Specific aspects to concentrate plussing on | | iteration | No | Is this first review or subsequent? | --- ## 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. | Criticism | Plussing | |-----------|----------| | "This doesn't work" | "What if we added..." | | "I don't like this" | "This could be even better if..." | | "This is wrong" | "Building on this, we could..." | | "No" | "Yes, and..." | 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 ```markdown ## 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 | Situation | Response | |-----------|----------| | Can't find anything working | Look harder - something got this far for a reason | | Plus suggestions feel like criticism | Reframe: "What if..." instead of "This should..." | | Too many pluses | Prioritize ruthlessly; do essential first | | Creator defensive | Emphasize building on their work, not replacing it | | Subject is fundamentally flawed | May need Dreamer-Realist-Critic instead of plussing | --- ## Outputs **Primary Output:** A structured analysis document that identifies and articulates patterns, insights, and actionable recommendations based on the input data. **Format:** ```markdown ## 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 | Moment | Feeling | Plus Opportunity | |--------|---------|------------------| | Hero section | Intrigued but generic | More specific, vivid benefit picture | | Scrolling to features | Cognitive load | Progressive disclosure | | Reading features | Informative but flat | Emotional connection to each | | Pricing section | Clear but cold | Add human element, reduce anxiety | | Signup form | Hesitation | Lower commitment first step | ### 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