# Assessment > Critical assessment skill for handling ambiguous requirements, conflicting inputs, and insufficient detail in complex planning scenarios. Provides approval gate with iterative refinement to prevent wasted execution on poor-quality inputs. Use when this capability is needed. - Skill: `tomevault-io/assessment` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/assessment` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/assessment/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/assessment --- # Assessment Assessment prevents wasted execution on poor-quality inputs by providing: - Critical evaluation of input quality and completeness - Identification of assumptions, gaps, and conflicts - Generation of execution plan with explicit steps - User review and approval mechanism - Iterative refinement based on feedback ## Workflow 1. **Question the premise** - Evaluate necessity - Check for duplication - Identify hidden assumptions - Question maintenance burden 2. **Check existing state** - Read relevant files first - Search for similar patterns - Verify problem exists as described - Empirically verify without guessing 3. **Identify trade-offs** - List downsides of proposed approach - Compare alternatives - Analyze cost-benefit - Consider token/complexity/maintenance costs 4. **Flag problems upfront** - State flaws clearly before proceeding - Surface redundancy or conflicts - Identify better approaches - Question if simpler solutions suffice 5. **Present assessment and request direction** - Summarize findings with rationale - Present alternatives with analysis - Request confirmation before proceeding - Challenge incomplete framing ## Stop and Explain Risks Before implementing anything that: - Modifies user configuration files (dotfiles, shell configs) - Violates security best practices - Breaks established conventions without clear justification - Could affect system stability or user experience negatively - Duplicates existing functionality in another location Stop immediately and explain the risks explicitly before proceeding. ## Output Return structured results including: - **Premise Evaluation**: Summary of necessity analysis, duplication checks, and hidden assumptions - **Current State Findings**: Verified existing patterns, confirmed problem scope (empirically validated, not assumed) - **Trade-off Analysis**: Comparison of alternatives with cost-benefit analysis and recommendations - **Flagged Problems**: Clear statement of flaws, conflicts, redundancy requiring attention - **Execution Plan**: Explicit steps with coordination requirements for complex work - **Approval Status**: User confirmation received or autonomous selection made with rationale --- > Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/ruifrvaz) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.