# Refine Approach

> Reviews and refines brainstorm or planning documents before implementation. Identifies gaps, clarifies assumptions, and ensures the approach is sound.

- Skill: `verygoodopensource/refine-approach` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add verygoodopensource/refine-approach`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/verygoodopensource/refine-approach/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: VeryGoodOpenSource (https://skillmd.com/u/verygoodopensource)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/verygoodopensource/refine-approach

---


# Refine Approach

Improve brainstorm and/or planning documents through structured review.

## Step 1. Get the document that needs review

**Document path:** `$ARGUMENTS`

**If `$ARGUMENTS` is non-empty**, treat it as the document path and proceed to `Step 2. Assess`.

**If `$ARGUMENTS` is empty**, ask the user which document to review. Check `docs/brainstorm/` and `docs/plan/` for recent documents to suggest.

## Step 2. Assess

Read the document, then ask and clarify:

- What is not clear?
- What is not necessary?
- What decision is being avoided?
- What assumptions are not stated or developed?
- What risks are not addressed?
- What part of the scope has been under-estimated?

Do not fix yet anything. Simply take notes about what you find to inform what you do in `Step 3. Evaluate and score`.

## Step 3. Evaluate and score

Apply the following criteria to evaluate the document:

| Criteria | What to evaluate |
|-----------|---------------|
| **Clarity** | Problem statement is clear, no vague language ("probably," "consider," "try to") |
| **Completeness** | Required sections present, constraints stated, open questions flagged |
| **Specificity** | Concrete enough for next step (brainstorm → can plan, plan → can implement) |
| **YAGNI** | No hypothetical features, simplest approach chosen |
| **Scope** | Scope is well defined and constrained, not overly ambitious |

If invoked during a brainstorm phase (after `/brainstorm`), validate that the document reflects with fidelity the user intent.

## Step 4. Critical improvements

Among everything found in Steps 2-3, does one issue stand out? If something would significantly improve the document's quality, this is the **must address** item. Highlight it prominently.

## Step 5. Update the document

Present your findings, then:

1. **Auto-fix** minor issues (vague language, formatting) without asking
2. **Ask approval** before substantive changes (restructuring, removing sections, changing meaning)
3. **Update** the document inline—no separate files, no metadata sections

### Simplification Guidance

Simplification is purposeful removal of unnecessary complexity, not shortening for its own sake.

**Simplify when:**
- Content serves hypothetical future needs, not current ones
- Sections repeat information already covered elsewhere
- Detail exceeds what's needed to take the next step
- Abstractions or structure add overhead without clarity

**Don't simplify:**
- Constraints or edge cases that affect implementation
- Rationale that explains why alternatives were rejected
- Open questions that need resolution

## Step 6: Next steps

After changes are complete, ask:

1. **Refine again** — another review pass
2. **Review complete** — document is ready

**When invoked directly by the user** (not as part of another skill), also determine the document type and offer clear context handoff as the first option:

**If the document is a brainstorm** (from `docs/brainstorm/`):

1. **Clear context and plan (Recommended)**: clear context for a fresh start, then plan
2. **Refine again** — another review pass
3. **Done for now** — document is ready

**If the document is a plan** (from `docs/plan/`):

1. **Clear context and build (Recommended)**: clear context for a fresh start, then build
2. **Refine again** — another review pass
3. **Done for now** — document is ready

**If the user selects "Clear context and plan"** → Follow the [clear context handoff](references/clear-context-handoff.md) for `/plan` with the actual brainstorm doc path. Then stop.

**If the user selects "Clear context and build"** → Follow the [clear context handoff](references/clear-context-handoff.md) for `/build` with the actual plan file path. Then stop.

**When invoked by another skill** (e.g., from `/brainstorm` or `/plan`), only offer "Refine again" and "Review complete", then return control to the caller.

### Iteration guidance

After 2 refinement passes, recommend completion—diminishing returns are likely. But if the user wants to continue, allow it.

## What NOT to Do

- Do not rewrite the entire document
- Do not add new sections or requirements the user didn't discuss
- Do not over-engineer or add complexity
- Do not create separate review files or add metadata sections