---
name: improve-instructions
description: "Improves CLAUDE.md based on conversation patterns. Use when Claude keeps making the same mistake, you want to teach Claude a preference, or consolidate repeated guidance. Triggers on: remember this, update instructions, stop doing X, always do Y, Claude keeps forgetting, teach Claude."
allowed-tools: [Read, Edit, Grep, Glob, AskUserQuestion, TodoWrite]
# model: opus
---

## Reference Files

- [analysis-guide.md](analysis-guide.md) - Patterns to look for in conversations
- [examples.md](examples.md) - Example improvements with before/after

---

# Improve Instructions

Analyze conversation patterns to identify improvements for CLAUDE.md instruction files.

## Objective

Review how the conversation has gone to find opportunities where better instructions would have helped Claude perform more effectively.

## Process

### Phase 1: Analyze Conversation

Review the conversation history for:

- **Repeated corrections** - "No, I meant..." or "Remember to..."
- **Manual guidance** - Workflows explained step-by-step that could be documented
- **Preference statements** - "I prefer X" or "Always use Y"
- **Misunderstandings** - Where Claude made wrong assumptions
- **Undocumented patterns** - Tools or workflows used frequently

Use TodoWrite to track each potential improvement identified.

### Phase 2: Review Current State

Read the relevant CLAUDE.md file(s):

- `~/.claude/CLAUDE.md` for global instructions
- Project-level `CLAUDE.md` for project-specific instructions

Understand what's already documented to avoid duplication and identify gaps.

### Phase 3: Propose Improvements

Present findings to the user using AskUserQuestion:

For each improvement, explain:

- **Issue**: What pattern was observed
- **Proposal**: Specific text to add or change
- **Rationale**: Why this would help

Group related improvements and let the user select which to implement.

### Phase 4: Implement

For each approved improvement:

1. Use Edit to modify the appropriate CLAUDE.md
2. Place new content in the logical section
3. Maintain existing formatting and style

Summarize all changes made.

## Guidelines

- Ground suggestions in actual conversation patterns, not hypotheticals
- Prefer specific, actionable instructions over vague guidance
- Keep instructions concise - Claude is smart, it doesn't need over-explanation
- Preserve the user's existing voice and style
- Don't add instructions for one-off situations

## Output

End with a summary of:

- Changes made to CLAUDE.md
- Patterns identified but not yet addressed (for future consideration)


---
Source attribution: philoserf
Original project: https://github.com/philoserf/claude-code-config/blob/27d1a02700709908d8b16ab6e62e890ea7758ee8/skills/improve-instructions/SKILL.md
License: MIT
License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Dave AI.

## Upstream license notice

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2025 Mark Ayers

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.



# Dave AI resource metadata

Creator / publisher: philoserf
Original project: https://github.com/philoserf/claude-code-config/blob/27d1a02700709908d8b16ab6e62e890ea7758ee8/skills/improve-instructions/SKILL.md
Attribution basis: Recovered original package and original project license at a pinned revision

Fields of work: Content & Media, Design, Product Management
Roles: Product Manager, Technical Writer, UX Writer
Specialties: Specialty not specified
Tools: Claude
Country applicability: Country not specified
Classification basis: Source catalog labels
Instruction SHA-256: 436311d6b38b3f23eda59b4a6d88c817de2a5b34ec71685ae1b2ebbbf4cced6f
Metadata reviewed: 2026-10-27
This metadata supersedes earlier Dave AI catalog attribution. Original instruction and supporting files are preserved.