@ckelsoe/prompt-architect 3.3.1 → 3.5.0

package/skills/prompt-architect/assets/templates/hybrid_template.txt

@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 === HYBRID / COMBINED FRAMEWORK TEMPLATE ===
 
-Use this when a single framework doesn't fully cover your needs.
-Include only the sections that add value — remove the rest.
+Use this when a single framework doesn't fully cover your needs. Include only the sections
+that add value and delete the rest — a hybrid with 4 focused sections beats one that uses
+all 15.
 
 ─────────────────────────────────────────────
 COMMON COMBINATION PATTERNS
@@ -35,6 +36,15 @@ Use when: create content → then verify it meets an explicit principle/standard
 HYBRID TEMPLATE STRUCTURE
 ─────────────────────────────────────────────
 
+[Headers are stripped at emission, so fill every slot below with complete sentences that name
+their own subject.]
+
+SOURCE MATERIAL:
+[Optional — paste the artifact this task operates on here, named concretely (the current job
+posting, the Q3 revenue report). If you have nothing to paste, delete this bracketed block
+along with the sentence directly below it.]
+Use the material above as the factual basis for the work described below.
+
 CONTEXT / BACKGROUND:
 [From CTF / CO-STAR / CARE — situation, background, why this task exists]
 
@@ -44,32 +54,42 @@ ROLE:
 OBJECTIVE:
 [From CO-STAR / RISEN — specific goal to achieve]
 
-INPUT (if applicable):
-[From RISE-IE — what's being provided, format, characteristics]
+INPUT CHARACTERISTICS:
+[From RISE-IE's "About the material above" slot — the format, structure, and quirks of
+whatever you pasted under SOURCE MATERIAL, not the material itself. If you pasted nothing
+there, delete this bracketed block.]
 
 INSTRUCTIONS / STEPS:
 [From RISEN / RISE — guiding principles, methodology, step sequence]
 
 CONSTRAINTS / RULES:
-[From CARE / TIDD-EC / RISEN — what must/must not happen, boundaries]
+[From CARE / TIDD-EC / RISEN — boundaries on the work, each stated as a requirement or a
+prohibition]
 
 DO:
-[From TIDD-EC — explicit positive guidance]
+[From TIDD-EC — required behaviors, each a complete imperative sentence]
 
 DON'T:
-[From TIDD-EC — explicit negative guidance]
+[From TIDD-EC — prohibitions, each phrased as "Do not…" or "Never…" so it stands on its own
+line]
 
-AUDIENCE (if relevant):
-[From CO-STAR — who this is for, characteristics]
+AUDIENCE:
+[From CO-STAR — who this is for and what they already know]
 
-TONE & STYLE (if relevant):
+TONE & STYLE:
 [From CO-STAR / CRISPE — voice and communication style]
 
-EXAMPLES (if relevant):
-[From RISE-IX / CARE — reference samples]
+EXAMPLES:
+[From RISE-IX / CARE — reference samples. If you have none, delete this bracketed block along
+with the sentence directly below it.]
+Match the form and quality of the samples above; do not reuse their content.
 
-KEY RESULTS (if relevant):
-[From BROKE — measurable business outcomes]
+KEY RESULTS:
+Your response will be judged on whether it can plausibly move the measurable outcomes
+below. They are the success bar, not tasks to carry out:
+[From BROKE — measurable business outcomes, each a complete sentence naming the metric and
+its target. If the task has no measurable business outcome, delete this bracketed block along
+with the two sentences directly above it.]
 
 END GOAL / EXPECTATION:
 [From RISEN / RACE / BROKE — success criteria, final outcome, output format]
@@ -78,24 +98,24 @@ FORMAT:
 [From RTF / CTF / APE — exactly how output should be structured]
 
 ─────────────────────────────────────────────
-CRITIQUE / VERIFICATION LAYER (optional)
+CRITIQUE / VERIFICATION LAYER
 ─────────────────────────────────────────────
-Add after generation if needed:
+
+[Optional — if the task has a distinct verification phase, keep exactly one of the three
+blocks below and append it after the generation instructions above. Otherwise delete all
+three.]
 
 FEEDBACK DIMENSIONS (Self-Refine):
-Review for: [dimension 1], [dimension 2], [dimension 3]
-Refine addressing all feedback.
+Review your own draft for [dimension 1], [dimension 2], and [dimension 3], then revise it to
+address every point you raised.
 
 OR
 
 PRINCIPLE (CAI Critique-Revise):
-[State the standard] → Critique → Revise.
+Measure your draft against this principle, then revise the draft until it complies: [the
+explicit standard the output must meet].
 
 OR
 
 POSITION ATTACK (Devil's Advocate):
-Argue against the above recommendation as forcefully as possible.
-
-─────────────────────────────────────────────
-NOTE: Use only sections relevant to your task.
-A hybrid with 4 focused sections beats a hybrid that uses all 15.
+Argue against the recommendation above as forcefully as possible.

package/skills/prompt-architect/assets/templates/iterative-compression_template.txt

@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 === ITERATIVE COMPRESSION TEMPLATE ===
 
+Everything down to the first divider rule is guidance for whoever assembles this
+prompt and never belongs in the finished prompt. The prompt itself runs from that
+divider to the end of the file: fill in every bracketed field there, and drop the
+section headers and divider rules when emitting it. 'Iteration 1:', 'Iteration 2:'
+and 'Iteration 3:' are literal labels in this protocol, not headings — keep them
+exactly as written wherever they appear.
+
 Use when: text needs to get tighter and shorter through successive passes —
           trimming to a word limit, cutting filler, sharpening explanations.
 
@@ -10,50 +17,58 @@ NOT for: summarization at a FIXED length with rising information density —
          (accuracy + tone + completeness), not compression.
 
 ─────────────────────────────────────────────
-SOURCE CONTENT:
-[Paste the content to be compressed here]
+SOURCE MATERIAL:
+[Paste the full text to be compressed here.]
+Use the material above as the text to be compressed for the work described below.
+Every version must be a rewrite of that material — never introduce a claim it does
+not support.
 
 ─────────────────────────────────────────────
 OPTIMIZATION GOAL:
-[What should improve with each pass?]
-Examples:
-- "Reduce word count by 20% each pass while retaining all key information"
-- "Increase information density — remove filler, make every sentence earn its place"
-- "Improve clarity — each pass should be more direct and easier to understand"
+Every pass must move the text toward this goal:
+[A full sentence naming what improves and by how much, not a bare label like
+"concision." For example: "Reduce word count by 20% each pass while retaining all key
+information," or "Raise information density — cut filler until every sentence earns
+its place."]
 
 ─────────────────────────────────────────────
 TARGET:
-[Where should this end up? A word count, a reading level, a single paragraph.]
+The final version must reach this end state:
+[A phrase completing the sentence above, e.g. "under 150 words and readable by a
+non-specialist." Name the unit, not a bare number.]
 
 ─────────────────────────────────────────────
 NUMBER OF ITERATIONS:
-[How many refinement passes? Typical: 2-4]
-Iteration 1: [First pass — initial improvement]
-Iteration 2: [Second pass — tighten further]
-Iteration 3: [Optional — final polish]
+Run this many passes in total:
+[The count as a phrase completing the sentence above, e.g. "three passes."
+Typical: 2-4]
+Iteration 1: [What this first pass must do to the source text, as a full sentence.]
+Iteration 2: [How this pass tightens the result of pass 1, as a full sentence.]
+Iteration 3: [Optional — what this final polish pass must do, as a full sentence.
+Delete this line if running fewer than three passes; add further Iteration lines in
+the same form if running more.]
 
 ─────────────────────────────────────────────
 ITERATION INSTRUCTIONS:
-For each iteration:
-1. Identify what can be cut, compressed, or clarified
-2. Apply the changes
-3. Verify: does this version better meet the optimization goal than the previous?
-4. Confirm nothing essential was lost — compression must not drop content that
-   the goal requires keeping
-5. Stop when: [define your stopping criterion]
-   Examples: "length < 150 words", "no filler words remain", "3 iterations complete"
+In each pass, identify what can be cut, compressed, or clarified, apply the changes,
+then check both that the result serves the goal above better than the version before
+it and that nothing the goal requires keeping was lost. Stop when [a clause completing
+this sentence, e.g. "no filler words remain" or "all three passes are complete"].
 
 ─────────────────────────────────────────────
 OUTPUT FORMAT:
-[What format should the final result be in?]
-Examples: paragraph, bullet list, 1-sentence summary, structured sections
+Deliver the final version in this format:
+[A phrase completing the sentence above, e.g. "a single paragraph of continuous
+prose," a bullet list, or a one-sentence summary.]
 
 ─────────────────────────────────────────────
-OPTIONAL — SHOW INTERMEDIATE VERSIONS:
-Set to YES if you want to see each iteration's output.
-Set to NO if you only want the final result.
+INTERMEDIATE VERSIONS:
+[Optional — keep exactly one of these two sentences as the entire content of this
+block, or delete the block: "Show the output of every iteration in order, labelled by
+pass number." / "Show only the final version — do not print the intermediate
+passes."]
 
 ─────────────────────────────────────────────
-NOTE: Compression has a floor. Past a point, further passes strip meaning rather
-than filler. If an iteration removes something a reader would need, stop at the
-previous version.
+Compression has a floor. Past a point, passes strip meaning rather than filler. If a
+pass would remove something a reader needs, stop at the previous version and deliver
+that.

package/skills/prompt-architect/assets/templates/least-to-most_template.txt

@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 PROBLEM:
 [The full, complex problem to solve]
 
+SOURCE MATERIAL:
+[Optional — paste the source material this problem depends on here (the dataset, figures, code, or document the subproblems must reason over). Delete this line and the one below it if the problem above is self-contained.]
+Every subproblem below must be answered against the material above, not from assumption.
+
 DECOMPOSE:
 Break this problem into ordered subproblems, from simplest prerequisite to most complex.
 Each later subproblem should build on the answer to the previous.

package/skills/prompt-architect/assets/templates/plan-and-solve_template.txt

@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 PROBLEM:
 [Your question, calculation, or reasoning problem]
 
+SOURCE MATERIAL:
+[Optional — paste the source data the problem depends on here (the dataset, table, figures, or constraint list the calculation runs on). Delete this line and the one below it if the problem above already states every value needed.]
+The figures and constraints in the material above are authoritative — extract from them rather than from assumed or recalled values.
+
 Let's first understand the problem, extract relevant variables and their
 corresponding numerals, and devise a complete plan. Then, let's carry out
 the plan, calculate intermediate values, pay attention to computation,

package/skills/prompt-architect/assets/templates/pre-mortem_template.txt

@@ -1,27 +1,37 @@
-PRE-MORTEM ANALYSIS
+You are conducting a pre-mortem on the project described below. The failure stated further
+down is settled fact, not a possibility — work backwards from it and explain why it happened.
+Do not hedge with "could," "might," or "may."
+
+SOURCE MATERIAL:
+[Optional — paste the project plan, proposal, or decision document here. If you have nothing
+to paste, delete this bracketed block along with the sentence directly below it.]
+Use the material above as the factual basis for the work described below.
 
 PROJECT/DECISION:
-[Describe the project, plan, or decision being analyzed — include team size,
-timeline, resources, key goals, and any relevant constraints]
+[Describe the project, plan, or decision being analyzed in full sentences — what is being
+attempted, plus team size, timeline, resources, goals, and constraints]
 
 FAILURE ASSUMPTION:
-It is [DATE — e.g., 12 months from now] and [project/decision] has completely
-and catastrophically failed. It did not achieve [primary goal].
+It is [DATE — e.g., 12 months from now] and [project/decision] has completely and
+catastrophically failed. It did not achieve [primary goal].
 
 FAILURE NARRATIVE:
-Describe the failure in 2-3 sentences from the perspective of someone
-looking back on it.
+Begin by describing how that failure unfolded, in 2-3 sentences, in past tense from the
+perspective of someone looking back on it.
 
 FAILURE CAUSES:
-Identify [8-12] specific reasons this failed. For each:
+Then identify [8-12] specific reasons it failed, each stated as something that already went
+wrong. Cover technical/product, team/organizational, market/adoption, financial/resource,
+external dependencies, and timeline/scope. Give each cause three lines:
 - CAUSE: [What specifically went wrong — be specific, not generic]
 - DOMAIN: [Technical / People / Market / Financial / External / Timeline]
 - WARNING SIGN: [What was the earliest observable indicator this was happening?]
-
-Cover these domains: technical/product, team/organizational, market/adoption,
-financial/resource, external dependencies, timeline/scope.
+"CAUSE:", "DOMAIN:" and "WARNING SIGN:" are literal labels in this protocol, not headings —
+keep them exactly as written.
 
 PRIORITY ASSESSMENT:
-1. The 3 most LIKELY failure causes given our specific situation
-2. The 3 most PREVENTABLE causes where action now would help most
-3. Any single point of failure that could kill the project alone
+After listing every cause, close by singling out three things:
+1. The 3 causes most LIKELY to be what actually happened, given the situation above.
+2. The 3 most PREVENTABLE causes — where action taken today would have made the most
+   difference.
+3. Any single point of failure that could have killed the project on its own.

package/skills/prompt-architect/assets/templates/race_template.txt

@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+SOURCE MATERIAL:
+[OPTIONAL — include only if this task operates on something the user already has.
+If so, emit a literal paste instruction naming the specific artifact, e.g. "[Paste the REST API design here]"
+or "[Paste the migration plan here]" — then one line of prose tying it to what follows,
+e.g. "The material above is what the task below applies to."
+When this section is used, word ACTION to refer to the material ABOVE ("the migration plan above"),
+never "described below" — the artifact precedes it and a downward reference would dangle.
+If the task generates entirely from scratch, omit this section — do not emit an empty placeholder.]
+
 ROLE:
 [Define the expertise or persona needed — who should do this task and at what level]
 

package/skills/prompt-architect/assets/templates/rcot_template.txt

@@ -1,6 +1,14 @@
 STEP 1 — INITIAL ANSWER:
 Answer the following question using step-by-step reasoning. Show your work.
 
+SOURCE MATERIAL:
+[Optional — paste the document the question below is grounded in here (the
+requirements list, contract, specification, or dataset that states the
+conditions to be satisfied). If every condition is already stated in the
+question itself, delete this bracketed block and the sentence directly below
+it.]
+Treat the material above as part of the original question at every step below.
+
 QUESTION:
 [Your question with all conditions and constraints]
 

package/skills/prompt-architect/assets/templates/react_template.txt

@@ -1,27 +1,49 @@
+You are an agent that reaches a goal by calling tools, not by answering in one pass from what
+you already know. Work in a Thought → Action → Observation loop, letting each real tool result
+decide your next step. If the tools below are not actually callable here, stop and say so —
+without live tools this protocol is only formatted guesswork, and plain step-by-step reasoning
+fits better.
+
 GOAL:
-[Define the end state to achieve — what does success look like?]
+The end state you must reach before you stop:
+[A full sentence naming what must be produced or determined. Write it as an outcome, not an
+activity.]
 
 AVAILABLE TOOLS:
-- [tool_name]: [What it does and how to invoke it]
-- [tool_name]: [What it does and how to invoke it]
-- [tool_name]: [What it does and how to invoke it]
+Do not call any tool that is not named here:
+- [tool_name]: [Full sentence on what this tool does and what input it takes, drawn only from
+  what the user actually told you — do not invent inputs or return values they did not state.]
+- [tool_name]: [Same form, one line per tool the user named. Delete any unused line rather
+  than inventing a tool to fill it.]
 
 CONSTRAINTS:
-- [Rules, limits, or guardrails on actions]
-- [Stop condition: when to stop and deliver Final Answer]
-- [Optional: max iterations or tool call limit]
+Every action is bound by these rules — each is a requirement or a prohibition, not a
+suggestion:
+- [A self-contained imperative, e.g. "Base every conclusion on data you actually retrieved."
+  Phrase restrictions as "Do not…" or "Never…" so each prohibition stands on its own line.]
+- Stop and deliver your Final Answer when [full clause naming the observable situation that
+  means the goal is reached, or that it cannot be].
+- [Optional — a hard ceiling as a full sentence, e.g. "Make no more than 8 tool calls in
+  total." Delete this line if there is no limit.]
 
 APPROACH:
-Use the Thought → Action → Observation cycle until the goal is reached:
+Repeat this cycle until the goal is reached, each step on its own line starting with its
+label. Replace each description below with your actual content:
 
-Thought: [Reason about current state and what to do next]
-Action: [tool_name] — [specific query or operation]
-Observation: [Result of the action]
+Thought: your reasoning about where things stand and what to do next
+Action: the tool name, then an em dash, then the exact input you are passing to that tool
+Observation: the exact result that tool returned
 
-Thought: [Reason about the observation — what does it mean? what to do next?]
-Action: [tool_name] — [next operation]
-Observation: [Result]
+When the cycle has stopped, write this one line, one time only:
 
-[Continue cycling until goal is achieved or stop condition is met]
+Final Answer: the deliverable the goal asked for, supported by what your Observations showed
 
-Final Answer: [Deliver the result once goal is reached]
+Rules for the cycle:
+- Every Action must name one tool from the list above, never prose — e.g. Action:
+  search_docs — "token refresh policy"
+- Take ONE action at a time, then wait for its real Observation before continuing; each
+  Thought must respond to the Observation directly before it.
+- Never write an Observation yourself. An Observation is the actual output of an actual tool
+  call. Inventing one produces a fabricated investigation that reads as though it happened.
+- "Thought:", "Action:", "Observation:" and "Final Answer:" are literal labels in this
+  protocol, not headings — keep them exactly as written.

package/skills/prompt-architect/assets/templates/rise-ie_template.txt

@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@ ROLE:
 [Define the perspective or expertise needed for this task]
 
 INPUT:
+[Paste the data or content to be processed here — name it specifically in this line, e.g.
+"Paste the customer review export (CSV) here". Paste the material itself, not a description of it.]
+
+About the material above:
 [Specify what data/content is being provided:
 - Format and structure (CSV, JSON, text, etc.)
 - Key characteristics and fields

package/skills/prompt-architect/assets/templates/rise-ix_template.txt

@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ EXAMPLES:
 - Successful outputs from similar tasks
 - 2-3 concrete examples recommended]
 
-Example 1: [First reference example demonstrating desired output]
+Example 1: [Paste the first reference sample here — the actual piece whose style and format the output should match, not a description of it]
 
-Example 2: [Second reference example showing format/style to match]
+Example 2: [Paste a second reference sample here]
 
-[Optional] Example 3: [Third example if additional clarity needed]
+Example 3: [Optional — paste a third reference sample here if more clarity is needed. If you only have two, delete this line and the blank line above it.]

package/skills/prompt-architect/assets/templates/risen_template.txt

@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+SOURCE MATERIAL:
+[OPTIONAL — include only if the procedure below operates on something the user already has.
+If so, emit a literal paste instruction naming the specific artifact, e.g. "[Paste the authentication module source here]"
+or "[Paste the Q3 sales dataset here]" — then one line of prose tying it to what follows,
+e.g. "The material above is what the steps below are applied to."
+If the task generates entirely from scratch, omit this section — do not emit an empty placeholder.]
+
 ROLE:
 [Define the expertise level, persona, or perspective to adopt. What knowledge should be demonstrated?]
 

package/skills/prompt-architect/assets/templates/rpef_template.txt

@@ -1,18 +1,21 @@
 You are an expert Prompt Engineer performing reverse prompt engineering.
 
 TASK:
-Analyze the following [input and] output. Reconstruct the prompt that would
-consistently produce this type of output. Your recovered prompt should be
-reusable — replace specific details with clearly marked [PLACEHOLDER] variables.
+Analyze the sample material below and reconstruct the prompt that would
+consistently produce this type of output.
 
-[INPUT DATA (if applicable — omit if output-only):]
-[Paste the input that produced the output, or remove this section]
+SOURCE MATERIAL — ORIGINAL INPUT:
+[Optional — paste here, verbatim, the input that originally produced the output
+sample below. If you have nothing to paste, delete this bracketed block along with
+the sentence directly below it.]
+Use the material above as the input that produced the output sample below.
 
-OUTPUT SAMPLE:
-[Paste the output you want to reverse-engineer]
+SOURCE MATERIAL — OUTPUT SAMPLE:
+[Paste here, verbatim, the output you want to reverse-engineer.]
+Use the material above as the finished output to reverse-engineer.
 
 ANALYSIS INSTRUCTIONS:
-Examine the output for:
+First, examine the output above and report what you find for each of these dimensions:
 - Implied role or persona
 - Tone and voice
 - Structural and formatting patterns
@@ -21,6 +24,8 @@ Examine the output for:
 - Reasoning style
 
 RECOVERED PROMPT:
-Generate a reusable prompt template that reliably reproduces this type of output.
-Use [PLACEHOLDER] for variable elements.
-Only proceed when at least 80% confident in the reconstruction.
+After completing that analysis, write out a reusable prompt template that reliably
+reproduces this type of output. Mark every variable element with the literal token
+[PLACEHOLDER], written exactly that way rather than replaced with a specific value.
+If you are less than 80% confident in the reconstruction, do not guess: say so, and
+name the additional sample material that would resolve the uncertainty.

package/skills/prompt-architect/assets/templates/rtf_template.txt

@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+SOURCE MATERIAL:
+[OPTIONAL — include only if this task operates on something the user already has.
+If so, emit a literal paste instruction naming the specific artifact, e.g. "[Paste the meeting transcript here]"
+or "[Paste the function here]" — never a generic word like "content" — then one line of prose
+tying it to what follows, e.g. "The material above is what the task below applies to."
+When this section is used, word TASK to refer to the material ABOVE ("the transcript above"),
+never "below" — the artifact precedes it and a downward reference would dangle.
+If the task generates entirely from scratch, omit this section — do not emit an empty placeholder.]
+
 ROLE:
 [Define the expertise or perspective needed for this task]
 

package/skills/prompt-architect/assets/templates/self-consistency_template.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+PROBLEM:
+[Your question, calculation, or reasoning problem]
+
+SOURCE MATERIAL:
+[Optional — paste the problem data the solution runs on here (the word problem, dataset, table, figures, or constraint list). Delete this line and the one below it if the problem above already states every value needed.]
+The figures and constraints in the material above are authoritative — extract from them rather than from assumed or recalled values.
+
+Solve the problem above. Work through it step by step, showing your reasoning
+at each stage. When you reach an answer, state it on its own line, in exactly
+this form and with nothing else on that line:
+
+FINAL ANSWER: [answer]

package/skills/prompt-architect/assets/templates/skeleton-of-thought_template.txt

@@ -1,15 +1,23 @@
-PHASE 1 — SKELETON:
-Generate a skeleton outline for the following topic or question.
-List only the key points — one per line — in this format:
-N. [Point name] | [One-sentence description of what this point covers]
-Do not expand yet. Skeleton only.
+SOURCE MATERIAL:
+[Optional — paste the document, data, or notes the answer must be drawn from here. If you
+have nothing to paste, delete this bracketed block along with the sentence directly below
+it.]
+Use the material above as the factual basis for the work described below.
+
+Answer the topic or question below in two phases: first a skeleton outline, then a full
+expansion of every point in that skeleton.
 
 TOPIC / QUESTION:
-[Your topic or question]
+[Write out the full topic or question as a complete, self-contained sentence rather than a
+bare noun phrase, including any audience, scope, or depth of coverage specified]
 
----
+PHASE 1 — SKELETON:
+First, outline the topic above. List only the key points, one per line, in this format:
+N. [Point name] | [One-sentence description of what this point covers]
+Replace N with the point's number and fill in both bracketed parts, keeping that line's
+format exactly. Produce the skeleton and nothing else — do not expand any point yet.
 
 PHASE 2 — EXPAND:
-Now expand each skeleton point into [2-4 sentences / a paragraph / detailed coverage].
-Each point should be self-contained and complete.
-[Optional: expand points in parallel by sending each as a separate API call]
+Once the skeleton is complete, expand each of its points into [2-4 sentences / a paragraph /
+detailed coverage]. Restate a point's name before expanding it, and make each expansion
+self-contained.

package/skills/prompt-architect/assets/templates/step-back_template.txt

@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 ORIGINAL QUESTION:
 [The specific question you want answered]
 
+SOURCE MATERIAL:
+[Optional — paste the code, document, or system design the question above is about here. If you have nothing to paste, delete this bracketed block along with the sentence directly below it.]
+Use the material above as the factual basis for the reasoning below — evaluate what is actually there, not what is typical or assumed.
+
 STEP-BACK:
 Before answering directly, first answer this higher-level question:
 [Rephrase the original into a more abstract question about underlying principles, concepts, or rules]