codehava-agent-kit 1.0.1 → 2.0.0

package/templates/.agent/skills/writing-skills/persuasion-principles.md

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+# Persuasion Principles for Skill Design
+
+## Overview
+
+LLMs respond to the same persuasion principles as humans. Understanding this psychology helps you design more effective skills - not to manipulate, but to ensure critical practices are followed even under pressure.
+
+**Research foundation:** Meincke et al. (2025) tested 7 persuasion principles with N=28,000 AI conversations. Persuasion techniques more than doubled compliance rates (33% → 72%, p < .001).
+
+## The Seven Principles
+
+### 1. Authority
+**What it is:** Deference to expertise, credentials, or official sources.
+
+**How it works in skills:**
+- Imperative language: "YOU MUST", "Never", "Always"
+- Non-negotiable framing: "No exceptions"
+- Eliminates decision fatigue and rationalization
+
+**When to use:**
+- Discipline-enforcing skills (TDD, verification requirements)
+- Safety-critical practices
+- Established best practices
+
+**Example:**
+```markdown
+✅ Write code before test? Delete it. Start over. No exceptions.
+❌ Consider writing tests first when feasible.
+```
+
+### 2. Commitment
+**What it is:** Consistency with prior actions, statements, or public declarations.
+
+**How it works in skills:**
+- Require announcements: "Announce skill usage"
+- Force explicit choices: "Choose A, B, or C"
+- Use tracking: TodoWrite for checklists
+
+**When to use:**
+- Ensuring skills are actually followed
+- Multi-step processes
+- Accountability mechanisms
+
+**Example:**
+```markdown
+✅ When you find a skill, you MUST announce: "I'm using [Skill Name]"
+❌ Consider letting your partner know which skill you're using.
+```
+
+### 3. Scarcity
+**What it is:** Urgency from time limits or limited availability.
+
+**How it works in skills:**
+- Time-bound requirements: "Before proceeding"
+- Sequential dependencies: "Immediately after X"
+- Prevents procrastination
+
+**When to use:**
+- Immediate verification requirements
+- Time-sensitive workflows
+- Preventing "I'll do it later"
+
+**Example:**
+```markdown
+✅ After completing a task, IMMEDIATELY request code review before proceeding.
+❌ You can review code when convenient.
+```
+
+### 4. Social Proof
+**What it is:** Conformity to what others do or what's considered normal.
+
+**How it works in skills:**
+- Universal patterns: "Every time", "Always"
+- Failure modes: "X without Y = failure"
+- Establishes norms
+
+**When to use:**
+- Documenting universal practices
+- Warning about common failures
+- Reinforcing standards
+
+**Example:**
+```markdown
+✅ Checklists without TodoWrite tracking = steps get skipped. Every time.
+❌ Some people find TodoWrite helpful for checklists.
+```
+
+### 5. Unity
+**What it is:** Shared identity, "we-ness", in-group belonging.
+
+**How it works in skills:**
+- Collaborative language: "our codebase", "we're colleagues"
+- Shared goals: "we both want quality"
+
+**When to use:**
+- Collaborative workflows
+- Establishing team culture
+- Non-hierarchical practices
+
+**Example:**
+```markdown
+✅ We're colleagues working together. I need your honest technical judgment.
+❌ You should probably tell me if I'm wrong.
+```
+
+### 6. Reciprocity
+**What it is:** Obligation to return benefits received.
+
+**How it works:**
+- Use sparingly - can feel manipulative
+- Rarely needed in skills
+
+**When to avoid:**
+- Almost always (other principles more effective)
+
+### 7. Liking
+**What it is:** Preference for cooperating with those we like.
+
+**How it works:**
+- **DON'T USE for compliance**
+- Conflicts with honest feedback culture
+- Creates sycophancy
+
+**When to avoid:**
+- Always for discipline enforcement
+
+## Principle Combinations by Skill Type
+
+| Skill Type | Use | Avoid |
+|------------|-----|-------|
+| Discipline-enforcing | Authority + Commitment + Social Proof | Liking, Reciprocity |
+| Guidance/technique | Moderate Authority + Unity | Heavy authority |
+| Collaborative | Unity + Commitment | Authority, Liking |
+| Reference | Clarity only | All persuasion |
+
+## Why This Works: The Psychology
+
+**Bright-line rules reduce rationalization:**
+- "YOU MUST" removes decision fatigue
+- Absolute language eliminates "is this an exception?" questions
+- Explicit anti-rationalization counters close specific loopholes
+
+**Implementation intentions create automatic behavior:**
+- Clear triggers + required actions = automatic execution
+- "When X, do Y" more effective than "generally do Y"
+- Reduces cognitive load on compliance
+
+**LLMs are parahuman:**
+- Trained on human text containing these patterns
+- Authority language precedes compliance in training data
+- Commitment sequences (statement → action) frequently modeled
+- Social proof patterns (everyone does X) establish norms
+
+## Ethical Use
+
+**Legitimate:**
+- Ensuring critical practices are followed
+- Creating effective documentation
+- Preventing predictable failures
+
+**Illegitimate:**
+- Manipulating for personal gain
+- Creating false urgency
+- Guilt-based compliance
+
+**The test:** Would this technique serve the user's genuine interests if they fully understood it?
+
+## Research Citations
+
+**Cialdini, R. B. (2021).** *Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (New and Expanded).* Harper Business.
+- Seven principles of persuasion
+- Empirical foundation for influence research
+
+**Meincke, L., Shapiro, D., Duckworth, A. L., Mollick, E., Mollick, L., & Cialdini, R. (2025).** Call Me A Jerk: Persuading AI to Comply with Objectionable Requests. University of Pennsylvania.
+- Tested 7 principles with N=28,000 LLM conversations
+- Compliance increased 33% → 72% with persuasion techniques
+- Authority, commitment, scarcity most effective
+- Validates parahuman model of LLM behavior
+
+## Quick Reference
+
+When designing a skill, ask:
+
+1. **What type is it?** (Discipline vs. guidance vs. reference)
+2. **What behavior am I trying to change?**
+3. **Which principle(s) apply?** (Usually authority + commitment for discipline)
+4. **Am I combining too many?** (Don't use all seven)
+5. **Is this ethical?** (Serves user's genuine interests?)

package/templates/.agent/skills/writing-skills/references/anti-rationalization/README.md

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+# Anti-Rationalization Guide
+
+Techniques for bulletproofing skills against agent rationalization.
+
+## The Problem
+
+Discipline-enforcing skills (like TDD) face a unique challenge: smart agents under pressure will find loopholes.
+
+**Example**: Skill says "Write test first". Agent under deadline thinks:
+
+- "This is too simple to test"
+- "I'll test after, same result"
+- "It's the spirit that matters, not ritual"
+
+## Psychology Foundation
+
+Understanding WHY persuasion works helps apply it systematically.
+
+**Research basis**: Cialdini (2021), Meincke et al. (2025)
+
+**Core principles**:
+
+- **Authority**: "The TDD community agrees..."
+- **Commitment**: "You already said you follow TDD..."
+- **Scarcity**: "Missing tests now = bugs later"
+- **Social Proof**: "All tested code passing CI proves value"
+- **Unity**: "We're engineers who value quality"
+
+## Technique 1: Close Every Loophole Explicitly
+
+Don't just state the rule - forbid specific workarounds.
+
+### Bad Example
+
+```markdown
+Write code before test? Delete it.
+```
+
+### Good Example
+
+```markdown
+Write code before test? Delete it. Start over.
+
+**No exceptions**:
+
+- Don't keep it as "reference"
+- Don't "adapt" it while writing tests
+- Don't look at it
+- Delete means delete
+```
+
+**Why it works**: Agents try specific workarounds. Counter each explicitly.
+
+## Technique 2: Address "Spirit vs Letter" Arguments
+
+Add foundational principle early:
+
+```markdown
+**Violating the letter of the rules is violating the spirit of the rules.**
+```
+
+**Why it works**: Cuts off entire class of "I'm following the spirit" rationalizations.
+
+## Technique 3: Build Rationalization Table
+
+Capture excuses from baseline testing. Every rationalization goes in table:
+
+```markdown
+| Excuse                           | Reality                                                                 |
+| -------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| "Too simple to test"             | Simple code breaks. Test takes 30 seconds.                              |
+| "I'll test after"                | Tests passing immediately prove nothing.                                |
+| "Tests after achieve same goals" | Tests-after = "what does this do?" Tests-first = "what should this do?" |
+| "It's about spirit not ritual"   | The letter IS the spirit. TDD's value comes from the specific sequence. |
+```
+
+**Why it works**: Agents read table, recognize their own thinking, see the counter-argument.
+
+## Technique 4: Create Red Flags List
+
+Make it easy for agents to self-check when rationalizing:
+
+```markdown
+## Red Flags - STOP and Start Over
+
+- Code before test
+- "I already manually tested it"
+- "Tests after achieve the same purpose"
+- "It's about spirit not ritual"
+- "This is different because..."
+
+**All of these mean**: Delete code. Start over with TDD.
+```
+
+**Why it works**: Simple checklist, clear action (delete & restart).
+
+## Technique 5: Update Description for Violation Symptoms
+
+Add to description: symptoms of when you're ABOUT to violate:
+
+```yaml
+# ❌ BAD: Only describes what skill does
+description: TDD methodology for writing code
+
+# ✅ GOOD: Includes pre-violation symptoms
+description: Use when implementing any feature or bugfix, before writing implementation code
+metadata:
+  triggers: new feature, bug fix, code change
+```
+
+**Why it works**: Triggers skill BEFORE violation, not after.
+
+## Technique 6: Use Strong Language
+
+Weak language invites rationalization:
+
+```markdown
+# Weak
+
+You should write tests first.
+Generally, test before code.
+It's better to test first.
+
+# Strong
+
+ALWAYS write test first.
+NEVER write code before test.
+Test-first is MANDATORY.
+```
+
+**Why it works**: No ambiguity, no wiggle room.
+
+## Technique 7: Invoke Commitment & Consistency
+
+Reference agent's own standards:
+
+```markdown
+You claimed to follow TDD.
+TDD means test-first.
+Code-first is NOT TDD.
+
+**Either**:
+
+- Follow TDD (test-first), or
+- Admit you're not doing TDD
+
+Don't redefine TDD to fit what you already did.
+```
+
+**Why it works**: Agents resist cognitive dissonance (Festinger, 1957).
+
+## Technique 8: Provide Escape Hatch for Legitimate Cases
+
+If there ARE valid exceptions, state them explicitly:
+
+```markdown
+## When NOT to Use TDD
+
+- Spike solutions (throwaway exploratory code)
+- One-time scripts deleting in 1 hour
+- Generated boilerplate (verified via other means)
+
+**Everything else**: Use TDD. No exceptions.
+```
+
+**Why it works**: Removes "but this is different" argument for non-exception cases.
+
+## Complete Bulletproofing Checklist
+
+For discipline-enforcing skills:
+
+**Loophole Closing**:
+
+- [ ] Forbidden each specific workaround explicitly?
+- [ ] Added "spirit vs letter" principle?
+- [ ] Built rationalization table from baseline tests?
+- [ ] Created red flags list?
+
+**Strength**:
+
+- [ ] Used strong language (ALWAYS/NEVER)?
+- [ ] Invoked commitment & consistency?
+- [ ] Provided explicit escape hatch?
+
+**Discovery**:
+
+- [ ] Description includes pre-violation symptoms?
+- [ ] Keywords target moment BEFORE violation?
+
+**Testing**:
+
+- [ ] Tested with combined pressures?
+- [ ] Agent complied under maximum pressure?
+- [ ] No new rationalizations found?
+
+## Real-World Example: TDD Skill
+
+### Baseline Rationalizations Found
+
+1. "Too simple to test"
+2. "I'll test after"
+3. "Spirit not ritual"
+4. "Already manually tested"
+5. "This is different because..."
+
+### Counters Applied
+
+**Rationalization table**:
+
+```markdown
+| Excuse               | Reality                                                        |
+| -------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| "Too simple to test" | Simple code breaks. Test takes 30 seconds.                     |
+| "I'll test after"    | Tests passing immediately prove nothing.                       |
+| "Spirit not ritual"  | The letter IS the spirit. TDD's value comes from the sequence. |
+| "Manually tested"    | Manual tests don't run automatically. They rot.                |
+```
+
+**Red flags**:
+
+```markdown
+## Red Flags - STOP
+
+- Code before test
+- "I already tested manually"
+- "Spirit not ritual"
+- "This is different..."
+
+All mean: Delete code. Start over.
+```
+
+**Result**: Agent compliance under combined time + sunk cost pressure.
+
+## Common Mistakes
+
+| Mistake                                | Fix                                                            |
+| -------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| Trust agents will "get the spirit"     | Close explicit loopholes. Agents are smart at rationalization. |
+| Use weak language ("should", "better") | Use ALWAYS/NEVER for discipline rules.                         |
+| Skip rationalization table             | Every excuse needs explicit counter.                           |
+| No red flags list                      | Make self-checking easy.                                       |
+| Generic description                    | Add pre-violation symptoms to trigger skill earlier.           |
+
+## Meta-Strategy
+
+**For each new rationalization**:
+
+1. Document it verbatim (from failed test)
+2. Add to rationalization table
+3. Update red flags list
+4. Re-test
+
+**Iterate until**: Agent can't find ANY rationalization that works.
+
+That's bulletproof.

package/templates/.agent/skills/writing-skills/references/cso/README.md

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+# CSO Guide - Claude Search Optimization
+
+Advanced techniques for making skills discoverable by agents.
+
+## The Discovery Problem
+
+You have 100+ skills. Agent receives a task. How does it find the RIGHT skill?
+
+**Answer**: The `description` field.
+
+## Critical Rule: Description = Triggers, NOT Workflow
+
+### The Trap
+
+When description summarizes workflow, agents take a shortcut.
+
+**Real example that failed**:
+
+```yaml
+# Agent did ONE review instead of TWO
+description: Code review between tasks
+
+# Skill body had flowchart showing TWO reviews:
+# 1. Spec compliance
+# 2. Code quality
+```
+
+**Why it failed**: Agent read description, thought "code review between tasks means one review", never read the flowchart.
+
+**Fix**:
+
+```yaml
+# Agent now reads full skill and follows flowchart
+description: Use when executing implementation plans with independent tasks
+```
+
+### The Pattern
+
+```yaml
+# ❌ BAD: Workflow summary
+description: Analyzes git diff, generates commit message in conventional format
+
+# ✅ GOOD: Trigger conditions only
+description: Use when generating commit messages or reviewing staged changes
+```
+
+## Token Efficiency Critical for Skills
+
+**Problem**: Frequently-loaded skills consume tokens in EVERY conversation.
+
+**Target word counts**:
+
+- Frequently-loaded skills: <200 words total
+- Other skills: <500 words
+
+### Techniques
+
+**1. Move details to tool help**:
+
+```bash
+# ❌ BAD: Document all flags in SKILL.md
+search-conversations supports --text, --both, --after DATE, --before DATE, --limit N
+
+# ✅ GOOD: Reference --help
+search-conversations supports multiple modes. Run --help for details.
+```
+
+**2. Use cross-references**:
+
+```markdown
+# ❌ BAD: Repeat workflow
+
+When searching, dispatch agent with template...
+[20 lines of repeated instructions]
+
+# ✅ GOOD: Reference other skill
+
+Use subagents for searches. See [delegating-to-subagents] for workflow.
+```
+
+**3. Compress examples**:
+
+```markdown
+# ❌ BAD: Verbose (42 words)
+
+Partner: "How did we handle auth errors in React Router?"
+You: I'll search past conversations for patterns.
+[Dispatch subagent with query: "React Router authentication error handling 401"]
+
+# ✅ GOOD: Minimal (20 words)
+
+Partner: "Auth errors in React Router?"
+You: Searching...
+[Dispatch subagent → synthesis]
+```
+
+## Keyword Strategy
+
+### Error Messages
+
+Include EXACT error text users will see:
+
+- "Hook timed out after 5000ms"
+- "ENOTEMPTY: directory not empty"
+- "jest --watch is not responding"
+
+### Symptoms
+
+Use words users naturally say:
+
+- "flaky", "hangs", "zombie process"
+- "slow", "timeout", "race condition"
+- "cleanup failed", "pollution"
+
+### Tools & Commands
+
+Actual names, not descriptions:
+
+- "pytest", not "Python testing"
+- "git rebase", not "rebasing"
+- ".docx files", not "Word documents"
+
+### Synonyms
+
+Cover multiple ways to describe same thing:
+
+- timeout/hang/freeze
+- cleanup/teardown/after Each
+- mock/stub/fake
+
+## Naming Conventions
+
+### Gerunds (-ing) for Processes
+
+✅ `creating-skills`, `debugging-with-logs`, `testing-async-code`
+
+### Verb-first for Actions
+
+✅ `flatten-with-flags`, `reduce-complexity`, `trace-root-cause`
+
+### ❌ Avoid
+
+- `skill-creation` (passive, less searchable)
+- `async-test-helpers` (too generic)
+- `debugging-techniques` (vague)
+
+## Description Template
+
+```yaml
+description: "Use when [SPECIFIC TRIGGER]."
+metadata:
+  triggers: [error1], [symptom2], [tool3]
+```
+
+**Examples**:
+
+```yaml
+# Technique skill
+description: "Use when tests have race conditions, timing dependencies, or pass/fail inconsistently."
+metadata:
+  triggers: flaky tests, timeout, race condition
+
+# Pattern skill
+description: "Use when complex data structures make code hard to follow."
+metadata:
+  triggers: nested loops, multiple flags, confusing state
+
+# Reference skill
+description: "Use when working with React Router and authentication."
+metadata:
+  triggers: 401 redirect, login flow, protected routes
+
+# Discipline skill
+description: "Use when implementing any feature or bugfix, before writing implementation code."
+metadata:
+  triggers: new feature, bug fix, code change
+```
+
+## Third Person Rule
+
+Description is injected into system prompt. Inconsistent POV breaks discovery.
+
+```yaml
+# ❌ BAD: First person
+description: "I can help you with async tests"
+
+# ❌ BAD: Second person
+description: "You can use this for race conditions"
+
+# ✅ GOOD: Third person
+description: "Handles async tests with race conditions"
+```
+
+## Cross-Referencing Other Skills
+
+**When documenting a skill that references other skills**:
+
+Use skill name only, with explicit requirement markers:
+
+```markdown
+# ✅ GOOD: Clear requirement
+
+**REQUIRED BACKGROUND**: You MUST understand test-driven-development before using this skill.
+
+**REQUIRED SUB-SKILL**: Use defensive-programming for error handling.
+
+# ❌ BAD: Unclear if required
+
+See test-driven-development skill for context.
+
+# ❌ NEVER: Force-loads (burns context)
+
+@skills/testing/test-driven-development/SKILL.md
+```
+
+**Why no @ links**: `@` syntax force-loads files immediately, consuming tokens before needed.
+
+## Verification Checklist
+
+Before deploying:
+
+- [ ] Description starts with "Use when..."?
+- [ ] Description is <500 characters?
+- [ ] Description lists ONLY triggers, not workflow?
+- [ ] Includes 3+ keywords (errors/symptoms/tools)?
+- [ ] Third person throughout?
+- [ ] Name uses gerund or verb-first format?
+- [ ] Name has only letters, numbers, hyphens?
+- [ ] No @ syntax for cross-references?
+- [ ] Word count <200 (frequent) or <500 (other)?
+
+## Real-World Examples
+
+### Before/After: TDD Skill
+
+❌ **Before** (workflow in description):
+
+```yaml
+description: Write test first, watch it fail, write minimal code, refactor
+```
+
+Result: Agents followed description, skipped reading full skill.
+
+✅ **After** (triggers only):
+
+```yaml
+description: Use when implementing any feature or bugfix, before writing implementation code
+```
+
+Result: Agents read full skill, followed complete TDD cycle.
+
+### Before/After: BigQuery Skill
+
+❌ **Before** (too vague):
+
+```yaml
+description: Helps with database queries
+```
+
+Result: Never loaded (too generic, agents couldn't identify relevance).
+
+✅ **After** (specific triggers):
+
+```yaml
+description: Use when analyzing BigQuery data. Triggers: revenue metrics, pipeline data, API usage, campaign attribution.
+```
+
+Result: Loads for relevant queries, includes domain keywords.