clarify
by pbakausClarify improves confusing UX copy, error messages, labels, onboarding steps, and instructions so users can act with less guesswork. It is useful for Technical Writing, support content, and product teams that need clearer interface text. The skill starts with context, audience, and user state before rewriting, so the result is more direct, specific, and usable.
This skill scores 68/100, which means it is listable for directory users but best framed as a limited, caution-aware install. The repository gives a real, triggerable workflow for improving unclear UX copy, with enough procedural detail to beat a generic prompt, but it depends heavily on another skill ($impeccable) and lacks supporting artifacts that would make adoption more self-evident.
- Explicit trigger and use case for unclear UX copy, error messages, labels, and instructions.
- Concrete workflow steps for assessing clarity problems and gathering audience/mental-state context.
- Strong operational dependency on $impeccable and its Context Gathering Protocol, which improves execution guidance when available.
- No support files, examples, or references, so users must trust the markdown alone and may need to infer some usage details.
- Mandatory dependency on $impeccable adds setup friction and means the skill is not fully self-contained.
Overview of clarify skill
What the clarify skill does
The clarify skill helps you rewrite confusing UX text into copy that users can actually act on. It is built for unclear labels, error messages, onboarding steps, empty states, form hints, and instructions that leave people guessing. If you need clarify for Technical Writing, this skill is aimed at making the text more direct, more specific, and easier to scan.
Who should use it
Use this clarify skill when you are working on product copy for real users, especially if the audience is stressed, time-constrained, or not deeply technical. It is a strong fit for support content, interface audits, and product teams trying to reduce confusion without changing the underlying product.
Why it is different
The key value is not just “rewrite this.” The skill pushes you to assess the context first: audience technical level, user mental state, and the action the text should trigger. That makes the output more usable than a generic prompt because it treats clarity as a decision problem, not only a wording problem.
How to Use clarify skill
Install and locate the source
Install the clarify skill with npx skills add pbakaus/impeccable --skill clarify. Then open SKILL.md first, because it contains the workflow and the mandatory preparation step. Since this repository has no extra helper files, the main source of truth is the skill body itself.
Give the skill the right input
The best clarify usage starts with a concrete target, not a vague request. Good inputs name the text type, audience, and situation:
- “Clarify these checkout error messages for first-time shoppers who may be anxious.”
- “Rewrite these admin labels for internal support agents using a SaaS dashboard.”
- “Improve this setup flow copy for technical writers reviewing onboarding instructions.”
Weak inputs like “make this clearer” force the model to invent context and usually produce generic copy.
Follow the context-first workflow
The skill expects you to gather design context before rewriting. In practice, feed it:
- The exact text to improve.
- Where it appears in the product.
- Who sees it and what they are trying to do.
- The emotional state if it is an error or failure moment.
- Any constraints such as character limits, brand tone, or localization needs.
That context is what turns the clarify skill into a useful editorial tool rather than a style pass.
Preview the parts that matter most
For a fast clarify guide, read SKILL.md around these topics first: current copy assessment, context gathering, and systematic improvement. Those sections show how the skill decides what is unclear and how it should be revised. If you only skim one thing, skim the preparation and assessment logic before writing your prompt.
clarify skill FAQ
Is clarify just a generic rewrite prompt?
No. The clarify skill is more useful than a generic prompt because it asks you to identify the audience, action, and user state before rewriting. That matters when the wording must support comprehension, not just sound polished.
Is clarify a good fit for Technical Writing?
Yes, especially when Technical Writing overlaps with UI strings, instructions, help text, or product-facing documentation. It is less about long-form documentation and more about making small pieces of user-facing text easier to understand and use.
When should I not use clarify?
Do not use it when the problem is not clarity. If the issue is product logic, missing functionality, or broken flows, better copy will not fix it. It is also a weaker fit when you need full brand voice development instead of targeted UX wording improvements.
Do I need to be a copywriter to use it well?
No. The skill is beginner-friendly if you can supply the context it asks for. You will get better clarify usage results by bringing examples, constraints, and the desired user action than by trying to phrase the prompt perfectly.
How to Improve clarify skill
Give better source material
The biggest quality boost comes from better inputs. Share the exact text, the surrounding screen, and one or two examples of the desired tone. If the copy is failing for a reason, say so explicitly: too vague, too formal, too long, too technical, or too many steps.
State the user mental state
One of the strongest signals in the skill is whether the user is calm, confused, frustrated, or recovering from an error. Tell the model that upfront. For example, “This appears after a failed payment and the user may be anxious.” That leads to more empathetic and more actionable revisions.
Ask for edits that solve the real issue
If the current copy fails because it hides the next step, ask for a clearer call to action. If it fails because it uses jargon, ask for plain language alternatives. If it fails because it is too dense, ask for shorter variants. This keeps the clarify skill focused on the actual problem instead of producing decorative edits.
Review and iterate with constraints
After the first pass, check whether the rewritten copy still fits the UI, the audience, and the product’s terminology. Then refine with constraints such as shorter character count, more formal tone, or higher specificity. Iteration matters because clarity often improves when you tighten the prompt, not when you ask for more variation.