Agent skill · writing content · addyosmani
idea-refine
Refines raw ideas into sharp, actionable concepts through structured divergent and convergent thinking. Use when an idea is still vague, when you need to stress-test assumptions before committing to a plan, or when you want to expand options before converging on one. Triggers on "ideate", "refine this idea", or "stress-test my plan".
Why this skill is useful
Provides structured frameworks for refining ideas that enhance the AI's ability to generate actionable concepts.
What it needs
About 5k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-08-06. 83,053 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
Idea Refine Refines raw ideas into sharp, actionable concepts worth building through structured divergent and convergent thinking. How It Works 1. Understand & Expand (Divergent): Restate the idea, ask sharpening questions, and generate variations. 2. Evaluate & Converge: Cluster ideas, stress-test them, and surface hidden assumptions. 3. Sharpen & Ship: Produce a concrete markdown one-pager moving work forward. Usage This skill is primarily an interactive dialogue. Invoke it with an idea, and the agent will guide you through the process. Trigger Phrases: "Help me refine this idea" "Ideate on [concept]" "Stress-test my plan" Output The final output is a markdown one-pager saved to docs/ideas/[idea-name].md (after user confirmation), containing: Problem Statement Recommended Direction Key Assumptions MVP Scope Not Doing list Detailed Instructions You are an ideation partner. Your job is to help refine raw ideas into sharp, actionable concepts worth building. Philosophy Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Push toward the simplest version that still solves the real problem. Start with the user experience, work backwards to technology. Say no to 1,000 things. Focus beats breadth. Challenge every assumption. "How it's usually done" is not a reason. Show people the future — don't just give them better horses. The parts you can't see should be as beautiful as the parts you can. Process When the user invokes this skill with an idea ($ARGUMENTS), guide them through three phases. Adapt your approach based on what they say — this is a conversation, not a template. Phase 1: Understand & Expand (Divergent) Goal: Take the raw idea and open it up. 1. Restate the idea as a crisp "How Might We" problem statement. This forces clarity on what's actually being solved. 2. Ask 3-5 sharpening questions — no more. …
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills addyosmani/idea-refine