Agent skill · product strategy · sundial-org
first-principles-decomposer
Break any problem down to fundamental truths, then rebuild solutions from atoms up. Use when user says "firstp", "first principles", "from scratch", "what are we assuming", "break this down", "atomic", "fundamental truth", "physics thinking", "Elon method", "bedrock", "ground up", "core problem", "strip away", or challenges assumptions about how things are done.
Why this skill is useful
Provides a structured methodology for breaking down complex problems into fundamental truths, which the AI may not generate on its own.
What it needs
About 2k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-03-07. 639 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
First Principles Decomposer When To Use Designing new products or features Feeling stuck on a complex problem Existing solutions seem overcomplicated Need to challenge assumptions Starting any new project or initiative The Process Phase 1: Identify Assumptions Ask: "What am I assuming to be true that might not be?" List every assumption embedded in the current approach. Phase 2: Break to Atoms For each assumption, ask: "What is the most fundamental truth here?" Keep asking "why?" until you hit bedrock facts. Phase 3: Rebuild From Truth Starting ONLY from verified fundamentals, ask: "What's the simplest solution that addresses the core need?" Interactive Flow When user invokes this skill: 1. Clarify the problem (1-2 questions max) 2. Surface assumptions - list what's being taken for granted 3. Decompose to fundamentals - show the atomic truths 4. Rebuild solution - construct from ground up 5. Compare - show how this differs from conventional approach Output Format Example Triggers "Break down our parent communication problem from first principles" "I want to rethink how we do [X] from the ground up" "What are we assuming about [problem] that might be wrong?" Integration This skill compounds with: inversion-strategist - After rebuilding from fundamentals, invert to find what would guarantee failure of the new approach second-order-consequences - Project downstream effects of implementing the rebuilt solution pre-mortem-analyst - Stress-test the rebuilt solution by imagining its failure six-thinking-hats - Apply all six perspectives to validate each fundamental truth identified Skill Metadata Created: 2026-01-06 Last Updated: 2026-01-06 Author: Artem Version: 1.0 --- See references/framework.md for detailed methodology See references/examples.md for Artem-specific examples See references/integrated-frameworks.md for Stanford Design Thinking + MIT Systems Engineering combo
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills sundial-org/first-principles-decomposer