Shaping Skills
Claude Code skills for the Shape Up method: framing, kickoff, shaping and breadboarding, turning conversations into structured documents and interface maps
Low risk
We rate an entry low when it mostly gives the agent instructions and reference material.
Why this level
- Consists of instructions and documents; the optional hook only prints a reminder
Install
Manual install
git clone https://github.com/rjs/shaping-skills.git ~/.local/share/shaping-skills
ln -s ~/.local/share/shaping-skills/framing-doc ~/.claude/skills/framing-doc
ln -s ~/.local/share/shaping-skills/kickoff-doc ~/.claude/skills/kickoff-doc
ln -s ~/.local/share/shaping-skills/breadboarding ~/.claude/skills/breadboarding
ln -s ~/.local/share/shaping-skills/shaping ~/.claude/skills/shapingEach skill must be a direct child of ~/.claude/skills/, and symlinks update via git pull.
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
The set brings the Shape Up method into work with Claude Code and splits the skills into two kinds. The document skills framing-doc and kickoff-doc turn transcripts of real conversations into structured documents: the framing doc captures which problem is worth solving and why it was chosen, and the kickoff doc gathers what was shaped and agreed into a reference for the builder. The solo skills shaping and breadboarding are more experimental: shaping separates requirements from solution options and keeps them consistent across levels, while breadboarding maps a system into interface affordances, code affordances and the wiring between them. The author is candid that the document skills are garbage in, garbage out: they format and distill but do not judge the quality of the thinking. The repository also has a ripple-check hook that reminds you to update related documents when editing files marked shaping.
Who it is for. For product managers, founders and teams who run development with the Shape Up method.
Good fit when
- You want to shape the problem and solution options before starting to build
- You want to turn a discussion transcript into a framing or kickoff document
- You want to map a system into interface affordances and wiring to slice into scopes
Not a fit when
- You do not work in Claude Code, which the skills target
- You expect the tool to judge whether ideas make sense; it only formats the material
Example request
Build a framing document from this transcript of a problem discussionLimitations
The document skills are garbage in, garbage out: they do not check whether the material is sound, they format and distill it. The author marks the solo skills as experimental and less battle-tested. The skills target Claude Code, and each must sit as a direct child of the skills directory. The ripple-check hook needs manual setup in settings.json. The repository states no license.
How to disable. Remove the skill symlinks from ~/.claude/skills/ and take the ripple-check hook out of ~/.claude/settings.json.
Security check
- Consists of instructions and documents; the optional hook only prints a reminder
README in short
The README presents a set of Claude Code skills for shaping and breadboarding based on the Shape Up method. The document skills framing-doc and kickoff-doc turn transcripts into structured documents, and the solo skills shaping and breadboarding help separate requirements from solutions and map a system into affordances. Install is by cloning the repository and symlinking each skill into the Claude Code skills directory. It also describes the ripple-check hook and its setup in settings.json. The author stresses that the document skills only format the material and do not judge its quality.
SKILL.md
--- name: shaping description: Use this methodology when collaboratively shaping a solution with the user - iterating on problem definition (requirements) and solution options (shapes). --- # Shaping Methodology A structured approach for collaboratively defining problems and exploring solution options. ## Multi-Level Consistency (Critical) Shaping produces documents at different levels of abstraction. Truth must stay consistent across all levels. ### The Document Hierarchy (high to low) 1. Shaping doc, ground truth for R's, shapes, parts, fit checks 2. Slices doc, ground truth for slice definitions, breadboards 3. Individual slice plans (V1-plan, etc.), ground truth for implementation details ### The Principle Each level summarizes or provides a view into the level(s) below it. Lower levels contain more detail; higher levels are designed views that help acquire context quickly. Changes ripple in both directions: a change at a high level trickles down, and a change at a low level trickles up. Update all affected levels in the same operation and never let documents drift out of sync.
FAQ
How do document and solo skills differ?
Document skills turn discussion transcripts into framing and kickoff docs for collaborative work. Solo skills, shaping and breadboarding, are for working directly with the agent on problem and solution, and are more experimental.
Why the ripple-check hook?
It fires when you edit files marked shaping in the frontmatter and reminds you to update related documents so the levels do not drift apart.
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