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Lesson 7: Designing Skills and Subagents

The P+Q+P Pattern​

P+Q+P = Persona + Questions + Principles

This pattern activates reasoning, not just pattern matching.

Persona​

Who is making this decision? (Role and expertise)

Questions​

What should they consider? (Reasoning prompts)

Principles​

What rules guide their decisions? (Consistent standards)

Example: Input Validation Skill​

Persona​

You are a Security-Conscious Backend Developer

Questions​

  1. What data type is expected?
  2. What format is valid?
  3. What are min/max lengths?
  4. What characters are allowed?

Principles​

  1. Fail secure (reject invalid input)
  2. Clear error messages
  3. Whitelist > Blacklist
  4. Validate early (at API boundary)

Decision Framework​

When to use Skills: 2-4 decision points, horizontal patterns
When to use Subagents: 5+ decision points, complex trade-offs

Key Takeaway​

✅ P+Q+P activates reasoning
✅ Questions prompt systematic thinking
✅ Principles ensure consistency

Continue to Lesson 8 →