diff --git a/documentation/blog/2026-02-06-rp-why-skill/index.md b/documentation/blog/2026-02-06-rp-why-skill/index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..58376bde1f --- /dev/null +++ b/documentation/blog/2026-02-06-rp-why-skill/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,269 @@ +--- +title: "Level Up Your AI Game with rp-why" +description: "A goose skill that measures the cognitive complexity of your AI collaboration using the Gas Town × DOK framework." +date: 2026-02-06 +authors: + - dakota +--- + +![rp-why skill banner](rp-why-banner.png) + +## What is rp-why? + +rp-why is your personal AI collaboration coach. It answers two critical questions: + +1. **Are you using the most effective AI tools for your work?** +2. **Are you asking questions that demonstrate cognitive depth?** + +Think of it as a fitness tracker for your AI practice—it shows you where you are, where you could be, and how to get there. + +**Want the theory?** Check out [Measuring the Cognitive Complexity of Human-AI Collaboration](https://engineering.block.xyz/blog/-gas-town-x-webbs-dok). + +**Want to use it?** Keep reading. + + + +## The Problem + +**Without rp-why** + +* Teams use powerful AI agents for simple tasks, wasting resources. +* Lack of usage visibility creates blind spots. +* No feedback loop keeps people stuck and stagnant. +* Sophisticated tools get burned on trivial work, killing ROI. + +**With rp-why** + +* Teams match tools to task complexity, driving real efficiency. +* Usage data makes patterns visible and actionable. +* Smart nudges help people level up continuously. +* Progress is tracked over time, turning effort into measurable growth. + +## The Two Dimensions + +### Dimension 1: Gas Town Stage (Tool Sophistication) + +Where are you on the AI adoption ladder? + +| Stage | Level | Description | +|-------|-------|-------------| +| 1-2 | Chatbot Curious | Basic web chatbots, occasional use | +| 3-4 | IDE Integrated | Copilot, chat in your editor | +| 5 | Agent Autonomous | CLI tools like goose running independently | +| 6-8 | Multi-Agent Master | Orchestrating multiple AI agents, agentic workflows | + +### Dimension 2: DOK Level (Question Depth) + +How complex are your prompts? + +| Level | Name | Example Prompts | +|-------|------|-----------------| +| DOK 1 | Recall | "What is X?" "List Y" "Define Z" | +| DOK 2 | Apply | "How would I...?" "Compare A and B" | +| DOK 3 | Strategic | "Design a system for..." "Analyze trade-offs..." | +| DOK 4 | Extended | "Research over multiple sessions..." "Create a framework..." | + +--- + +## The Quadrant Map + +Find yourself on the map: + +``` + LOW DOK HIGH DOK + (Simple Questions) (Complex Questions) + ┌────────────────────────┬────────────────────────┐ + HIGH │ │ │ + STAGE │ UNDERUTILIZING │ FRONTIER │ + (Powerful │ │ │ + Tools) │ You have a Ferrari │ You're pushing │ + │ and you're driving │ boundaries! │ + │ to the mailbox. │ Document what you │ + │ → Level up your │ learn. │ + │ questions! │ → Share your │ + │ │ discoveries! │ + ├────────────────────────┼────────────────────────┤ + LOW │ │ │ + STAGE │ LEARNING ZONE │ THINKING AHEAD │ + (Basic │ │ │ + Tools) │ Natural starting │ Your brain exceeds │ + │ point. Focus on │ your tools! │ + │ learning the tools. │ → Time to upgrade │ + │ → Try one new │ your AI toolkit! │ + │ capability today! │ │ + └────────────────────────┴────────────────────────┘ +``` + +**Goal:** Move toward the **FRONTIER** quadrant (top-right) + +--- + +## What the Output Looks Like + +``` +╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ +║ SESSION ANALYSIS ║ +╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ + +GAS TOWN STAGE: 5 (Agent Autonomous) + +DOK DISTRIBUTION +──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── +DOK 1 (Recall): ████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 17% +DOK 2 (Apply): ████████████░░░░░░░░ 52% +DOK 3 (Strategic): ██████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 26% +DOK 4 (Extended): █░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 5% + +QUADRANT: Underutilizing +──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── +You have a Ferrari and you're driving to the mailbox. +→ Level up your questions! + +GROWTH NUDGES +──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── +1. Shift 2-3 DOK 2 prompts to DOK 3 by adding "analyze trade-offs" +2. Before simple queries, ask: "Can I make this more strategic?" +3. Try one DOK 4 extended investigation this week + +🪞 REFLECTION +──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── +What's the most strategic question you could ask right now? +``` + +--- + +## Instant Upgrades for Your Prompts + +### Transform DOK 1 → DOK 2 + +| Before | After | +|--------|-------| +| "What is a microservice?" | "How would I decide between microservices and a monolith for my project?" | + +### Transform DOK 2 → DOK 3 + +| Before | After | +|--------|-------| +| "How do I set up CI/CD?" | "Design a CI/CD strategy that balances speed, reliability, and team workflow for a 5-person team." | + +### Transform DOK 3 → DOK 4 + +| Before | After | +|--------|-------| +| "Design a caching strategy" | "Over the next few sessions, help me research, prototype, and document a caching architecture. Start by analyzing our current bottlenecks." | + + + +## Weekly Workflow Integration + +### Monday: Fresh Start +- Run `/rp-why init` (or `/rp-why compare` if you already have a baseline) +- Set intention: "This week I'll aim for 30% DOK 3+ prompts" + +### Daily: Quick Check +- End each session with `/rp-why current` +- 30 seconds to see your patterns + +### Friday: Reflect +- Run `/rp-why compare` +- Celebrate progress, identify next week's focus + + +## Gamify Your Growth + +### Achievements to Unlock + +| Badge | Achievement | Criteria | +|-------|-------------|----------| +| 🥉 | Bronze | Reduce DOK 1 prompts below 25% | +| 🥈 | Silver | Achieve 35%+ DOK 3 prompts in a session | +| 🥇 | Gold | Complete a DOK 4 multi-session project | +| 💎 | Diamond | Reach the Frontier quadrant consistently | + +### Personal Challenges + +| Challenge | Description | +|-----------|-------------| +| "No DOK 1" Day | Every prompt must be DOK 2+ | +| "Strategic Session" | Aim for 50%+ DOK 3 prompts | +| "Deep Dive Week" | One DOK 4 project across 5 sessions | + + +## Start Now + +### Installation + +Install the skill: + +```bash +npx skills add https://github.com/block/agent-skills --skill rp-why +``` + +Make sure you have the built-in [Skills extension](/docs/mcp/skills-mcp/) enabled in goose. + +### Step 1: Initialize Your Baseline + +``` +/rp-why init +``` + +This analyzes your conversation history and creates your personal baseline. Takes ~30 seconds. + +### Step 2: Check Your Current Session + +``` +/rp-why current +``` + +See how this session compares to your typical patterns. Are you stretching or coasting? + +### Step 3: Track Your Progress + +``` +/rp-why compare +``` + +Compare today against your baseline. And ask yourself: + +> "What's the most strategic question I could ask right now?" + +That's the rp-why mindset. + + +## FAQ + +**Q: How long does baseline generation take?** +A: About 30 seconds. It analyzes your available conversation history. + +**Q: Will this slow down my workflow?** +A: No! The commands take seconds. Think of it as a quick glance at your fitness tracker. + +**Q: What if I'm in the "Underutilizing" quadrant?** +A: That's the most common position for goose users! It means you have powerful tools—now it's time to ask bigger questions. + +**Q: How often should I check?** +A: Daily `/rp-why current`, weekly `/rp-why compare`. Takes under a minute total. + +**Q: Can I share my progress with my team?** +A: Yes! The output is designed to be shareable. Screenshot or copy the quadrant visualization. + +--- + +## Attribution + +- **Gas Town Framework**: Steve Yegge, ["Welcome to Gas Town"](https://steve-yegge.medium.com/welcome-to-gas-town-4f25ee16dd04) (January 2026) +- **DOK Levels**: Norman Webb (1997) +- **Full Framework Deep-Dive**: [Measuring the Cognitive Complexity of Human-AI Collaboration](#) (Block Engineering Blog) + + + + + + + + + + + + + \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/documentation/blog/2026-02-06-rp-why-skill/rp-why-banner.png b/documentation/blog/2026-02-06-rp-why-skill/rp-why-banner.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..6a9903dec6 Binary files /dev/null and b/documentation/blog/2026-02-06-rp-why-skill/rp-why-banner.png differ diff --git a/documentation/blog/authors.yml b/documentation/blog/authors.yml index 651bdc6888..63e27706a2 100644 --- a/documentation/blog/authors.yml +++ b/documentation/blog/authors.yml @@ -208,3 +208,9 @@ matt: linkedin: matt8p github: matteo8p x: mcpjams + +dakota: + name: Dakota Fabro + description: Software Engineer, Engineering Fellowship + avatar: https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/148207179?v=4 +