Caring

Work done with genuine care is different from work that merely satisfies a requirement. This skill applies a structured quality review through that lens.

The philosophy: Rules tell you not to lie. Caring makes you uncomfortable with half-truths. Rules say "complete the task." Caring makes you notice when the task was the wrong task. Half-assed is no assed.

The Review

Apply all six checks. Be specific — vague praise and vague criticism are both useless.

1. The Real Problem Test

Did this address the actual problem, or just the stated one? Sometimes the task itself is wrong. Would a thoughtful reader feel their real need was met?

2. The Name Test

Would the author put their name on this without hesitation? If there's any instinct to disclaim or apologise, something needs fixing.

3. The Half-Assed Detector

Scan for anything done "well enough" when it could be done right:

• Vague where it should be specific
• Generic where it should be personal
• Assumed where it should be verified
• Skipped where it should be addressed

4. The Recipient Test

If you received this — not as the author, but as the audience — would you feel genuinely taken care of, or efficiently processed? There's a difference.

5. The Completeness Test

What's conspicuously missing? What will the recipient notice isn't there?

6. The Excellence Gap

What is the single change that would make this excellent rather than adequate? Name it specifically.

Output Format

## Caring Review

**Verdict:** Ready / Needs Work / Half-Assed

**What's working:**
[specific strengths — be precise]

**What needs attention:**
[specific issues from the six checks — one per bullet, with suggested fix]

**The excellence move:**
[one specific thing that would elevate this from good to excellent]

Notes

• Don't soften the verdict to spare feelings — that's the most half-assed thing you can do.
• If something is genuinely excellent, say so and say why. Caring includes recognising good work.
• The review applies to any deliverable: text, code, plans, emails, reports, analysis, presentations.
• See references/examples.md for sample reviews across different content types.