failure-taxonomy

Builds a structured taxonomy of failure modes from open-coded trace annotations using axial coding.

10|Updated Feb 19, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/maragudk/evals-skills --skill failure-taxonomy
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: failure-taxonomy
Source: https://github.com/maragudk/evals-skills/tree/main/skills/failure-taxonomy
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/maragudk/evals-skills --skill failure-taxonomy

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

This Skill transforms unstructured, freeform annotations from LLM trace reviews into a structured, actionable taxonomy of failure modes, enabling systematic error analysis and improvement.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Axial Coding: Groups open-coded annotations into coherent, non-overlapping binary failure categories.
  • Taxonomy Building: Defines clear titles, definitions, and examples for each failure mode.
  • Re-labeling & Quantification: Applies the taxonomy to traces and calculates error rates for prioritization.
  • Use Case: After reviewing 50 user interactions with a chatbot, you have raw notes like "bot misunderstood intent" or "gave irrelevant info". This Skill helps you cluster these into categories like "Intent Misinterpretation" or "Off-Topic Response" and quantify how often each occurs.

Quick Start

Use the failure-taxonomy skill to build a taxonomy from the provided annotations.

Frequently Asked Questions about failure-taxonomy

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I structure LLM error categories from freeform trace annotations?

You can structure LLM error categories from freeform trace annotations by applying axial coding to group raw notes into coherent, non-overlapping binary failure modes. This process defines clear titles, definitions, and examples for systematic error categorization.

What is axial coding in LLM evaluation pipelines?

Axial coding in LLM evaluation pipelines is a methodology that groups open-coded trace annotations into structured, non-overlapping failure categories. It transforms unstructured review notes into an actionable taxonomy for quantifying error rates.

How do I quantify LLM failure modes after open-coded trace reviews?

To quantify LLM failure modes, you apply a structured taxonomy back to your traces to re-label them. This allows you to calculate exact error rates for each category, enabling systematic prioritization of model improvements.

Do I need domain expertise to build a failure taxonomy for chatbot interactions?

Yes, building a failure taxonomy requires domain expertise and iterative refinement to define binary, application-specific, and actionable failure categories from raw trace review notes.

What's the best way to categorize chatbot misunderstandings and irrelevant responses?

The best way to categorize chatbot issues like misunderstandings or irrelevant responses is using axial coding to cluster raw notes into distinct categories like "Intent Misinterpretation". This creates a structured taxonomy for quantifying how often each failure occurs.