generalize-skill

Extracts organization-specific values from a skill into a portable generalized skill and context file.

2|2|Updated Aug 29, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/AI-Lab-for-Cities-at-Harvard/civic-skill-exchange --skill generalize-skill-ai-lab-for-cities-at-harvard
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: generalize-skill
Source: https://github.com/AI-Lab-for-Cities-at-Harvard/civic-skill-exchange/tree/main/skills/civic-skills/generalize-skill
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/AI-Lab-for-Cities-at-Harvard/civic-skill-exchange --skill generalize-skill-ai-lab-for-cities-at-harvard

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) and assets (resource) components.

What problem does it solve? A skill written for one city, county, or agency is full of local values — statute citations, dataset identifiers, form numbers, deadlines — that make it unusable anywhere else. Manually separating what is local from what is universal method is error-prone: miss one value and the next adopter gets confident wrong output with no warning. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Two-artifact separation: Produces a generalized skill with named slots plus a context file holding every extracted organization-specific value, so the portable skill carries no trace of its origin. - Scope-aware sorting: Determines the government tier and intended reach of the skill first, then sorts findings into local values, reusable method, and comparators against that boundary. - Uncertainty reporting: Records everything it could not confidently classify in GENERALIZE-NOTES.md rather than guessing, and produces drafts only — it decides nothing and publishes nothing. - Use Case: A Boston 311 analysis skill needs to be shared with other cities. Run this Skill to extract Boston-specific field names, dataset IDs, and approving officials into a context file, leaving a generalized skill any city can adopt via the companion localize-skill. ## Quick Start Generalize the skill in this directory so it can be adopted by other organizations, extracting all local values into a context file.

Frequently Asked Questions about generalize-skill

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I make a skill written for one city reusable by other cities?

Run the generalize process to extract every organization-specific value — names, citations, identifiers, deadlines — into a context file, leaving a generalized skill with named slots. The companion localize-skill then fills that context for the adopting organization.

What is the difference between a generalized and a localized skill?

A localized skill carries one jurisdiction's statute citations, form numbers, and deadlines. A generalized skill has those values lifted out into a context file with slots, so it can travel to other organizations that fill in their own values.

Does generalize-skill decide which values are local automatically?

It sorts values against a scope boundary it determines first, but anything it cannot confidently classify is recorded in GENERALIZE-NOTES.md with which way the evidence leaned. It never resolves uncertainty by guessing — the author answers those.

Can I use generalize-skill without localize-skill?

Yes. The generalized skill and context template it produces can be filled in by hand, which is often faster for a small skill. localize-skill adds value on the second adoption by keeping an organization's answers in a reusable profile.

When should I not use generalize-skill?

Skip it for skills with no organization-specific content, since it would find nothing. It is also not a review — it does not check whether a skill is correct, safe, or worth adopting.