# Iteration Philosophy

The first skill package is a routeable baseline, not the final answer.

## Principle

Improve the skill by the smallest change that increases reliability more than it increases context cost.

## What Good Iteration Looks Like

- tighten boundary before adding prose
- improve description before enlarging the file tree
- add references only when they remove ambiguity
- add scripts only when deterministic logic repeats
- add gates only when risk justifies maintenance cost
- prefer one strong next step over five vague upgrades

## Default Priority Order

1. trigger clarity and exclusions
2. execution assets that remove repeated manual work
3. promotion, governance, and portability only when reuse justifies them

## First-Version Rule

After the initial package is created, always surface the three highest-value next iteration directions. This keeps the author focused on the best improvement path instead of expanding the skill in every direction at once.

## Anti-Pattern

Do not treat iteration as "make the package bigger." A larger package is only better when routing, execution, or governance becomes materially more reliable.
