Assess

Comprehensive assessment skill for answering "is this good?" with structured evaluation, scoring, and actionable recommendations.

Quick Start

/ork:assess backend/app/services/auth.py /ork:assess our caching strategy /ork:assess the current database schema /ork:assess frontend/src/components/Dashboard

STEP -1: MCP Probe + Resume Check

Load: Read("${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/chain-patterns/references/mcp-detection.md")

1. Probe MCP servers (once at skill start)

ToolSearch(query="select:mcp__memory__search_nodes")

2. Store capabilities

Write(".claude/chain/capabilities.json", { "memory": probe_memory.found, "skill": "assess", "timestamp": now() })

3. Check for resume

state = Read(".claude/chain/state.json") # may not exist if state.skill == "assess" and state.status == "in_progress": last_handoff = Read(f".claude/chain/{state.last_handoff}")

Phase Handoffs

Phase Handoff File Contents

0 00-intent.json

Dimensions, target, mode

1 01-baseline.json

Initial codebase scan results

2 02-evaluation.json

Per-dimension scores + evidence

3 03-report.json

Final report, grade, recommendations

STEP 0: Verify User Intent with AskUserQuestion

BEFORE creating tasks, clarify assessment dimensions:

AskUserQuestion( questions=[{ "question": "What dimensions to assess?", "header": "Dimensions", "options": [ {"label": "Full assessment (Recommended)", "description": "All dimensions: quality, maintainability, security, performance", "markdown": "\nFull Assessment (7 phases)\n──────────────────────────\n Dimensions scored 0-10:\n ┌─────────────────────────────┐\n │ Correctness ████████░░ │\n │ Maintainability ██████░░░░ │\n │ Security █████████░ │\n │ Performance ███████░░░ │\n │ Testability ██████░░░░ │\n │ Architecture ████████░░ │\n │ Documentation █████░░░░░ │\n └─────────────────────────────┘\n + Pros/cons + alternatives\n + Effort estimates + report\n Agents: 4 parallel evaluators\n"}, {"label": "Code quality only", "description": "Readability, complexity, best practices", "markdown": "\nCode Quality Focus\n──────────────────\n Dimensions scored 0-10:\n ┌─────────────────────────────┐\n │ Correctness ████████░░ │\n │ Maintainability ██████░░░░ │\n │ Testability ██████░░░░ │\n └─────────────────────────────┘\n Skip: security, performance\n Agents: 1 code-quality-reviewer\n Output: Score + best practice gaps\n"}, {"label": "Security focus", "description": "Vulnerabilities, attack surface, compliance", "markdown": "\nSecurity Focus\n──────────────\n ┌──────────────────────────┐\n │ OWASP Top 10 check │\n │ Dependency CVE scan │\n │ Auth/AuthZ flow review │\n │ Data flow tracing │\n │ Secrets detection │\n └──────────────────────────┘\n Agent: security-auditor\n Output: Vuln list + severity\n + remediation steps\n"}, {"label": "Quick score", "description": "Just give me a 0-10 score with brief notes", "markdown": "\nQuick Score\n───────────\n Single pass, ~2 min:\n\n Read target ──▶ Score ──▶ Done\n 7.2/10\n\n Output:\n ├── Composite score (0-10)\n ├── Grade (A-F)\n ├── 3 strengths\n └── 3 improvements\n No agents, no deep analysis\n"} ], "multiSelect": false }] )

Based on answer, adjust workflow:

• Full assessment: All 7 phases, parallel agents

• Code quality only: Skip security and performance phases

• Security focus: Prioritize security-auditor agent

• Quick score: Single pass, brief output

STEP 0b: Select Orchestration Mode

Load details: Read("${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/orchestration-mode.md") for env var check logic, Agent Teams vs Task Tool comparison, and mode selection rules.

Task Management (CC 2.1.16)

TaskCreate( subject="Assess: {target}", description="Comprehensive evaluation with quality scores and recommendations", activeForm="Assessing {target}" )

What This Skill Answers

Question How It's Answered

"Is this good?" Quality score 0-10 with reasoning

"What are the trade-offs?" Structured pros/cons list

"Should we change this?" Improvement suggestions with effort

"What are the alternatives?" Comparison with scores

"Where should we focus?" Prioritized recommendations

Workflow Overview

Phase Activities Output

1. Target Understanding Read code/design, identify scope Context summary

1.5. Scope Discovery Build bounded file list Scoped file list

2. Quality Rating 7-dimension scoring (0-10) Scores with reasoning

3. Pros/Cons Analysis Strengths and weaknesses Balanced evaluation

4. Alternative Comparison Score alternatives Comparison matrix

5. Improvement Suggestions Actionable recommendations Prioritized list

6. Effort Estimation Time and complexity estimates Effort breakdown

7. Assessment Report Compile findings Final report

Phase 1: Target Understanding

Identify what's being assessed and gather context:

PARALLEL - Gather context

Read(file_path="$ARGUMENTS[0]") # If file path Grep(pattern="$ARGUMENTS[0]", output_mode="files_with_matches") mcp__memory__search_nodes(query="$ARGUMENTS[0]") # Past decisions

Phase 1.5: Scope Discovery

Load Read("${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/scope-discovery.md") for the full file discovery, limit application (MAX 30 files), and sampling priority logic. Always include the scoped file list in every agent prompt.

Phase 2: Quality Rating (7 Dimensions)

Rate each dimension 0-10 with weighted composite score. Load Read("${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/quality-model.md") for dimensions, weights, and grade interpretation. Load Read("${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/scoring-rubric.md") for per-dimension criteria.

Load Read("${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/agent-spawn-definitions.md") for Task Tool mode spawn patterns and Agent Teams alternative.

Composite Score: Weighted average of all 7 dimensions (see quality-model.md).

Phases 3-7: Analysis, Comparison & Report

Load Read("${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/phase-templates.md") for output templates for pros/cons, alternatives, improvements, effort, and the final report.

See also: Read("${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/alternative-analysis.md") | Read("${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/improvement-prioritization.md")

Grade Interpretation

Load Read("${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/quality-model.md") for scoring dimensions, weights, and grade interpretation.

Key Decisions

Decision Choice Rationale

7 dimensions Comprehensive coverage All quality aspects without overwhelming

0-10 scale Industry standard Easy to understand and compare

Parallel assessment 4 agents (7 dimensions) Fast, thorough evaluation

Effort/Impact scoring 1-5 scale Simple prioritization math

Rules Quick Reference

Rule Impact What It Covers

complexity-metrics (load ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/rules/complexity-metrics.md ) HIGH 7-criterion scoring (1-5), complexity levels, thresholds

complexity-breakdown (load ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/rules/complexity-breakdown.md ) HIGH Task decomposition strategies, risk assessment

Related Skills

• assess-complexity

• Task complexity assessment

• ork:verify

• Post-implementation verification

• ork:code-review-playbook

• Code review patterns

• ork:quality-gates

• Quality gate patterns

Version: 1.1.0 (February 2026)