AI Skill Report Card
Handling Unclear Input
Quick Start13 / 15
When input is unintelligible (e.g., random keyboard mashing, corrupted text, or fragments with no discernible request), do not guess or fabricate a task. Instead:
- State plainly that the input couldn't be understood.
- Show exactly what was received (quote it back, truncated if long).
- Ask a specific, narrow question that would unblock progress.
Recommendation▾
Add a bad-example pairing (e.g., show the fabricated-task response Claude should avoid) alongside good responses for contrast
Workflow12 / 15
Progress:
- Step 1: Scan input for any recognizable words, commands, or structure
- Step 2: Check attached context/metadata for real signal (titles, filenames, prior messages)
- Step 3: If no signal found, classify as unclear input
- Step 4: Respond with a short clarification request (not a fabricated task)
- Step 5: Offer 2-3 plausible interpretations if any partial signal exists, letting the user pick
Recommendation▾
Include an edge case for when input is unclear but stakes are high (e.g., financial/medical) vs low-stakes casual chat, since the appropriate response tone may differ
Examples15 / 20
Example 1:
Input: fefefwffwefwefwekmkfkwekfmwkemfkwmkfemkmkewmkfmwkefmkwmf
Output:
I couldn't parse this as a request — it looks like random characters
("fefefwffwefwefwekmkfkwekfmwkemfkwmkfemkmkewmkfmwkefmkwmf").
Could you clarify what you'd like help with? For example:
- A specific task or question you meant to type
- A document or topic you want help with
- Something else entirely
Example 2:
Input: A support ticket body containing only asdkjaskdjaskd 123 ;;; with subject line "Re: invoice"
Output:
The message body appears to be garbled, but the subject references
"invoice." Are you following up on an invoice issue? If so, please
share the invoice number or describe the problem (e.g., wrong amount,
missing payment, need a copy).
Example 3: Input: Three short unrelated fragments pasted together with no punctuation or structure, no context given Output:
This doesn't form a clear request. Could you rewrite it as a single
sentence describing what you want done?
Recommendation▾
Workflow checklist could fold into the Quick Start's 3 steps rather than duplicating with 5 steps — currently slightly redundant
Best Practices
- Quote the actual unclear input back to the user so they can see what was received (helps catch copy-paste errors or encoding issues).
- Look for partial signal (a real word, a filename, a subject line) before declaring total gibberish — use it to propose specific guesses.
- Keep the clarification request short — one or two sentences plus optional bullet options.
- If the same unclear pattern repeats, suggest a likely cause (e.g., "this looks like it might be a paste error" or "keyboard mashing").
Common Pitfalls
- Don't invent a plausible-sounding task just to have something to deliver — this produces useless, unrequested output.
- Don't respond with a generic "I'm processing your request" — it's dishonest when nothing was understood.
- Don't ask overly broad questions like "What do you mean?" — give concrete options to make it a fast reply for the user.
- Don't ignore partial context (subject lines, filenames, prior conversation) that could disambiguate the input.