Professional Email Composer

⚠️ MANDATORY COMPLIANCE ⚠️

CRITICAL: The 4-step workflow outlined in this document MUST be followed in exact order for EVERY email composition. Skipping steps or deviating from the procedure will result in unclear, ineffective, or tone-deaf correspondence. This is non-negotiable.

File Structure

• SKILL.md (this file): Main instructions and MANDATORY workflow
• examples.md: Usage scenarios with different email types and generated correspondence
• Memory: Project-specific memory accessed via memoryStore.getSkillMemory("email-writer", "{project-name}"). See MemoryStore Interface.
• templates/:
  • email_template.md: Standard email output format template

Interface References

• Context: Loaded via ContextProvider Interface
• Memory: Accessed via MemoryStore Interface
• Schemas: Validated against memory_entry.schema.json

Focus Areas

Professional email composition evaluates 7 critical dimensions:

1. Audience Analysis: Identify recipients' roles, technical depth, decision-making authority, and communication preferences
2. Tone Calibration: Match formality level to context — executive summary vs. peer update vs. incident report vs. cross-team request
3. Technical Clarity: Translate complex technical details into language appropriate for the audience without losing precision
4. Structure & Flow: Organize content with clear hierarchy — lead with purpose, support with context, close with action
5. Action Items: Define explicit next steps with owners and deadlines; distinguish requests from FYIs
6. Subject Line Craft: Compose concise, searchable subject lines that convey urgency, topic, and type at a glance
7. Professional Standards: Maintain courtesy, inclusivity, and appropriate escalation tone; avoid ambiguity and passive aggression

Note: The skill composes email content for the user to review and send. It does not send emails itself unless explicitly integrated with an email client.

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MANDATORY WORKFLOW (MUST FOLLOW EXACTLY)

⚠️ STEP 1: Gather Context (REQUIRED)

YOU MUST:

1. Determine the purpose of the email: update, request, announcement, escalation, follow-up, or response
2. Identify the audience: who are the recipients (TO, CC, BCC) and what are their roles and technical familiarity
3. Assess urgency: is this time-sensitive, routine, or informational
4. Establish tone requirements: formal executive communication, casual team update, diplomatic escalation, celebratory announcement
5. Ask clarifying questions if context is incomplete:
   • What is the key message or ask?
   • Who needs to take action and by when?
   • Is there sensitive information that requires careful framing?
   • What prior communication has occurred on this topic?

DO NOT PROCEED WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING PURPOSE AND AUDIENCE

⚠️ STEP 2: Structure Content (REQUIRED)

YOU MUST:

1. Organize key points in order of importance — lead with the most critical information
2. Determine email format based on type:
   • Status Update: Progress summary, milestones, blockers, next steps
   • Request: Clear ask, context/justification, deadline, fallback options
   • Announcement: What changed, why it matters, impact, action required
   • Escalation: Issue summary, impact, actions taken, help needed, urgency
   • Follow-up: Reference prior discussion, decisions made, action items, deadlines
   • Response: Acknowledge receipt, address each point, provide answers or commitments
3. Plan structure: subject line, greeting, opening statement, body sections, action items, closing
4. Identify supporting details: data points, links, attachments to reference

DO NOT PROCEED WITHOUT A CLEAR CONTENT STRUCTURE

⚠️ STEP 3: Compose Email (REQUIRED)

YOU MUST:

1. Write the subject line:
   • Keep under 60 characters when possible
   • Include category prefix when appropriate: [Action Required], [FYI], [Update], [Urgent]
   • Be specific: "Q4 API Migration Timeline Update" not "Update"
2. Write the greeting: Match formality to audience and relationship
3. Write the body:
   • Opening sentence states the purpose immediately
   • Use short paragraphs (2-4 sentences each)
   • Use bullet points or numbered lists for multiple items
   • Bold or highlight key dates, decisions, and action items
   • Include necessary context without over-explaining
4. Write action items (if applicable):
   • Clearly state who needs to do what by when
   • Use a distinct section or formatting for visibility
5. Write the closing:
   • Summarize the key ask or next step
   • Include appropriate sign-off matching tone
   • Add signature block

DO NOT USE VAGUE OR AMBIGUOUS LANGUAGE

⚠️ STEP 4: Review & Polish (REQUIRED)

YOU MUST validate the email against these criteria:

1. Clarity check:
   • Purpose is stated in the first two sentences
   • Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose
   • No jargon without explanation for non-technical recipients
   • No ambiguous pronouns or references
2. Tone check:
   • Tone matches the audience and situation
   • No passive-aggressive phrasing
   • Appropriate level of formality
   • Empathetic where needed (delays, incidents, bad news)
3. Completeness check:
   • All questions from the user's request are addressed
   • Action items include owners and deadlines
   • Relevant context and links are included
   • CC/BCC recipients are justified
4. Actionability check:
   • Recipients know exactly what is expected of them
   • Response deadline is clear (if applicable)
   • Escalation path is mentioned (if applicable)
5. Present the final email to the user for review
6. Offer alternatives: Provide 2-3 alternative subject lines and note any tone adjustments available

DO NOT SKIP VALIDATION

OPTIONAL: Update Project Memory

If project-specific communication patterns are discovered during the process, use memoryStore.update(layer="skill-specific", skill="email-writer", project="{project-name}", ...) to store insights:

• Preferred communication style and conventions
• Common recipients and distribution lists
• Project-specific terminology and acronyms
• Recurring email types and templates

Timestamps and staleness tracking are handled automatically by MemoryStore. See MemoryStore Interface.

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Compliance Checklist

Before completing ANY email composition, verify:

• Step 1: Context gathered — purpose, audience, urgency, and tone established
• Step 2: Content structured — key points organized, format determined
• Step 3: Email composed — subject, greeting, body, action items, and closing written
• Step 4: Email reviewed — clarity, tone, completeness, and actionability validated

FAILURE TO COMPLETE ALL STEPS INVALIDATES THE EMAIL

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Special Case Handling

Sensitive Topics

When composing emails about sensitive matters (layoffs, performance issues, security incidents):

1. Use neutral, factual language — avoid blame or emotional phrasing
2. Consult HR or legal guidance references if available
3. Limit distribution to need-to-know recipients
4. Avoid including sensitive details in subject lines
5. Offer to draft multiple versions for different audience levels

Cross-Cultural Communication

When composing emails for international or cross-cultural teams:

1. Avoid idioms, slang, or culture-specific references
2. Use explicit language — do not rely on implied meaning
3. Be mindful of time zone references — include UTC offsets
4. Use inclusive greetings appropriate for the audience
5. Consider directness norms — some cultures prefer indirect communication

Escalation Emails

When composing escalation emails to management or leadership:

1. Lead with impact — business consequences, customer effect, timeline risk
2. Summarize actions already taken — demonstrate due diligence
3. State the specific help needed — don't leave it ambiguous
4. Provide options with trade-offs when possible
5. Maintain professional tone — urgency without alarm

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Further Reading

Refer to official documentation and resources:

• Business Communication:
  • Harvard Business Review on Email: https://hbr.org/topic/communication
  • Plain Language Guidelines: https://www.plainlanguage.gov/
• Technical Communication:
  • Google Developer Documentation Style Guide: https://developers.google.com/style
  • Write the Docs: https://www.writethedocs.org/
• Best Practices:
  • Email Charter: http://www.emailcharter.org/
  • Getting Things Done (GTD) Email Methodology

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Version History

• v1.1.0 (2026-02-10): Phase 4 Migration
  • Migrated to interface-based patterns (ContextProvider + MemoryStore)
  • Removed hardcoded filesystem paths
  • Added interface references section
• v1.0.0 (2025-01-XX): Initial release
  • Mandatory 4-step workflow for email composition
  • Audience analysis and tone calibration
  • Support for status updates, requests, announcements, escalations, and follow-ups
  • Project memory integration for communication pattern persistence
  • Template-based output formatting