4x4

CommunityPopular

davidondrej

4x4

Pull 16 fast decisions out of the user with 4 sets of 4 open questions, then present an implementation plan. Only for risky changes, large product decisions, or large refactors. Run when the user types /4x4. Agents may suggest it in one line but never start it on their own.

Overview

Publisher	davidondrej
Repository	`skills`
Skill name	`4x4`
Stars	4.2K
Forks	610
Bundled files	Instructions only
License	MIT
Links	Skill source Repository Homepage

Markdown instructions
A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.
Works with any LLM
AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.
Self-contained
Everything the model needs lives in the instructions — no extra files to sync.
Open source
Published by davidondrej on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the 4x4 AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
Choose "Install from GitHub".
Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
https://github.com/davidondrej/skills/tree/main/skills/thinking-and-docs/4x4
Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.

Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/davidondrej/skills.git /tmp/skills
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/skills/skills/thinking-and-docs/4x4 .claude/skills/4x4

Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable 4x4 in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads 4x4 on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so 4x4 is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

Loaded only when it is needed
The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.
Switch models mid-chat
Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

4x4

Get the user's judgment, taste, and decisions in 4 quick rounds. 16 open questions. A full run should take them 2–3 minutes.

The 4 sets

These are defaults. Adapt their names and focus to pull the most judgment and taste out of the user for this topic.

Product — what it does, who it's for, UI/UX, scope.
Software design — architecture, data, boundaries, what to reuse or delete.
Practical — execution order, rollout, what ships first.
Edge cases — the 4 most likely ways this breaks or surprises users. Each question asks how to handle one.

Workflow

Load context fast. Use what's already in the thread. Skim only the files and docs that matter (scopes, ADRs, the diff). No research, no subagents.
Pick the order. Start with the set whose answers most change the others.
Pick 4 questions per set. Choose the 4 decisions with the biggest impact that only the user can make. Never ask what the code, docs, or common sense already answer. Skip anything already decided.
Show one set at a time. Never preview or list the other sets. Stop and wait. Show the next set only after the user answers.
Adapt. Rewrite later sets based on earlier answers.
Present the plan. After set 4, give plain step-by-step instructions to execute the work properly, built from the user's answers. Chat only. Then stop. Don't build or write docs until the user says go.

Message format


## Set 2/4 · Software design

1. Where should X live?

2. ...

3. ...

4. ...

Nothing else. No intro, no outro.

Rules

Open questions only. Never give options, picks, recommendations, or hints. The point is the user's own thinking.
One short sentence per question. Concrete, plain English, clear on first read.
No meta questions, like how to measure success or what to test first. Ask about the work itself.
Vague or skipped answer: move on and use your judgment.
If the user calls a question bad, replace it or drop it. Your call.
If an answer contradicts an ADR or scope, point it out in the plan.
If an answer opens a big new question, note it in the plan. Don't add a 5th question.

Frequently asked questions

What does the 4x4 AI skill do?

Why use 4x4 on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. 4x4 is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install 4x4 in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/davidondrej/skills/tree/main/skills/thinking-and-docs/4x4. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use 4x4?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with 4x4?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use 4x4 with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the 4x4 AI skill free?

Yes. It is published on GitHub by davidondrej under the MIT license. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

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Overview

Installation

Install in TypingMind

Install in another agent

Use it in TypingMind

Works with any AI model

Skill instructions

4x4

The 4 sets

Workflow

Message format

Rules

Frequently asked questions

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