05 — 58 Practical Sub-skills

10 AI Skills

The practical abilities that turn AI from a curiosity into your competitive advantage. From day-one essentials to system-building mastery.

What It Is

Skills describe what you CAN DO — not which tool you use. The framework is tool-agnostic and designed to remain stable even as specific AI tools change.

Assessment measures CAPABILITY (stable). Curriculum teaches HOW (updatable).

Tier 1: Foundation

Foundation — Where Everyone Starts

Skill 1: Prompting

Get AI to do exactly what you need — every time.

Sub-skillDescription
Structured CommunicationClear instructions with role, context, format, and examples
Context DesignRight background documents, examples, screenshots, transcripts
Iterative RefinementGiving feedback until the output is exactly what you need
Multi-modal InputVoice, screenshots, PDFs, videos — all as AI inputs
Meta-promptingHaving AI write better prompts for you
Deep ResearchAI research across hundreds of sources

Skill 2: Tool Selection

Always use the right AI tool for the job.

Sub-skillDescription
Business Problem MappingStart with the problem, not the tool
Tool Ecosystem AwarenessKey categories of AI tools and what each solves
Model LiteracyDifferences between AI models — and when each shines
Comparative EvaluationTesting the same task with 2–3 tools
Tool IntegrationConnecting tools via integrations and APIs
Toolkit CurationMaintaining your AI toolkit over time
Security & Data ClassificationKeeping sensitive data safe while using AI

Skill 3: AI Assistants

Build your personal AI team that knows your work.

Sub-skillDescription
Assistant DesignCustom instructions, knowledge, and examples
Knowledge Base ManagementReference documents that keep assistants accurate
Voice & PersonalizationAI that writes like you, not like a robot
Tool ConnectionConnecting assistants to your systems
Team SharingShared libraries of assistants and prompts

Tier 2: Advanced

Advanced — Where the Magic Happens

Skill 4: Knowledge Management

Never lose an insight — make everything compound.

Sub-skillDescription
Knowledge CaptureQuick capture by voice, photo, or note
AI-Powered OrganizationAI restructures and cleans your notes
Knowledge ConnectionYour knowledge + AI = instant expert answers
Documentation HabitDo something twice? Document it.
Progressive Distillation50 pages → 5 → 5 points → 1 sentence
Generalization & ReuseTurn one-off work into reusable systems

Skill 5: Content Creation

Produce 10x more content in half the time.

Sub-skillDescription
AI-Assisted WritingEmails, posts, articles, proposals — at speed
Voice & Style PreservationAI that writes in YOUR tone of voice
Multi-Format FluencyText, graphics, presentations, audio, video
One-to-Many ProductionOne input → 10+ outputs for different channels
Editorial JudgmentCatching what AI gets wrong
Batch ProductionFrom manual to automated content pipelines

Skill 6: Data Work

Get answers from any data — no PhD required.

Sub-skillDescription
Conversational AnalysisUpload data and ask "what's interesting?"
Unstructured ProcessingTranscripts, emails, PDFs → structured insights
Scripted ProcessingScripts for thousands of records
Critical EvaluationKnowing when AI is wrong about numbers
Insight CommunicationClear charts and reports

Skill 7: Project Acceleration

Turn weeks of work into hours.

Sub-skillDescription
AI-Assisted DecompositionBreak any project into AI-powered steps
Deep Research & SynthesisHundreds of sources, synthesized in minutes
Rapid PrototypingWorking demos within hours
Expert SimulationAI expert panels review your work
Sprint MethodologyForced speed as a design principle

Skill 8: Vibe Coding

Build your own apps & tools — zero programming required.

Sub-skillDescription
Problem-First SpecificationDescribe the problem, AI designs the solution
Rapid PrototypingFunctional prototypes in hours
Script & Program WritingAutomate tasks, process data, orchestrate
API & AI IntegrationConnect to AI models, databases, third-party tools
Code ComprehensionUnderstand what AI generated
Deployment & SharingShip it, share it, let others use it

Tier 3: Expert

Expert — System-Building Mastery

Skill 9: Automation

Make repetitive work disappear.

Sub-skillDescription
Process SimplificationSimplify before you automate
No-Code AutomationTriggers, conditions, branching
AI-Enhanced WorkflowsAI steps inside classic workflows
Human-in-the-LoopWhere humans decide, where AI does
Error HandlingWhat happens when automation fails
Continuous ImprovementKeeping automations relevant

Skill 10: Autonomous Workflows

Design AI systems that work independently.

Sub-skillDescription
Agent ArchitectureGoals, tools, guardrails, decision rules
Multi-Agent OrchestrationMultiple specialized agents together
Guardrails & OversightBoundaries and escalation rules
Performance MonitoringEnsuring consistent delivery over time

Methodology Notes

Internal Framework: 9 Competencies × 58 Sub-skills

Public SkillInternal CompetencySub-skills
PromptingAI Communication6
Tool SelectionAI Navigation7
AI AssistantsAI Systems (partial)5
Knowledge ManagementKnowledge Architecture7
Content CreationContent Production6
Data WorkData Intelligence7
Project AccelerationProject Acceleration6
Vibe CodingApp Building7
AutomationWorkflow Automation6
Autonomous WorkflowsAI Systems (partial)6

Skills ↔ Superpowers Mapping

SuperpowerRelated Skills
PerceptionTool Selection, Knowledge Management
IntelligencePrompting, Data Work
KnowledgeKnowledge Management, Content Creation
CreationContent Creation, Vibe Coding, Project Acceleration
IntegrationAutomation, Autonomous Workflows, Vibe Coding

How We Assess It

In the Free Assessment

Skills are NOT assessed individually. Instead, 25 forced-choice items capture dimension-level signals that imply skill proficiency. Output: "Your strongest skill areas" (top 3, inferred).

In the Full Assessment

Layer 2 AI conversation probes skill depth through natural dialogue. Scenario responses scored against relevant skills. Proficiency levels 1–5:

LevelLabelMeaning
1AwareKnows it exists, hasn't practiced
2TryingHas tried it 1–2 times
3PracticingUses it regularly
4ProficientUses deliberately with sophistication
5TeachingCould teach others; designs systems around it

Open Questions