Brief Storyline Architect

Use this skill to produce a BCG/McKinsey-style narrative backbone before authoring.

Bundled materials

Read in this order:

1. references/workflow.md
2. references/validation-checklist.md
3. references/quality-standard.md
4. references/term-sheet.md
5. references/repo-map.md
6. references/tracking-readme.md
7. assets/templates/storyline-architecture-template.md
8. assets/templates/open-questions-template.md
9. assets/templates/decision-log-template.md

Inputs

• project brief (tracking/document-brief.md or equivalent)
• evidence catalog outputs from input-evidence-cataloger
• key source materials in inputs/processed/

Core outcome

Produce a top-down storyline that is testable against evidence.

Required outputs

1. tracking/storyline-architecture.md
2. tracking/open-questions.md updates for proof gaps
3. tracking/decision-log.md entries for major storyline choices

Quality gate

Apply references/quality-standard.md before finalizing outputs.

Working materials discipline

• keep storyline state in tracking/storyline-architecture.md
• keep unresolved proof gaps in tracking/open-questions.md
• keep storyline judgment calls in tracking/decision-log.md
• build the artifact through skeleton, bullet logic, short prose, flow pass, and neutral-language pass

Back-iteration loop

1. draft initial storyline pillars and support logic
2. challenge each claim against evidence coverage
3. revise storyline for weak logic or overlap
4. update outputs and unresolved items before handoff

Storyline contract

tracking/storyline-architecture.md should contain:

1. governing question
2. audience and decision context
3. top-level answer
4. 3-7 storyline pillars with one-sentence claims
5. section-level support logic per pillar
6. required evidence per claim
7. risk and objection handling notes
8. unresolved issues and next validation steps

Quality rules

• Claims must be falsifiable and evidence-bound.
• No section should exist without a clear decision or implication purpose.
• Separate what is known, inferred, and unknown.
• Keep the storyline concise enough to fit on one review page before expansion.

Do not

• jump into full prose drafting
• treat weakly supported claims as settled
• bury unresolved proof gaps