Reference Project Synthesizer

Convert source cards into project decisions. This skill answers: What does this source mean for our project?

Use after reference-reading-summarizer has produced a source card. Do not repeatedly re-read raw sources unless the card is insufficient or low confidence.

Skill Directory Layout

<installed-skill-dir>/
├── SKILL.md
├── references/
│   └── project-link-routing.md
└── templates/
    └── project-use-note.md

Core Contract

• Read project memory before linking a source to claims, experiments, risks, implementation, collaborator actions, or writing.
• Use source cards as compressed inputs. Raw source files and raw reading trajectories stay out of project memory.
• Stronger reasoning is required when the source changes a claim, baseline, benchmark, novelty boundary, implementation plan, collaborator commitment, or project seed.
• Every project implication should link to a source card, confidence level, and target memory object.
• Do not promote a cheap skim into a project decision without marking uncertainty or requesting deeper reading.

Inputs

Prefer:

• reference/cards/<source-id>.md
• reference/.agent/source-index.md
• reference/.agent/processing-status.md
• backward-compatible reference/.agent/reference-index.md and reading-status.md
• memory/current-status.md
• memory/claim-board.md
• memory/evidence-board.md
• memory/risk-board.md
• memory/action-board.md
• paper/.agent/writing-contract.md
• code/.agent/benchmark-plan.md or equivalent, when present

Model Routing

Read references/project-link-routing.md.

• Tier 2 normal main model: routine project-use notes, citation placement, writing-pattern routing, structured feedback actions.
• Tier 3 strong/deep model: closest-work risk, must-have baseline, benchmark protocol, core algorithm/theory impact, project seed, conflicted collaborator feedback, final positioning.
• Do not use cheap sidecar output as the final authority for project decisions.

Workflow

1. Locate the project root and existing memory.
2. Read the relevant source card and its confidence/provenance.
3. Identify requested synthesis mode:
   • claim support or challenge
   • baseline implication
   • benchmark/task/protocol implication
   • method/theory implication
   • implementation implication
   • writing pattern
   • citation placement
   • collaborator feedback/action
   • project spec/constraint
   • project seed
   • reviewer-risk or novelty boundary
4. Create or update reference/project-use/<source-id>.md from templates/project-use-note.md.
5. Write only durable conclusions into project memory — link-mode determines target:
   • claim support/challenge → memory/claim-board.md + memory/evidence-board.md
   • identified risk or blocker → memory/risk-board.md + memory/action-board.md
   • baseline or benchmark → code-side docs/experiments/ or memory/evidence-board.md
   • implementation hint → code-side design doc or memory/decision-log.md
   • writing exemplar or style pattern → paper/.agent/writing-memory/ via paper-writing-memory-manager
   • reviewer-risk or novelty framing → memory/risk-board.md or paper/.agent/paper-evidence-board.md
   • provenance link → memory/provenance-board.md
6. If the card is too weak, route back to reference-reading-summarizer with the required reading mode.

Output Rules

Each project-use note should include:

• one-line project relevance
• supported or challenged claims
• baseline, benchmark, implementation, or spec implications
• algorithm/theory implications
• writing/citation implications
• collaborator actions if relevant
• risks and actions
• confidence and required follow-up

End with the closure audit:

Goal: What project question did this source help answer?
Answer: What did we learn?
Path: Which card, sections/files, and memory objects support this?
Correctness: Why should we trust it, and what needs deeper reading?
Next: What changes in the project?