Skill: Technical Figure Understanding
Purpose
Read engineering figures deeply enough that a book, paper, or report can explain
what the figure shows and why it matters. This skill complements
figure-discussion: this skill extracts and classifies visual evidence;
figure-discussion turns that evidence into observation, mechanism,
implication, and recommendation prose.
Use this skill for lecture slides, notebook plots, process diagrams, flow maps,
equipment sketches, case-study layouts, decision matrices, and source-document
figures that need to be placed into textbook or engineering-report context.
Inputs
For every figure, gather as many of these inputs as available:
| Input |
Examples |
| Image file |
figures/ch04_s06_ipr_vlp.png |
| Existing caption or alt text |
Markdown image alt text, results.json.figure_captions |
| Source metadata |
lecture folder, PPTX slide, PDF page, notebook path, generated script |
| Surrounding text |
preceding and following chapter paragraphs |
| Chapter plan |
chapter_outlines.yaml, learning objectives, section heading |
| Computed data |
notebook outputs, results.json, CSV tables |
Figure Classes
Classify the figure before writing about it:
| Class |
What to extract |
| Plot |
axes, units, scales, legend, trends, extrema, intersections, thresholds |
| Flow map |
axes, operating points, regime boundaries, transition risks |
| Process diagram |
unit operations, stream directions, recycle loops, control signals |
| Layout/map |
distance, route, host/tieback relationships, bottlenecks |
| Decision matrix |
options, criteria, dominant trade-off, ranking |
| Equipment sketch |
internals, dimensions, physical function, design constraint |
| Table screenshot |
row/column headers, numeric values, units, caveats |
| Cover/decorative art |
topic signalling only; usually exempt from discussion gate |
| Photo/corporate image |
provenance and rights check before inclusion |
Extraction Checklist
For each figure, record:
visual_type: one of the classes above.visible_text: OCR or manual transcription of labels and annotations.axes: label, unit, and scale for each axis if applicable.data_readout: quantitative values that are visibly supported.trend_summary: the dominant trend or comparison.chapter_section: the section where the figure belongs.learning_objective_links: learning objectives supported by the figure.source: file, slide/page, notebook, or generated script.confidence: high, medium, or low.review_status: draft, needs-human-check, approved, or exempt.
Safety Rules
- Do not invent numbers from a low-resolution plot. If values are not readable,
say the figure qualitatively shows the trend.
- Use OCR/vision output as evidence candidates, not as final truth.
- Prefer notebook data or
results.json over eyeballing plot values.
- Preserve provenance. A useful figure without source metadata is not release-ready.
- Mark cover art, decorative images, and photo-like corporate slides as
exempt
or needs-rights-check instead of forcing technical interpretation.
- Do not claim standards compliance unless the figure or surrounding text cites
the standard explicitly.
Dossier Schema
Every figure-understanding pass should write a dossier record:
{
"figure": "ch04_s06_ipr_vlp.png",
"figure_path": "chapters/ch04_flow_performance_production_systems/figures/ch04_s06_ipr_vlp.png",
"source": "notebook",
"source_file": "chapters/ch04_flow_performance_production_systems/notebooks/ch04_s06_ipr_vlp.ipynb",
"chapter": "ch04_flow_performance_production_systems",
"section": "4.3 Vertical-Lift Performance",
"visual_type": "plot",
"visible_text": ["IPR", "VLP", "Operating point"],
"axes": [
{"label": "Gas rate", "unit": "kSm3/d", "scale": "linear"},
{"label": "Bottom-hole pressure", "unit": "bara", "scale": "linear"}
],
"data_readout": ["Operating point: 586 kSm3/d, 161 bara"],
"caption": "IPR and VLP intersection for a gas well.",
"observation": "...",
"mechanism": "...",
"implication": "...",
"recommendation": "...",
"linked_learning_objectives": ["LO1", "LO5"],
"confidence": "high",
"review_status": "needs-human-check"
}
Discussion Handoff
After extracting evidence, hand the record to the figure-discussion skill.
The final manuscript block must appear immediately after the figure unless the
figure is exempt cover art.
Minimum block:
**Discussion (Figure 4.2).**
*Observation.* State the supported visual result with numbers or a clear
qualitative reading.
*Mechanism.* Explain the physics, engineering logic, equation, or NeqSim class
behind the result.
*Implication.* Explain what the result means for design, operation, economics,
or student reasoning.
*Recommendation.* Give a specific action tied to the figure.
Review Rubric
Before approving a figure dossier, check:
- The figure is in the right chapter and section.
- Caption is standalone and not filename-like.
- Units are visible or supplied by notebook/source data.
- Any numbers in the discussion are traceable to the figure or data.
- The recommendation is supported by the figure, not by unrelated knowledge.
- Source/provenance is sufficient for release.
1---2name: technical-figure-understanding3description: Skill: Technical Figure Understanding4---5# Skill: Technical Figure Understanding67## Purpose89Read engineering figures deeply enough that a book, paper, or report can explain10what the figure shows and why it matters. This skill complements11`figure-discussion`: this skill extracts and classifies visual evidence;12`figure-discussion` turns that evidence into observation, mechanism,13implication, and recommendation prose.1415Use this skill for lecture slides, notebook plots, process diagrams, flow maps,16equipment sketches, case-study layouts, decision matrices, and source-document17figures that need to be placed into textbook or engineering-report context.1819## Inputs2021For every figure, gather as many of these inputs as available:2223| Input | Examples |24|-------|----------|25| Image file | `figures/ch04_s06_ipr_vlp.png` |26| Existing caption or alt text | Markdown image alt text, `results.json.figure_captions` |27| Source metadata | lecture folder, PPTX slide, PDF page, notebook path, generated script |28| Surrounding text | preceding and following chapter paragraphs |29| Chapter plan | `chapter_outlines.yaml`, learning objectives, section heading |30| Computed data | notebook outputs, `results.json`, CSV tables |3132## Figure Classes3334Classify the figure before writing about it:3536| Class | What to extract |37|-------|-----------------|38| Plot | axes, units, scales, legend, trends, extrema, intersections, thresholds |39| Flow map | axes, operating points, regime boundaries, transition risks |40| Process diagram | unit operations, stream directions, recycle loops, control signals |41| Layout/map | distance, route, host/tieback relationships, bottlenecks |42| Decision matrix | options, criteria, dominant trade-off, ranking |43| Equipment sketch | internals, dimensions, physical function, design constraint |44| Table screenshot | row/column headers, numeric values, units, caveats |45| Cover/decorative art | topic signalling only; usually exempt from discussion gate |46| Photo/corporate image | provenance and rights check before inclusion |4748## Extraction Checklist4950For each figure, record:51521. `visual_type`: one of the classes above.532. `visible_text`: OCR or manual transcription of labels and annotations.543. `axes`: label, unit, and scale for each axis if applicable.554. `data_readout`: quantitative values that are visibly supported.565. `trend_summary`: the dominant trend or comparison.576. `chapter_section`: the section where the figure belongs.587. `learning_objective_links`: learning objectives supported by the figure.598. `source`: file, slide/page, notebook, or generated script.609. `confidence`: `high`, `medium`, or `low`.6110. `review_status`: `draft`, `needs-human-check`, `approved`, or `exempt`.6263## Safety Rules6465- Do not invent numbers from a low-resolution plot. If values are not readable,66 say the figure qualitatively shows the trend.67- Use OCR/vision output as evidence candidates, not as final truth.68- Prefer notebook data or `results.json` over eyeballing plot values.69- Preserve provenance. A useful figure without source metadata is not release-ready.70- Mark cover art, decorative images, and photo-like corporate slides as `exempt`71 or `needs-rights-check` instead of forcing technical interpretation.72- Do not claim standards compliance unless the figure or surrounding text cites73 the standard explicitly.7475## Dossier Schema7677Every figure-understanding pass should write a dossier record:7879```json80{81 "figure": "ch04_s06_ipr_vlp.png",82 "figure_path": "chapters/ch04_flow_performance_production_systems/figures/ch04_s06_ipr_vlp.png",83 "source": "notebook",84 "source_file": "chapters/ch04_flow_performance_production_systems/notebooks/ch04_s06_ipr_vlp.ipynb",85 "chapter": "ch04_flow_performance_production_systems",86 "section": "4.3 Vertical-Lift Performance",87 "visual_type": "plot",88 "visible_text": ["IPR", "VLP", "Operating point"],89 "axes": [90 {"label": "Gas rate", "unit": "kSm3/d", "scale": "linear"},91 {"label": "Bottom-hole pressure", "unit": "bara", "scale": "linear"}92 ],93 "data_readout": ["Operating point: 586 kSm3/d, 161 bara"],94 "caption": "IPR and VLP intersection for a gas well.",95 "observation": "...",96 "mechanism": "...",97 "implication": "...",98 "recommendation": "...",99 "linked_learning_objectives": ["LO1", "LO5"],100 "confidence": "high",101 "review_status": "needs-human-check"102}103```104105## Discussion Handoff106107After extracting evidence, hand the record to the `figure-discussion` skill.108The final manuscript block must appear immediately after the figure unless the109figure is exempt cover art.110111Minimum block:112113```markdown114**Discussion (Figure 4.2).**115*Observation.* State the supported visual result with numbers or a clear116qualitative reading.117*Mechanism.* Explain the physics, engineering logic, equation, or NeqSim class118behind the result.119*Implication.* Explain what the result means for design, operation, economics,120or student reasoning.121*Recommendation.* Give a specific action tied to the figure.122```123124## Review Rubric125126Before approving a figure dossier, check:127128- The figure is in the right chapter and section.129- Caption is standalone and not filename-like.130- Units are visible or supplied by notebook/source data.131- Any numbers in the discussion are traceable to the figure or data.132- The recommendation is supported by the figure, not by unrelated knowledge.133- Source/provenance is sufficient for release.
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