Evidence Logging

name: evidence-logging description: |

Triggers: evidence, logging, citations, audit-trail, reproducible Workflow for capturing evidence and citations to create reproducible analyses and audit trails.

Triggers: evidence capture, citations, reproducible analysis, audit trail, documentation, evidence logging, findings documentation

Use when: conducting any review that needs evidence trails, creating audit documentation, ensuring reproducibility of analyses

DO NOT use when: quick informal checks without documentation needs. DO NOT use when: structured output is the focus - use structured-output.

Use this skill as foundation for all evidence-based review workflows. category: output-patterns tags: [evidence, citations, reproducible, audit-trail, documentation] dependencies: [] tools: [] usage_patterns: - evidence-capture - audit-trail - reproducible-analysis complexity: intermediate estimated_tokens: 1200

Table of Contents

• When to Use
• Activation Patterns
• Required TodoWrite Items
• Step 1: Initialize Log (evidence-logging:log-initialized)
• Step 2: Capture Commands (evidence-logging:commands-captured)
• Step 3: Record Citations (evidence-logging:citations-recorded)
• Step 4: Index Artifacts (evidence-logging:artifacts-indexed)
• Evidence Reference Format
• Exit Criteria

Evidence Logging

When to Use

• During any review or analysis workflow to capture reproducible evidence.
• When findings must be traceable to specific commands, outputs, or sources.
• Before finalizing recommendations that stakeholders will act upon.

Activation Patterns

Trigger Keywords: evidence, proof, trace, audit, reproducible, citation, source, verify Contextual Cues:

• "show your work" or "provide evidence"
• "how can I verify this" or "reproduce these findings"
• "cite your sources" or "where did this come from"
• "create an audit trail"
• "document the steps taken"

Auto-Load When: Any analysis requires traceability or when findings need reproducible verification.

Required TodoWrite Items

1. evidence-logging:log-initialized
2. evidence-logging:commands-captured
3. evidence-logging:citations-recorded
4. evidence-logging:artifacts-indexed

Mark each item complete as you finish the corresponding step.

Step 1: Initialize Log (evidence-logging:log-initialized)

• Create evidence structure with timestamp and context:
  • Session ID or review identifier.
  • Repository, branch, and commit hash.
  • Analyst identity and review scope.
• Establish naming convention for evidence references (e.g., [E1], [E2]).

Step 2: Capture Commands (evidence-logging:commands-captured)

• Log every command that produces evidence:

  [E1] Command: git diff --stat HEAD~5..HEAD
       Output: 15 files changed, 234 insertions(+), 89 deletions(-)
       Timestamp: 2024-01-15T10:30:00Z
  

  Verification: Run git status to confirm working tree state.
• Include full command with arguments (no aliases).
• Capture relevant output snippets, not entire dumps.
• Note working directory and environment if relevant.

Step 3: Record Citations (evidence-logging:citations-recorded)

• Log external sources consulted:

  **Verification:** Run the command with `--help` flag to verify availability.
  [C1] Source: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nomicon/
       Section: "Working with Unsafe"
       Relevance: Validates unsafe block justification
  

  Verification: Run the command with --help flag to verify availability.
• Include web searches performed and key results.
• Reference documentation versions (API docs, RFCs, specs).
• Note any AI-assisted analysis with model/prompt context.

Step 4: Index Artifacts (evidence-logging:artifacts-indexed)

• Catalog generated artifacts:
  • Screenshots, diagrams, or visualizations.
  • Exported reports or coverage summaries.
  • Saved query results or API responses.
• Provide file paths or inline content for small artifacts.
• Note artifact retention policy (ephemeral vs. archived).

Evidence Reference Format

Use consistent format in findings:

**Verification:** Run the command with `--help` flag to verify availability.
Finding: Memory leak in connection pool [E3, C2]
- Evidence [E3]: valgrind output showing 4KB unreleased
- Citation [C2]: PostgreSQL docs on connection lifecycle

Verification: Run the command with --help flag to verify availability.

Exit Criteria

• Todos completed with structured evidence log.
• All findings traceable to specific evidence references.
• Downstream reports can cite evidence without re-running commands.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Command not found Ensure all dependencies are installed and in PATH

Permission errors Check file permissions and run with appropriate privileges

Unexpected behavior Enable verbose logging with --verbose flag