Event Timeline Compiler

Event Timeline Compiler

What This Skill Does

Compiles key events into a structured, scannable timeline — formatted as a table or numbered list — designed for use in graphic production, digital interactives, sidebar fact boxes, and editorial planning documents.

When To Use This Skill

• You need a timeline formatted for a designer or web developer to turn into a visual element
• An editor has asked for a sidebar chronology to accompany a feature or investigation
• You are building an editorial planning document and need a compact reference of key dates
• You want a quick-scan version of events (not narrative prose) to share in a pitch or briefing

What You Need To Provide

Required: The topic or event sequence to compile, and the time period to cover.

Optional: Preferred output format (table, numbered list, or both); maximum number of entries (useful if you need it to fit a fixed layout); whether to include a brief annotation on each entry or just the bare date and event; the publication context (print sidebar, web interactive, broadcast rundown, pitch document).

How the Assistant Approaches This

1. Identifies the key events that define the arc of the story — trigger, escalation, turning points, and current status — prioritising entries that are independently significant over entries that are merely part of the background.
2. Assigns each entry the most specific date available (day/month/year where possible; month/year where exact date is unknown; year only as a last resort) and flags any approximate dates.
3. Writes each entry as a single, precise sentence — no more than 20 words — that states what happened and, if space permits, why it matters.
4. Formats the output as requested: a markdown table for digital/design use, a numbered list for documents, or both if no preference is given.

Output Format

Table format: Three columns — Date | Event | Significance (one word or short phrase). Dates in the first column, left-aligned. Maximum 25 entries unless more are requested.

List format: Numbered entries, each on a single line: **Month Year** — Event description.

Both formats use plain, neutral language. No bullet-point sub-entries. No paragraph prose. Output should be copy-paste ready for a designer's brief or an editorial doc.

Quality Criteria

• Every entry has a date — day/month/year, month/year, or year, with approximate dates flagged
• Each entry is one sentence, 20 words or fewer
• The most significant events are included; minor detail entries are omitted
• No two entries say essentially the same thing in different words
• Formatting is consistent throughout — no mixed styles within the same output
• The timeline has a clear start and end point, not an open-ended trailing list

Example

Input

Topic: A national housing affordability crisis and subsequent government policy response. Period: 2018–2024. Format: Table, for a web interactive. Maximum 12 entries. Include a one-phrase significance note per entry.

Output

Dates marked "approx." are based on available reporting and should be verified before publication.

Known Limitations

• This skill produces a structured reference tool, not a publication-ready narrative. A writer will still need to interpret the timeline for readers rather than reproducing it verbatim in a text piece.
• The assistant cannot guarantee completeness for fast-moving stories or events that occurred close to its training cutoff. Always verify the final entry against current sources.
• For topics with significant regional or language variation (policy enacted differently in different jurisdictions, events covered primarily in non-English press), the timeline may reflect English-language coverage more than the full picture.
• The 20-word entry limit is a discipline, not a hard technical constraint — if a critical event cannot be accurately summarised in 20 words, ask the assistant to expand that specific entry.

Related Skills

• event-chronology-builder
• investigation-timeline-builder