Knowledge Architecture Skill
Purpose
Create a durable, file-backed knowledge system that helps the team keep shared context, decisions, rules, and open questions in one place.
This milestone is static-first:
- no hooks
- no MCP
- no custom tools
- no runtime memory engine
Use markdown files, links, and clear ownership.
When to Use
- Starting a knowledge base for a product or domain
- Reorganizing scattered planning notes into canonical files
- Turning repeated context into stable rules and references
- Establishing decision, quality, and review links around a domain
Canonical Inputs
templates/knowledge/index.md
templates/knowledge/domain.md
templates/knowledge/knowledge.md
templates/knowledge/hypotheses.md
templates/knowledge/rules.md
docs/knowledge/README.md
Related records:
templates/decisions/decision.md
templates/quality/gate.md
templates/review/maintenance-review.md
Target Structure
Prefer this shape:
docs/knowledge/
├── README.md
├── index.md
├── domains/
│ └── <domain>.md
├── entries/
│ └── <topic>.md
├── hypotheses.md
└── rules.md
Workflow
Define scope
- What product, system, or domain does this cover?
- What should be durable vs still uncertain?
Create the index
- Start from
templates/knowledge/index.md.
- Capture domains, key knowledge, rules, open hypotheses, and linked records.
Map domains
- Create one file per meaningful domain from
templates/knowledge/domain.md.
- Keep boundaries explicit.
Capture atomic knowledge
- Use
templates/knowledge/knowledge.md for durable facts, patterns, or references.
- Favor small entries with strong links.
Track uncertainty
- Use
templates/knowledge/hypotheses.md for claims that need validation.
- Every hypothesis should have an owner or next validation step.
Write rules
- Use
templates/knowledge/rules.md for stable operating rules.
- Link each rule to evidence, decisions, or prior incidents when possible.
Link adjacent systems
- Stable choices belong in
docs/decisions/.
- Repeatable checks belong in
docs/quality/.
- Recurring health checks belong in
docs/reviews/maintenance/.
Writing Rules
- Keep titles crisp.
- Prefer one idea per file.
- Mark uncertainty instead of hiding it.
- Link laterally across knowledge, decisions, quality, and reviews.
- Avoid session-specific chatter.
Done Criteria
docs/knowledge/index.md exists or is updated.
- Core domains are listed.
- Durable knowledge is separated from hypotheses.
- Rules are explicit.
- Related decisions, gates, and reviews are linked.
Anti-Patterns
- Giant undifferentiated notes
- Rules without rationale
- Decisions embedded in random meeting notes
- Hypotheses presented as settled facts
- Runtime tooling assumptions in milestone 1
Anti-Rationalization Table
| Excuse |
Counter |
| "We can organize the knowledge base later" |
Disorganized knowledge is lost knowledge. Structure it while the context is fresh. |
| "One big document is easier to maintain" |
Giant undifferentiated notes are impossible to navigate. Split by domain. |
| "Hypotheses should be marked as facts for clarity" |
Marking uncertainty as fact corrupts the knowledge base. Be honest about what is known. |
| "Rules don't need rationale" |
Rules without rationale are ignored. Explain the why behind each rule. |
| "We don't need a knowledge base for this project" |
Every project accumulates knowledge. Without a home for it, it lives in people's heads. |
1---2name: knowledge-architecture-23description: Build a static-first knowledge architecture using file-backed domain maps, rules, hypotheses, and durable references. Use for knowledge architecture, learning systems, decision context, and long-lived team memory without runtime memory tooling.4---56# Knowledge Architecture Skill78## Purpose910Create a durable, file-backed knowledge system that helps the team keep shared context, decisions, rules, and open questions in one place.1112This milestone is **static-first**:13- no hooks14- no MCP15- no custom tools16- no runtime memory engine1718Use markdown files, links, and clear ownership.1920## When to Use2122- Starting a knowledge base for a product or domain23- Reorganizing scattered planning notes into canonical files24- Turning repeated context into stable rules and references25- Establishing decision, quality, and review links around a domain2627## Canonical Inputs2829- `templates/knowledge/index.md`30- `templates/knowledge/domain.md`31- `templates/knowledge/knowledge.md`32- `templates/knowledge/hypotheses.md`33- `templates/knowledge/rules.md`34- `docs/knowledge/README.md`3536Related records:37- `templates/decisions/decision.md`38- `templates/quality/gate.md`39- `templates/review/maintenance-review.md`4041## Target Structure4243Prefer this shape:4445```text46docs/knowledge/47├── README.md48├── index.md49├── domains/50│ └── <domain>.md51├── entries/52│ └── <topic>.md53├── hypotheses.md54└── rules.md55```5657## Workflow58591. **Define scope**60 - What product, system, or domain does this cover?61 - What should be durable vs still uncertain?62632. **Create the index**64 - Start from `templates/knowledge/index.md`.65 - Capture domains, key knowledge, rules, open hypotheses, and linked records.66673. **Map domains**68 - Create one file per meaningful domain from `templates/knowledge/domain.md`.69 - Keep boundaries explicit.70714. **Capture atomic knowledge**72 - Use `templates/knowledge/knowledge.md` for durable facts, patterns, or references.73 - Favor small entries with strong links.74755. **Track uncertainty**76 - Use `templates/knowledge/hypotheses.md` for claims that need validation.77 - Every hypothesis should have an owner or next validation step.78796. **Write rules**80 - Use `templates/knowledge/rules.md` for stable operating rules.81 - Link each rule to evidence, decisions, or prior incidents when possible.82837. **Link adjacent systems**84 - Stable choices belong in `docs/decisions/`.85 - Repeatable checks belong in `docs/quality/`.86 - Recurring health checks belong in `docs/reviews/maintenance/`.8788## Writing Rules8990- Keep titles crisp.91- Prefer one idea per file.92- Mark uncertainty instead of hiding it.93- Link laterally across knowledge, decisions, quality, and reviews.94- Avoid session-specific chatter.9596## Done Criteria9798- `docs/knowledge/index.md` exists or is updated.99- Core domains are listed.100- Durable knowledge is separated from hypotheses.101- Rules are explicit.102- Related decisions, gates, and reviews are linked.103104## Anti-Patterns105106- Giant undifferentiated notes107- Rules without rationale108- Decisions embedded in random meeting notes109- Hypotheses presented as settled facts110- Runtime tooling assumptions in milestone 1111112## Anti-Rationalization Table113114| Excuse | Counter |115|--------|---------|116| "We can organize the knowledge base later" | Disorganized knowledge is lost knowledge. Structure it while the context is fresh. |117| "One big document is easier to maintain" | Giant undifferentiated notes are impossible to navigate. Split by domain. |118| "Hypotheses should be marked as facts for clarity" | Marking uncertainty as fact corrupts the knowledge base. Be honest about what is known. |119| "Rules don't need rationale" | Rules without rationale are ignored. Explain the why behind each rule. |120| "We don't need a knowledge base for this project" | Every project accumulates knowledge. Without a home for it, it lives in people's heads. |