research-mission-generator

Research Mission Generator

Package conversation research into publication-quality GSD mission packages. Produces a three-stage pipeline (Vision → Research → Mission) as a LaTeX PDF, ready for handoff to gsd-skill-creator.

Primary Workflow

The typical pattern is:

1. User has a conversation — discussion, brainstorming, web research, thinking time, or any exploration of a topic
2. User says "turn this into a research mission" — triggering this skill
3. Skill harvests the conversation — extracting findings, sources, structure, and insights already developed
4. Skill fills gaps — conducting additional web research only where the conversation left holes
5. Skill produces the package — three-stage LaTeX PDF + .tex source + index.html
6. User hands package to gsd-skill-creator — for execution via Claude Code

The skill is a structuring and packaging tool, not a from-scratch generator. The intellectual work has already happened in conversation. This skill gives it bones.

When to Use

Primary triggers (conversation already happened):

• "Turn this into a research mission"
• "Package this as a mission for skill-creator"
• "Make this a research pack"
• "Use the research mission skill on what we've discussed"
• "Create a mission package from this conversation"
• "Structure this for GSD"

Secondary trigger (cold start — research needed first):

• "Create a research mission on [topic]"
• "I want a deep research study into [topic]"
• In this case, conduct 3–6 web searches first (see Step 2b below), then proceed with packaging.

Workflow

Step 1: Harvest the Conversation

Scan the current conversation (and any referenced past conversations) to extract:

| Element | Where to Find It | Fallback | |---------|-------------------|----------| | Topic & scope | User's original question or framing | Ask user | | Key findings | Research results, web search outputs, discussion points | Conduct web research | | Sources cited | URLs, papers, organizations mentioned in conversation | Validate via web search | | Structure | Natural groupings that emerged in discussion | Infer modules from topic | | Quantitative data | Numbers, percentages, measurements discussed | Source from research | | Sensitivity areas | Cultural, safety, or ethical concerns raised | Detect from domain | | Insights & connections | Cross-topic relationships the user identified | Preserve in synthesis module | | User's framing | Metaphors, analogies, philosophical angles | Carry into vision narrative and through-line |

Critical: Preserve the user's own insights, framings, and connections. The conversation is the primary source material. Don't replace the user's thinking with generic content — amplify it with structure.

Step 2a: Gap Analysis (Conversation-Based)

After harvesting, identify what's missing for a complete three-stage package:

• Vision gaps: Is there a clear problem statement? Are there enough concrete problems (need 3–5)?
• Research gaps: Are all claims sourced? Are there modules with thin evidence?
• Mission gaps: Can the topic decompose into 4–6 parallelizable modules?

Conduct targeted web searches ONLY to fill identified gaps. Don't re-research what the conversation already covered well.

Step 2b: Cold-Start Research (Topic-Only)

If the user provides just a topic without prior conversation, conduct full research:

1. Broad overview — [topic] overview
2. Authoritative sources — [topic] + relevant agency names
3. Peer-reviewed findings — [topic] research study findings
4. Subtopic deep-dives — One search per identified module
5. Threats/challenges — [topic] threats challenges risks
6. Unique/endemic features — [topic] unique rare endemic

Source quality rules (ABSOLUTE):

• Government agencies (USGS, USFS, NPS, NOAA, NIH, NASA, EPA, etc.)
• Peer-reviewed journals
• University research programs
• Professional organizations
• NEVER entertainment media, blogs, or unsourced claims

Step 3: Identify Research Modules

Decompose into 4–6 research modules. Prefer modules that emerged naturally from conversation structure. Each module must be:

• Self-contained — An agent can produce it from its spec alone
• Parallelizable — At least 2 modules can run simultaneously
• Connected — At least one cross-module relationship exists

Common module patterns by domain:

| Domain | Typical Modules | |--------|----------------| | Ecology/Biology | Flora, Fauna, Fungi/Microbiome, Aquatic, Ecological Networks | | Technology | Architecture, Implementation, Security, Performance, Integration | | History | Context, Key Events, People, Consequences, Legacy | | Social Science | Demographics, Causes, Effects, Interventions, Outcomes | | Physical Science | Theory, Measurement, Analysis, Modeling, Implications | | Education | Foundations, Curriculum, Methods, Assessment, Integration | | Engineering | Requirements, Design, Implementation, Testing, Deployment |

Step 4: Determine Mission Parameters

Activation profile — based on module count and complexity:

| Modules | Profile | Crew Size | Parallel Tracks | |---------|---------|-----------|-----------------| | 2–3 | Patrol | 7 roles | 1 | | 4–5 | Squadron | 12 roles | 2 | | 6+ | Fleet | Full crew | 3+ |

See references/crew-profiles.md for complete role assignments per profile.

Model assignment — apply the 30/60/10 principle:

• Opus (~30%) — Synthesis, cross-module integration, judgment-heavy analysis, cultural sensitivity
• Sonnet (~60%) — Survey compilation, document assembly, verification, structured content
• Haiku (~10%) — Shared schemas, templates, scaffolding

Wave structure — always follows this pattern:

• Wave 0: Foundation (shared schemas, source index) — Sequential, Haiku
• Wave 1: Parallel survey/research tracks — Parallel, Sonnet+Opus mix
• Wave 2: Synthesis (cross-module integration) — Sequential, Opus
• Wave 3: Publication + Verification — Sequential, Sonnet

Step 5: Generate the LaTeX PDF

Read references/latex-template.md for the complete document template, color scheme selection, and formatting patterns. Read it before writing any LaTeX.

The template includes:

• Domain-adaptive color schemes (ecology=green/blue/brown, tech=steel/electric/graphite, etc.)
• Title page, TOC, headers/footers with page counts
• Stage header banners (\stageheader)
• ASCII diagram boxes (asciibox environment)
• Alternating-row tables with colored headers
• Quote boxes for closing through-line
• Full document skeleton showing every section

Three stages in one document:

1. Stage 1: Vision Guide — Narrative vision (use the user's own framing and metaphors), problem statement (3–5 problems), core concept, study region/architecture (ASCII diagrams), module descriptions, chipset configuration, scope boundaries, 8–12 success criteria, relationship to other GSD vision docs, through-line connecting to ecosystem philosophy
2. Stage 2: Research Reference — Source organizations, detailed findings per module (harvested from conversation + gap-fill research), quantitative data with citations, safety/sensitivity considerations, complete source bibliography
3. Stage 3: Mission Package — Milestone spec, deliverables table, component breakdown with model assignments, wave execution plan with parallel tracks, cache optimization strategy, dependency graph (ASCII), test plan (safety-critical + core + integration + edge cases), verification matrix mapping criteria to tests, crew manifest, execution summary

Compile with XeLaTeX (three passes):

xelatex -interaction=nonstopmode mission.tex
xelatex -interaction=nonstopmode mission.tex
xelatex -interaction=nonstopmode mission.tex

Produce both the PDF and .tex source so the user can modify and recompile.

Step 6: Create Index Page

Generate index.html with:

• Header reflecting the topic's colo