COG Knowledge Consolidation Skill

Purpose

Transform scattered insights from braindumps, daily briefs, and check-ins into coherent frameworks and "single source of truth" knowledge documents through pattern recognition and systematic synthesis.

When to Invoke

• User wants to consolidate their insights
• User says "consolidate knowledge", "build frameworks", "synthesize insights"
• Time for periodic knowledge base maintenance (weekly, monthly, quarterly)
• User wants to extract patterns from accumulated braindumps
• Before major decisions that could benefit from framework consultation

Agent Mode Awareness

Check agent_mode in 00-inbox/MY-PROFILE.md frontmatter:

• If agent_mode: team — delegate scanning and pattern extraction to parallel sub-agents (e.g., one per domain: personal braindumps, professional braindumps, project-specific content, daily briefs). Each agent identifies themes and patterns, then a synthesis agent combines findings into frameworks.
• If agent_mode: solo (default) — handle all scanning, pattern recognition, and framework building directly. No delegation.

Pre-Flight Check

Get current timestamp (REQUIRED before generating any files):

1. Run date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M' using Bash to get the actual current date and time
2. Store this value and use it for the created: frontmatter field
3. NEVER guess or fabricate the time — always use the value returned by the date command

Process Flow

1. Data Gathering

Scan vault for unprocessed or partially processed content:

• All braindumps since last consolidation:
• 02-personal/braindumps/
• 03-professional/braindumps/
• 04-projects/*/braindumps/
• 00-inbox/braindump-*.md (mixed domain)

• Daily briefs and check-ins:
• 01-daily/briefs/
• 01-daily/checkins/

• Any meeting transcripts or project documents in:
• 04-projects/*/planning/
• 04-projects/*/resources/

Determine scope:

• Ask user: "What time period should I analyze? (last week, last month, last quarter, all time, or custom range?)"
• Identify unprocessed content (check for status: "captured" or missing consolidation metadata)

Gather statistics:

• Total documents to analyze
• Breakdown by domain and type
• Date range coverage

2. Pattern Recognition

Apply systematic pattern detection across all content:

Frequency Analysis

What comes up repeatedly?

• Identify themes mentioned across multiple documents
• Track topic frequency and clustering
• Recognize persistent questions or concerns
• Spot recurring action items or decisions

Temporal Clustering

What insights emerged together?

• Group related insights by time period
• Identify how thinking evolved over time
• Recognize inflection points where thinking shifted
• Map catalysts that triggered changes

Domain Correlation

What patterns cross domains?

• Personal insights affecting professional thinking
• Professional learnings applied to projects
• Project experiences informing personal growth
• Strategic themes spanning all domains

Contradiction Analysis

Where does thinking conflict?

• Identify contradictory thoughts or approaches
• Recognize evolution vs. inconsistency
• Understand resolution or ongoing tension
• Track perspective shifts over time

Cross-Cutting Patterns

Meta-patterns across all dimensions:

• Decision-making approaches
• Problem-solving strategies
• Learning patterns
• Emotional/energy patterns
• Relationship patterns
• Creative processes

3. Framework Development

Synthesize patterns into actionable frameworks:

Identify Core Principles

From scattered insights to fundamental truths:

• What patterns reveal deeper principles?
• What rules or heuristics emerge?
• What mental models are forming?
• What strategies are proving effective?

Test Against Evidence

Validate frameworks with source material:

• Do source insights support these principles?
• Are there counter-examples or exceptions?
• How confident can we be in this framework?
• What are the boundary conditions?

Define Boundaries

When does framework apply/not apply?

• What contexts does this framework serve?
• What are its limitations?
• When should it NOT be used?
• What assumptions does it rely on?

Create Applications

How to use this framework:

• Specific use cases
• Decision-making applications
• Problem-solving templates
• Practical implementation steps

4. Knowledge Integration

Update and create knowledge base documents:

Update Existing Frameworks

For each framework that needs updating:

markdown
---
type: "consolidated-knowledge"
domain: "[primary-domain]"
framework: "[framework-name]"
created: "[original-date]"
last_updated: "YYYY-MM-DD"
consolidation_id: "[consolidation-session-id]"
source_documents: [count]
status: "stable|working|emerging"
tags: ["#framework", "#consolidated", "#[topic]"]
---

# [Framework Name]

## Framework Overview
[Clear description of what this framework is and what it helps with]

**Status:** [Stable | Working | Emerging]
**Last Updated:** [Date]
**Source Insights:** [count] documents analyzed

---

## Core Principles

### Principle 1: [Name]
**Statement:** [Clear, concise principle statement]

**Evidence:**
- [[braindump-YYYY-MM-DD]] - [supporting insight]
- [[daily-brief-YYYY-MM-DD]] - [supporting evidence]
- [[checkin-YYYY-MM-DD]] - [pattern observation]

**Evolution:** [How this principle has developed or been refined]

**Confidence:** [High|Medium|Low] - [reasoning]

### Principle 2: [Name]
[Same structure as Principle 1]

### Principle 3: [Name]
[Same structure as Principle 1]

---

## Applications & Use Cases

### Use Case 1: [Scenario]
**When to Apply:** [Specific situation]

**How to Apply:**
1. [Step 1]
2. [Step 2]
3. [Step 3]

**Expected Outcomes:** [What to expect]

**Example:** [Real example from user's experience]

### Use Case 2: [Scenario]
[Same structure as Use Case 1]

---

## Boundaries & Limitations

**This framework works when:**
- [Condition 1]
- [Condition 2]
- [Condition 3]

**This framework does NOT work when:**
- [Anti-condition 1]
- [Anti-condition 2]
- [Anti-condition 3]

**Common Pitfalls:**
- [Pitfall 1 to avoid]
- [Pitfall 2 to avoid]

---

## Evolution & History

### [Date Range 1]: [Initial Development]
**What Emerged:** [How this framework first appeared]

**Catalysts:**
- [Event or insight that triggered initial thinking]

**Early Insights:**
- [[link]] - [early thought]
- [[link]] - [formative insight]

### [Date Range 2]: [Refinement Phase]
**What Changed:** [How framework evolved]

**New Evidence:**
- [[link]] - [supporting experience]
- [[link]] - [refining insight]

**Adjustments Made:**
- [Change 1]
- [Change 2]

### Current State: [Date]
**Current Understanding:** [Latest refined version]

**Recent Validation:**
- [[link]] - [recent application]
- [[link]] - [current evidence]

---

## Related Frameworks

- [[framework-2]] - [How they relate]
- [[framework-3]] - [Connection or overlap]
- [[framework-4]] - [When to use which]

---

## Future Development

**Questions for Deeper Exploration:**
- [Question 1 to investigate]
- [Question 2 needing more evidence]

**Potential Extensions:**
- [Area 1 for expansion]
- [Area 2 for integration]

**Watch For:**
- [Pattern 1 to monitor]
- [Signal 2 that might invalidate or refine]

---

*Consolidated from [X] sources | Confidence: [High/Medium/Low] | Status: [Stable/Working/Emerging]*

Save to: 05-knowledge/consolidated/[framework-name]-framework.md

Create New Frameworks

For newly identified frameworks:

markdown
---
type: "consolidated-knowledge"
domain: "[primary-domain]"
framework: "[framework-name]"
created: "YYYY-MM-DD"
last_updated: "YYYY-MM-DD"
consolidation_id: "[consolidation-session-id]"
source_documents: [count]
status: "emerging"
tags: ["#framework", "#consolidated", "#new", "#[topic]"]
---

# [New Framework Name]

## Framework Discovery

**Identified:** [Date]
**Based On:** [X] insights from [timeframe]
**Domain:** [Primary domain with cross-domain applications]

**Discovery Context:**
[What pattern recognition revealed this framework]

---

## Core Principles

[Same structure as framework updates above]

---

[Continue with Applications, Boundaries, Evolution sections...]

Save to: 05-knowledge/consolidated/[framework-name]-framework.md

Update Pattern Documentation

markdown
---
type: "pattern-analysis"
pattern: "[pattern-name]"
created: "YYYY-MM-DD"
domains: ["domain1", "domain2"]
frequency: "[high|medium|low]"
tags: ["#pattern", "#analysis"]
---

# Pattern: [Pattern Name]

## Pattern Description
[Clear description of the recurring pattern]

**Frequency:** Appeared in [X] documents over [timeframe]

**Domains:** [Which domains this pattern appears in]

**Significance:** [Why this pattern matters]

---

## Occurrences

### [Date 1] - [[source-document-1]]
**Context:** [What was happening]

**Manifestation:** [How pattern appeared]

**Outcome:** [What resulted]

### [Date 2] - [[source-document-2]]
[Same structure]

### [Date 3] - [[source-document-3]]
[Same structure]

---

## Analysis

**What Triggers This Pattern:**
- [Trigger 1]
- [Trigger 2]
- [Trigger 3]

**What Follows This Pattern:**
- [Consequence 1]
- [Consequence 2]

**Cross-Domain Implications:**
[How this pattern affects different areas]

**Potential Actions:**
- [Action to amplify if positive]
- [Action to mitigate if negative]
- [Action to understand better]

---

## Evolution Over Time

[How this pattern has changed or stayed consistent]

---

*Pattern identified through consolidation of [X] sources*

Save to: 05-knowledge/patterns/pattern-[name].md

Create Timeline Entries

markdown
---
type: "timeline-entry"
topic: "[major-theme-or-shift]"
date_range: "YYYY-MM-DD to YYYY-MM-DD"
created: "YYYY-MM-DD"
tags: ["#timeline", "#evolution", "#thinking"]
---

# Thinking Evolution: [Major Theme/Shift]

## Timeline Period
**From:** [Start Date]
**To:** [End Date]
**Duration:** [X weeks/months]

---

## What Changed

**Initial State:**
[How thinking/approach started]

**End State:**
[Where thinking/approach ended up]

**Key Shift:**
[The fundamental change that occurred]

---

## Catalysts & Triggers

### [Date] - [Trigger Event 1]
**Source:** [[link-to-document]]

**What Happened:** [Description]

**Impact:** [How this triggered change]

### [Date] - [Trigger Event 2]
[Same structure]

---

## Evidence Trail

### Early Thinking: [Date Range]
- [[YYYY-MM-DD]] - [Initial thoughts]
- [[YYYY-MM-DD]] - [Early explorations]

### Intermediate Development: [Date Range]
- [[YYYY-MM-DD]] - [Evolving understanding]
- [[YYYY-MM-DD]] - [Testing and refinement]

### Current Understanding: [Date Range]
- [[YYYY-MM-DD]] - [Mature thinking]
- [[YYYY-MM-DD]] - [Latest application]

---

## Impact of This Evolution

**On Decisions:**
[How this shift affects decision-making]

**On Strategies:**
[How this shift affects strategic approach]

**On Frameworks:**
[Which frameworks were created or updated]

**On Actions:**
[What changed in behavior or practice]

---

## Lessons Learned

**What This Evolution Teaches:**
- [Learning 1]
- [Learning 2]
- [Learning 3]

**Future Implications:**
[What this suggests for future development]

---

*Timeline constructed from [X] source documents spanning [timeframe]*

Save to: 05-knowledge/timeline/[topic]-evolution-YYYY-MM.md

5. Generate Consolidation Report

Create master consolidation document:

markdown
---
type: "knowledge-consolidation"
domain: "integrated"
date: "YYYY-MM-DD"
consolidation_period: "YYYY-MM-DD to YYYY-MM-DD"
created: "YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM"
sources_analyzed: [number]
frameworks_updated: ["framework1", "framework2"]
frameworks_created: ["new-framework1"]
patterns_identified: [number]
tags: ["#consolidation", "#knowledge", "#frameworks"]
---

# Knowledge Consolidation - [Date]

## Executive Summary

**Period Analyzed:** [Start date] to [End date]

**Documents Processed:**
- [X] braindumps
- [X] daily briefs
- [X] weekly check-ins
- [X] project documents

**Major Outcomes:**
- **Frameworks Updated:** [count] - [list]
- **New Frameworks Created:** [count] - [list]
- **Patterns Identified:** [count]
- **Timeline Entries:** [count]

**Key Insights Synthesized:**
1. [Major insight 1]
2. [Major insight 2]
3. [Major insight 3]

---

## Processing Statistics

- **Total documents analyzed:** [number]
- **Date range:** [start] to [end]
- **Domains covered:** [list]
- **New patterns identified:** [number]
- **Frameworks updated:** [number]
- **New frameworks created:** [number]
- **Timeline entries added:** [number]
- **Archive actions taken:** [number]

---

## Major Themes This Period

### Theme 1: [Name]
**Frequency:** Appeared in [X] documents

**Evolution:** [How thinking evolved]

**Key Insights:**
- [[source]] - [insight 1]
- [[source]] - [insight 2]
- [[source]] - [insight 3]

**Framework Implications:**
[How this theme affected or created frameworks]

**Status:** [Stable understanding | Still exploring | Needs more evidence]

### Theme 2: [Name]
[Same structure as Theme 1]

---

## Frameworks Updated

### Framework 1: [Name]
**Location:** [[05-knowledge/consolidated/[filename]]]

**What Changed:**
- [Addition/modification 1]
- [Addition/modification 2]

**New Evidence Added:**
- [[source]] - [insight]
- [[source]] - [insight]

**Confidence Change:** [Before] → [After]

**New Applications:**
- [Use case 1]
- [Use case 2]

### Framework 2: [Name]
[Same structure]

---

## New Frameworks Created

### New Framework: [Name]
**Location:** [[05-knowledge/consolidated/[filename]]]

**Created:** Based on [X] insights from [timeframe]

**Core Principles:**
1. [Principle 1]
2. [Principle 2]
3. [Principle 3]

**Primary Use Cases:**
- [Use case 1]
- [Use case 2]

**Status:** Emerging (needs more evidence and validation)

**Future Development:**
[What's needed to mature this framework]

---

## Patterns Identified

### Pattern 1: [Name]
**Frequency:** [High|Medium|Low]

**Domains:** [Which domains]

**Description:** [What the pattern is]

**Implications:** [Why it matters]

**Documentation:** [[05-knowledge/patterns/[filename]]]

### Pattern 2: [Name]
[Same structure]

---

## Thinking Evolution

### Major Shift: [Topic]
**Timeline:** [Date range]

**What Changed:** [Description]

**Catalysts:**
- [Event 1]
- [Event 2]

**Impact:**
[How this shift affects frameworks, decisions, actions]

**Documentation:** [[05-knowledge/timeline/[filename]]]

---

## Cross-Cutting Insights

**Connections Across Domains:**
- [Cross-domain insight 1]
- [Cross-domain insight 2]
- [Cross-domain insight 3]

**Contradictions Identified:**
- [Contradiction 1] - [Resolution approach]
- [Contradiction 2] - [Still unresolved]

**Strategic Implications:**
[Higher-level observations about trajectory and direction]

---

## Knowledge Base Maintenance

### Updates Made
- ✅ Updated framework: [name]
- ✅ Created new framework: [name]
- ✅ Documented pattern: [name]
- ✅ Added timeline entry: [topic]
- ✅ Archived outdated insights: [list]

### Archive Actions
**Braindumps Processed:**
- Updated metadata from `status: "captured"` to `status: "consolidated"`
- Added consolidation references: `consolidated_in: "[[consolidation-YYYY-MM-DD]]"`

**Superseded Content:**
- Archived: [list of old framework versions or outdated insights]
- Location: `00-inbox/archive/`

---

## Future Consolidation Needs

### Ready for Framework Creation
- [ ] [Area 1] - Sufficient evidence gathered - Target: [date]
- [ ] [Area 2] - Pattern established - Target: [date]

### Needs Deeper Analysis
- [ ] [Area 3] - Contradictions to resolve - Target: [date]
- [ ] [Area 4] - Emerging but not yet clear - Target: [date]

### Monitoring Required
- [ ] [Pattern 1] - Watch for additional occurrences
- [ ] [Theme 2] - Track evolution over next [period]

---

## Quality Assessment

**Completeness:** [All relevant insights processed?]

**Coherence:** [Frameworks logically consistent?]

**Traceability:** [Clear links to source material?]

**Actionability:** [Frameworks applicable to decisions?]

**Evolution Documented:** [Thinking progression captured?]

---

## Next Steps

**Immediate Actions:**
- [Action 1 based on consolidation insights]
- [Action 2 to apply new frameworks]

**Future Consolidation:**
- **Next Consolidation:** [Suggested date]
- **Focus Areas:** [What to emphasize next time]

**Framework Applications:**
- [Decision 1 that could benefit from framework]
- [Situation 2 to apply framework to]

---

*Consolidation completed: [Date] | Processed [X] documents | Created/updated [X] frameworks*

Save to: 05-knowledge/consolidated/consolidation-YYYY-MM-DD.md

6. Cleanup and Archival

Mark processed braindumps: Update frontmatter in processed braindumps:

yaml
status: "consolidated"
consolidated_in: "[[consolidation-YYYY-MM-DD]]"
consolidated_date: "YYYY-MM-DD"

Archive outdated content: Move superseded frameworks or insights to: 00-inbox/archive/[filename]-archived-YYYY-MM-DD.md

Add note explaining why archived and what supersedes it.

Maintain clean knowledge base:

• Remove redundancy while preserving important context
• Update cross-references
• Fix broken links
• Ensure consistent tagging

7. Confirm Completion

After consolidation:

• Show user: "Knowledge consolidation complete! Processed X] documents"
• Highlight: "X] frameworks updated, X] new frameworks created"
• Show: "Consolidation report saved to file path]"
• Suggest reviewing key frameworks created/updated
• Offer to explain any specific framework in detail

Loop Engineering

Consolidation is a loop-until-dry extraction with a completeness critic, not a single scan. See .claude/skills/loop-engineering/SKILL.md for the shared vocabulary.

The loop: scan a batch of in-scope documents → extract themes, patterns, and candidate framework principles → run the completeness critic ("any in-scope doc not yet read? any theme recurring across N+ docs that no framework captures yet?") → if the critic surfaces something new, run another extraction pass → stop when 2 passes in a row surface nothing new (dry). In agent_mode: team, the first scan fans out as one worker per domain (personal / professional / per-project / briefs); each returns its conclusions only, and a synthesis pass merges them.

The verifier (deterministic where it can be):

• Traceability: every framework principle links at least one source document. A principle with no [[source]] is dropped, not published. This is mechanical and is COG's verification-first rule for consolidation.
• Coverage: every in-scope document ends marked status: "consolidated" with a consolidated_in backlink.
• Dedup: before creating a framework, check 05-knowledge/consolidated/ so an existing framework is updated, not duplicated.
• The completeness critic ("did we miss a theme?") is the one judgment-based check; keep it explicit and evidence-linked.

Termination conditions (layered):

• Dry: K=2 consecutive passes find no new theme or document.
• Coverage complete: all in-scope documents marked consolidated.
• Hard cap: a max number of extraction passes, so a noisy corpus cannot loop forever.

Patterns: loop-until-dry (the spine) + plan-execute-verify (each pass) + orchestrator-workers (team-mode domain scans) + completeness critic.

In-loop context: write the consolidation report incrementally and dedup new themes against the running set, not against the conversation. Externalizing to the report file is what keeps a large corpus from overflowing the window.

Consolidation Guidelines

Quality Over Quantity

• Don't force insights that aren't mature enough
• Let patterns emerge naturally from evidence
• Be patient with incomplete thinking
• Quality frameworks require time and evidence
• Mark frameworks as "emerging" vs "working" vs "stable"

Preserve Nuance

• Don't over-simplify complex insights
• Maintain important context and conditions
• Note when frameworks have limitations
• Preserve contradictions that haven't resolved yet
• Acknowledge uncertainty explicitly

Maintain Traceability

• Always link back to source documents
• Show evidence trail for frameworks
• Document evolution of thinking
• Enable future validation or revision
• Make it easy to audit framework claims

Living Documents

• Frameworks should evolve with new insights
• Regular updates better than perfect first draft
• Clear status indicators (emerging/working/stable)
• Encourage iteration and refinement
• Version history through Git

Analysis Techniques Reference

Pattern Detection Methods

1. Frequency Analysis: Count mentions, cluster topics
2. Temporal Clustering: Group by time, track evolution
3. Domain Correlation: Cross-domain connections
4. Contradiction Analysis: Identify conflicts, track resolution
5. Energy Pattern Detection: Emotional and practical patterns

Framework Synthesis Process

1. Identify Core Principles: Extract fundamental truths
2. Test Against Evidence: Validate with sources
3. Define Boundaries: Establish applicability
4. Create Applications: Develop use cases
5. Document Evolution: Track development over time

Timeline Construction Method

1. Mark Inflection Points: When thinking shifted
2. Identify Catalysts: What triggered changes
3. Document Evolution: How understanding developed
4. Extract Learnings: What evolution teaches

Success Metrics

• Completeness: All relevant insights processed
• Coherence: Frameworks logically consistent
• Traceability: Clear links to source material
• Actionability: Frameworks applicable to decisions
• Evolution: Documented thinking progression
• User Value: Frameworks actually used in practice

Common Use Cases

• Weekly Consolidation: Process week's insights into patterns
• Monthly Framework Development: Build strategic frameworks
• Quarterly Strategic Synthesis: Big-picture consolidation
• Annual Knowledge Base Cleanup: Maintain quality and relevance
• Pre-Decision Framework Consultation: Apply frameworks to major decisions
• Project Retrospective: Extract learnings for frameworks

Philosophy

The knowledge consolidation skill embodies COG's self-evolving intelligence:

• Transforms scattered thoughts into strategic frameworks
• Honors the evolution of thinking over time
• Builds "single source of truth" living documents
• Maintains traceability and evidence-based reasoning
• Creates actionable knowledge for better decision-making
• Respects nuance while seeking patterns
• Values iteration and continuous refinement