| name | document-summarization |
| category | kumite-task |
| description | Faithfully summarize a long document at the right altitude for the audience. Use for board pre-reads, exec briefs, policy reviews, RFP responses. Triggers: "summarize this", "give me the highlights", "TL;DR of this PDF", "exec summary of the report". |
Document Summarization
Summarization is the easiest thing for Copilot to do badly. The fix is altitude.
Quick Reference (pick the altitude first)
| Altitude | Length | Use case |
|---|
| 30,000 ft | 1 paragraph | Exec who has 60 seconds |
| 10,000 ft | 1 page | Board pre-read; briefing memo |
| Ground | Section-by-section | Policy review; RFP response |
When to Use
- Before any read where the source > 10 pages and the audience won't read all of it.
- Board pre-reads, exec briefs, customer responses, regulatory submissions.
- When you need to compare two long documents — summarize each, then compare.
How to Use
State the altitude explicitly:
- 30,000 ft — one paragraph: what it is, why it matters, what to do.
- 10,000 ft — one page: structure mirrors the source, key points only.
- Ground — section-by-section, no compression.
Then prompt:
"Summarize [doc] at the 10,000 ft altitude for [audience]. Preserve [these specific items]. Drop anything not directly relevant to [decision]."
Verify by spot-checking three claims against the source. If any drift, re-prompt with corrections.
Examples
| Don't: Altitude-less | Do: Altitude-set |
|---|
| "Summarize this 80-page report." | "Summarize at 30k ft for the CFO. Preserve the cash-bridge numbers. ≤120 words." |
| Summary invents emphasis the source didn't have | Spot-check 3 claims; re-prompt if drift |
| Skip verification because "sounds right" | Open the source; verify three random claims |
| Summary same length as source's exec summary | Pick a different altitude or stop |
Critical Rules
- Altitude is the first parameter. Without it, Copilot picks one — usually wrong.
- Spot-check three claims. Drift is the dominant defect.
- Preserve specifics the audience needs. "Preserve" is as important as "drop."
- Don't compress beyond what the audience needs. Over-compression loses signal.
- Cite the source, not the summary.
Common Pitfalls
- "Summarize this" — altitude-less ask.
- Summaries that invent emphasis the source didn't have.
- Skipping verification because the summary "sounds right."
- Summarizing a document the audience could read in less time than the summary.
- Re-summarizing a summary — drift compounds.
Anti-Patterns
- "Summarize this." That's an altitude-less ask.
- Summaries that invent emphasis the source didn't have.
- Skipping verification because the summary "sounds right."
- Treating Copilot's summary as the source.
Verify Before Sending
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