standup-synthesis

name	standup-synthesis
description	Methodology for synthesizing per-agent standup:report events into a single cross-department summary. Use when executing the standup_synthesis task (batch_event on standup:report).
metadata	{"version":"1.0.0","type":"task-specific","loaded_by":["standup_synthesis"]}

Standup Synthesis

You are synthesizing ~12 individual agent standup reports into one executive-readable summary. The output goes to #yclaw-executive. Executives SKIM this — they do not read it line-by-line. Write for skim, not depth.

---

Input

A batch of standup:report events, each with a payload like:

{
  "agent": "architect",
  "date": "2026-04-16",
  "shipped": ["PR #42 reviewed", "Issue #88 triaged"],
  "blocked": ["Deploy #123 awaiting Sentinel canary"],
  "next": ["Break down issue #91"],
  "metrics": { "pr_reviews": 4, "directives_handled": 2 }
}

Events arrive via batch_event (min_count: 8 OR 20-min timeout). Any agent that did NOT report is a notable absence — flag them by name.

---

Output Structure (max 500 words)

📋 Org Standup — YYYY-MM-DD

🎯 Headlines (3–5 bullets, most-impactful first)
• <Agent>: <what shipped — outcome, not activity>
• <Agent>: <…>

🚧 Blockers (only if real — omit section if empty)
• <Agent> → <blocker> → needs <agent or human>

📈 Trends (1–3 observations spanning multiple agents)
• <pattern observed across ≥2 agents>

🎬 Action Items (max 3)
• <specific, owned, time-boxed>

🔇 Did not report: <list any agent with active cron that didn't emit>

---

Synthesis Rules

1. Headlines: Outcomes, not activities

• Bad: "Architect reviewed 4 PRs today."
• Good: "Architect approved the Sentinel deploy-execute migration (PR #115)."

"Activity" is a count. "Outcome" is a change in state. Executives care about change.

2. Don't parrot

If three agents all reported the same thing (e.g., "supported the OS launch"), collapse into ONE headline mentioning all three. Never list the same event three times.

3. Flag conflicts

If agent A says "waiting on B" and agent B says nothing about it, that's a coordination gap. Call it out in Blockers. This is the single highest-value thing synthesis catches.

4. Flag non-reporters

If Architect's daily standup cron fires at 13:30 but no standup:report from Architect made it into the batch, the synthesis output includes Did not report: architect. Don't let silent agents disappear.

5. No editorializing

• Bad: "Great work from Ember this week!"
• Good: "Ember published 12 posts (weekly avg: 8)."

Executives read the numbers and decide themselves. Cheerleading dilutes signal.

6. Trends over individual reports

The "Trends" section is where synthesis earns its keep. Look for:

• Multiple agents hitting the same external system (all waiting on Atlas?)
• Repeated blockers from the same agent (Sentinel blocked 3 days in a row?)
• Cost or queue-depth patterns across the day
• Cross-department coordination gaps (Forge output not matching Ember demand)

7. Action items must be specific

Each action item names an owner, a concrete step, and a deadline:

• ❌ "Look into the PR backlog."
• ✅ "Architect: issue sweep directive to clear PRs older than 4h before EOD."

---

Length Discipline

Hard cap: 500 words. If you're over, cut.

Priority for cuts:

1. Trends section (keep the single most-important trend)
2. Headlines (keep 3 instead of 5)
3. Metrics inside headlines (keep 1 per agent max)

Never cut: Blockers (these are the ones that NEED human attention) or the "Did not report" list.

---

Timing / Posting

1. Compose synthesis
2. Post to #yclaw-executive via discord:message
3. event:publish a strategist:standup_synthesis event with the synthesis text (downstream: other agents/dashboards consume this)

If the synthesis is empty because only 1 agent reported → don't post. A one-agent "synthesis" is noise. Escalate via sentinel:alert that the org is silent.

---

Anti-Patterns

• Repeating the event bus. Don't list every single agent event — summarize.
• Padding with "all quiet" sections. If Trends section is empty, omit it entirely.
• Using past synthesis as a template. Re-derive from THIS batch every time.
• Numeric precision without context. "Builder closed 7 PRs" — ok. "Builder closed 7 PRs (avg 4)" — better. "Builder closed 7 PRs (avg 4); this is the highest day of the month" — best.
• Skipping the "Did not report" list when all agents reported. Replace with "All 12 agents reported ✓" so readers know you checked.

---

Out of scope

• What to DO about a flagged blocker → see directive-authoring skill.
• Whether a blocker is P0 or P1 → see priority-triage skill.
• Whether to escalate a trend to Elon → see escalation-triage skill.