| name | arbor-optimization |
| description | Run evaluator-driven hypothesis trees for improving research artifacts, prompts, analyses, and designs. Use when a task needs branch-and-prune exploration, rubric scoring, iterative refinement, or explicit comparison of competing scientific/workflow alternatives. |
| user-invocable | true |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
Arbor Optimization
Source adaptation: BioRouter-original synthesis inspired by Scientific Agent Skills tree-optimization patterns, rewritten under Apache-2.0. This is a native BioRouter iterative-improvement workflow.
When to Use
Use this skill when a single-shot answer is not enough and the user wants structured exploration: competing hypotheses, analysis plans, designs, prompts, figures, abstracts, protocols, or implementation options.
Define the Tree
Before branching, define:
- Objective and non-negotiable constraints.
- Evaluation rubric with 3-7 criteria.
- Evidence sources or tests available.
- Maximum branch count and stopping rule.
- What counts as a failed branch.
Branching Pattern
- Create 3-5 materially different candidate branches.
- For each branch, state the core idea, assumptions, expected upside, and failure mode.
- Score branches against the rubric.
- Prune weak branches with a short reason.
- Refine the strongest branch once, incorporating the best elements from competitors.
- Produce a final recommendation with the rejected alternatives preserved in a compact comparison.
BioRouter Routes
- Use
empirical-benchmark-harness when the branch can be tested against known-answer empirical cases.
- Use
replication-package-audit when the winning branch creates a runnable analysis.
- Use
claim-evidence-integrity for manuscript or report branches.
- Use
scientific-visual-communication for figure/poster/slide alternatives.
- Use domain skills or BRXT extensions before scoring branches that depend on platform data.
Quality Gates
Do not call a branch "best" unless:
- The rubric is visible.
- Evidence or test results are tied to each score.
- Tradeoffs are explicit.
- The final answer names what would change the recommendation.
- The user can rerun or audit the decision.
Response Shape
Return:
- Objective.
- Rubric.
- Branch table.
- Pruned branches.
- Refined winner.
- Verification still needed.