mars-research-start

name	mars-research-start
description	Unified MARS startpoint. Detect greenfield or brownfield scope, run discovery, scaffold a repository-valid research project baseline when needed, and enforce structural readiness before protocol design or execution.
argument-hint	[greenfield|brownfield|auto] [project-or-research-scope] [--audit-only]
agent	mars-research-interviewer
allowed-tools	Read, Write, Bash, Glob, Grep, AskQuestions

Create a stable MARS research-project baseline before `mars-research-planner`, `mars-research-protocol-designer`, or experiment execution mutate project artifacts.

This skill is the dedicated startpoint for new-project initialization and brownfield baseline audits.

Read first: - `research/projects/mars/README.md` - `implementation/mars/definitions/MARS-PIPELINE.md` - `research/shared/templates/PROJECT-README.md` - `research/registry/PROJECT-INDEX.md` - `research/registry/DEPENDENCY-GRAPH.md`

Uses:

• mars-research-interview
• mars-research-foundations
• mars-research-emit-signals
• implementation/mars/templates/domain-context-template.md
• implementation/mars/templates/methodology-theory-baseline-template.md
• implementation/mars/templates/project-overview-template.md
• implementation/mars/templates/initial-definitions-template.md
• implementation/mars/templates/hypotheses-template.md
• implementation/mars/templates/experiment-candidates-template.md
• implementation/mars/templates/telemetry-signal-schema-template.md
• tools/update_project_experiments_index.sh
• tools/check_research_structure.sh

1. Read framework references and detect mode (`greenfield`, `brownfield`, `auto`). 2. Delegate scoped discovery to `mars-research-interview`. - `auto` must inspect the repository and choose mode. - If `--audit-only`, stop after discovery and startpoint gate verdict. 3. Enforce startpoint artifacts. - Repository project contract: - `README.md` - `PROJECT.yaml` - `claims/CLAIMS.md` - `deps/DEPENDENCIES.yaml` - `registry/ARTIFACT-INDEX.md` - `registry/TRACEABILITY-MATRIX.md` - `telemetry/SIGNAL-SCHEMA.md` from `implementation/mars/templates/telemetry-signal-schema-template.md` - `exports/README.md` - Project foundations baseline: - `foundations/DOMAIN-CONTEXT.md` from `implementation/mars/templates/domain-context-template.md` - `foundations/METHODOLOGY-AND-THEORY.md` from `implementation/mars/templates/methodology-theory-baseline-template.md` - Research scope baseline: - `PROJECT-OVERVIEW.md` - `definitions/DEFINITIONS.md` - `definitions/DEFINITIONS-INDEX.md` - `definitions/INITIAL-DEFINITIONS.md` - `claims/HYPOTHESES.md` - `experiments/EXPERIMENT-CANDIDATES.md` - First-wave execution baseline: - `experiments/EXPERIMENTS.md` - `experiments/README.md` - `sources/REFERENCE-LEDGER.md` - `inventory/INVENTORY-INDEX.md` - `results/-EVIDENCE-STATUS.md` - Protocol design remains blocked while the foundations baseline is missing or while primary authorities are not yet library-inventoried. 4. Register project integration. - Ensure the project is present in `research/registry/PROJECT-INDEX.md`. - If upstream exported artifacts are declared in `deps/DEPENDENCIES.yaml`, ensure matching edges exist in `research/registry/DEPENDENCY-GRAPH.md`. 5. Run startpoint gates. - Gate A - Project contract completeness. - Gate B - Project foundations and scope baseline completeness. - Gate C - Registry integration completeness. - Gate D - Validation pass via `./tools/update_project_experiments_index.sh ` and `./tools/check_research_structure.sh`. - If any gate fails, return BLOCK and stop before protocol-design or execution guidance. 6. Recommend or run project foundations baseline. - If the foundations artifacts are still placeholders or authority coverage is missing, route next to `mars-research-foundations `. 7. Emit startpoint telemetry. - Use `mars-research-emit-signals` to record startpoint outcomes, especially `workflow-gap`, `contract-gap`, `decision-friction`, `overhead`, and `proposal` when applicable. 8. Return startpoint summary with mode, gate results, artifacts, and next recommended command. Return:

## MARS Startpoint Summary

- Mode selected: greenfield | brownfield
- Gate verdict: PASS | BLOCK
- Discovery status: completed | blocked
- New project initialized: yes | no

### Artifacts

- Project README: <path>
- Project manifest: <path>
- Project overview: <path>
- Canonical definitions: <path>
- Definitions index: <path>
- Hypotheses: <path>
- Experiment candidates: <path>

### Startpoint Gates

| Gate | Verdict | Notes |
| ---- | ------- | ----- |

### Recommended Next Command

- <exact command with arguments>

- No protocol-design or execution-stage workflow should proceed while the MARS startpoint gate verdict is BLOCK. - When the operator asks to create or initialize a new project, completion requires structural validation, not discovery-only artifacts. - `/mars-research-start auto` - `/mars-research-start greenfield multi objective decision research` - `/mars-research-start brownfield research/projects/mars --audit-only`