areas

name	areas
description	Area dashboard format and lifecycle — ongoing responsibilities, task states, Focus section, log, and archiving. Load when creating a new area, updating an area's tasks or focus, appending a log entry, or archiving a completed responsibility.
updated	"2026-05-07T00:00:00.000Z"
related	["projects","logging"]

Area dashboard format and lifecycle authority for ongoing responsibilities (no end date).

> Areas are the responsibility layer: steady-state commitments without deliverables. Focus matters more than tasks. Log captures drift over time. Archive when over — never "Done". For dashboard structure patterns, see `projects` skill. For log entry format, load `logging` skill.

- **Area:** ongoing responsibility, no end date. Lives at `areas//README.md`. Examples: Architecture Governance, Mentoring, Personal Finance. - **Focus:** 1–3 sentences describing current priority. Update when responsibility shifts. - **Log:** append-only reverse-chronological record of significant events.

<file_format>

Front matter

---
type: area
status: Active            # Active | Paused (no Done — archive instead)
updated: YYYY-MM-DD
tags: [a-<slug>]
---

DO NOT include deadline — areas have no deadline.

Sections (in order)

1. # <Area Name> — H1, human-readable
2. **Status:** Active and **Tags:** #a-<slug> lines immediately after H1
3. ## Focus — 1–3 sentences, current
4. ## Open Tasks — - [ ] checkboxes
5. ## Log — append-only, reverse-chronological: - **YYYY-MM-DD:** <entry>

</file_format>

<task_states>

State	Format
Open	- [ ] text
Done	- [x] text
Moved	- [ ] ~~text~~ → [date](link) (target date must include task)
Dropped	- [ ] ~~text~~ *(dropped: reason)*
Blocked	- [ ] text *(blocked: reason)*

NEVER delete tasks. Mark in place.

</task_states>

1. Create `areas//` folder. 2. Copy `{{AGENT_DIR}}/skills/areas/area-template.md` → `areas//README.md`. 3. Replace `{{AREA_NAME}}`, `{{AREA_SLUG}}`, `{{DATE}}`. 4. Write concrete **Focus** (real content, not placeholder). 5. Add ≥1 concrete **Open Task**. 6. Register `#a-` in `meta/tags.md` under Area Tags with link to `areas//README.md`.

<pre_check>Verify meta/tags.md exists. If missing, copy from {{AGENT_DIR}}/meta-templates/tags-template.md.</pre_check>

- Update **Focus** if responsibility shifted. - Add/mark tasks in **Open Tasks**. - Append to **Log** for any significant event. - Update `updated:` to today. DO NOT confuse with pausing. Paused = `status: Paused`, stays in `areas/`. Archived = moved out.

1. Append final Log entry: **YYYY-MM-DD:** Area archived — <reason>.
2. Set status: Paused in front matter (move to archive/ signals completion).
3. Move areas/<slug>/ → archive/areas/<slug>/.
4. Update all cross-links pointing to old path.
5. Remove #a-<slug> from meta/tags.md or mark archived.

<kg_integration> Areas generate durable knowledge — route it to resources/:

• Focus/task updates: run qmd query "<area topic>"; enrich or create resource article if reusable knowledge emerges.
• Log entries: extract durable facts to resources/. Architecture-governance → resources/architecture/; devex → resources/tools/ or resources/processes/; mentoring → resources/people/.
• Archive: scan log for un-extracted knowledge before archiving. </kg_integration>

<health_rules>

• updated MUST change every edit.
• Inline **Status:** MUST match front matter status.
• NO deadline field.
• Focus MUST be substantive and current.
• #a-<slug> MUST be in front matter tags AND **Tags:** line AND meta/tags.md.
• Active areas MUST have ≥1 concrete Open Task. </health_rules>

<self_review>

• Front matter complete: type, status, updated, tags?
• No deadline field?
• H1 human-readable?
• Status/Tags lines after H1?
• Focus current and concrete?
• Task states use correct formats?
• Log append-only, reverse-chronological? </self_review>

<output_rules>Output in English. Preserve verbatim file paths and tag formats.</output_rules>