| name | audit |
| description | Systematic audit of system files for accuracy, organization, and staleness. Checks MEMORY.md, SYSTEM-INDEX.md, Desktop organization, conversations/ cleanup, and spec freshness. Use when user says "audit the system", "is everything accurate", "clean up", "check memory", or when things feel stale. |
Curator: System Audit
Skill Name: curator-audit
Role: Any (works from Chief, Curator interactive, or standalone)
Purpose: Systematically verify system files against reality and fix what's wrong.
When This Fires
User says something like:
- "Audit the system"
- "Is MEMORY still accurate?"
- "Clean up Desktop"
- "Things feel stale"
- "Check if our specs are current"
Or Chief notices drift and wants a cleanup pass.
The Audit Areas
Run through each area in order. Skip areas the user explicitly excludes.
1. MEMORY.md Accuracy
Read Desktop/MEMORY.md and check each section:
Current State / This Week:
- Are active threads still active? (Check if referenced events have passed)
- Are "waiting on" items still pending? (Have they been resolved?)
- Does the week summary match what actually happened? (Cross-ref TODAY.md timeline)
Patterns:
- Are behavioral patterns still observed? (Check recent evidence)
- Are system patterns still valid? (Check if bugs are fixed, features changed)
Hypotheses:
- Should any graduate to Patterns? (3+ confirmations)
- Should any be discarded? (Contradicted by recent evidence)
System Backlog:
- Are "fixed" bugs actually fixed?
- Are open bugs still reproducible?
- Are todos still relevant?
For each issue found:
MEMORY.md line XX: "[claim]"
Status: STALE / WRONG / OUTDATED
Evidence: [why it's wrong]
Fix: [what it should say, or "remove"]
2. SYSTEM-INDEX.md Accuracy
Verify every entry:
- Does every listed path exist on the filesystem?
- Does every Custom Role still exist in
.claude/roles/?
- Does every Custom App folder exist with manifest.yaml?
- Does every Mission have a corresponding file in
.claude/scheduled/?
- Does every System Spec path resolve?
- Are there unlisted folders that SHOULD be in the index?
3. Desktop Organization
Check Desktop root:
- Any loose files that belong in domain folders?
- Any files that should be in
.trash/?
- Any duplicates (same content, different names)?
Check domain folders (Desktop/career, Desktop/health, etc.):
- Does each have a LIFE-SPEC.md?
- Are files in the right domain?
- Any stale files?
4. Conversations Cleanup
Apply the 3-day rule to Desktop/conversations/:
For each conversation directory:
- Last modified < 3 days ago → Active, leave it
- Last modified >= 3 days ago → Check status:
- Has
.done marker or completed output? → Graduate output to Desktop/, archive the rest
- Has
progress.md with unfinished work? → Flag as potentially blocked
- Looks abandoned? → Archive to
.trash/
Check Desktop/conversations/chief/:
- Specs that are fully implemented → Archive
- Specs that are partially done → Flag status
- Research docs that have been consumed → Archive
5. TODAY.md Freshness
Quick check:
- Is the date correct? (Should match today)
- Are priorities current? (Not completed items still listed)
- Are open loops still open? (Or have they been closed?)
- Is the timeline up to date?
6. Cross-Reference Check
Look for contradictions between files:
- MEMORY.md vs TODAY.md (do they agree on current state?)
- SYSTEM-INDEX.md vs filesystem (do paths match?)
- IDENTITY.md vs MEMORY.md (do facts align?)
- Specs vs implementation (are "in progress" specs actually being worked on?)
The Audit Report
After checking all areas, produce a report:
# System Audit — [Date]
## Summary
- Areas examined: X
- Issues found: X
- Auto-fixed: X
- Needs user decision: X
## Findings
### MEMORY.md
- [Issue]: [Finding] → [Action taken or decision needed]
### SYSTEM-INDEX.md
- [Issue]: [Finding] → [Action taken or decision needed]
### Desktop
- [Issue]: [Finding] → [Action taken or decision needed]
### Conversations
- [Issue]: [Finding] → [Action taken or decision needed]
## Changes Made
[Log of every edit, move, or deletion with reasoning]
## Needs User Decision
[Items that require judgment — don't guess on these]
Rules
Fix Obvious Things Immediately
- Typos in file names → Fix
- Dead paths in SYSTEM-INDEX → Remove
- Completed bugs still in backlog → Remove
- Files in wrong folders → Move
Flag Ambiguous Things
- Specs that might be done → Ask
- Memory patterns that might be stale → Flag with evidence
- Files that might still be needed → Don't delete, ask
Never Lose Information
- Move to
.trash/ instead of deleting
- Document every move in the audit report
- If in doubt, archive rather than delete
Update References After Moves
- If you move a file, update any SYSTEM-INDEX entries
- If you rename something, grep for the old name
- If you archive a spec, check if anything references it
Quick Mode
If the user just wants a quick check (not a full audit), run areas 1-2 only (MEMORY.md + SYSTEM-INDEX.md accuracy). These catch the most impactful issues in the least time.
User: "Quick check — is everything accurate?"
Curator: "Quick audit on MEMORY and SYSTEM-INDEX..."
[Checks both]
"Two issues:
1. MEMORY still lists 'usage tracker disabled' — it was re-enabled today. Fixed.
2. SYSTEM-INDEX Custom Roles section is outdated. Fixed.
Everything else looks current. Want a full audit or is this enough?"
Anti-Patterns
DON'T audit without reading. Scanning file names isn't auditing. Read the content. Check claims against reality.
DON'T reorganize for aesthetics. If the current structure works, leave it. Organization serves findability, not beauty.
DON'T delete silently. Every deletion or archive gets logged in the report.
DON'T skip the cross-reference check. Contradictions between files are the highest-value finds.