domain-expert

name	domain-expert
description	Meta-skill for rapidly learning new domains. Covers domain research process, expert consultation simulation, knowledge validation, and documentation generation.

Domain Expert

Overview

A meta-skill for systematically learning and applying expertise in unfamiliar domains. Enables rapid acquisition of domain knowledge through structured research, expert simulation, and knowledge validation.

When to Use

• Entering an unfamiliar technical domain
• Building products in new industries
• Understanding complex regulations or standards
• Bridging knowledge gaps before implementation
• Validating assumptions about a domain

Quick Reference

Phase	Duration	Output
Survey	1-2 hours	Domain landscape map
Deep Dive	2-4 hours	Core concepts mastery
Expert Simulation	1-2 hours	Validated understanding
Documentation	1 hour	Reusable knowledge base

---

Phase 1: Domain Survey

Initial Landscape Mapping

## Domain Survey: [Domain Name]

### What is this domain?
[One paragraph explaining the domain to a complete outsider]

### Who operates in this domain?
- **Practitioners**: [Who does the work]
- **Consumers**: [Who benefits]
- **Regulators**: [Who sets rules]
- **Vendors**: [Who sells tools/services]

### Core Problems Solved
1. [Problem 1]
2. [Problem 2]
3. [Problem 3]

### Key Terminology
| Term | Definition | Example |
|------|------------|---------|
| [Term 1] | [Definition] | [Usage] |
| [Term 2] | [Definition] | [Usage] |

### Related Domains
- [Adjacent domain 1] - [Relationship]
- [Adjacent domain 2] - [Relationship]

Research Sources Hierarchy

Priority	Source Type	Purpose
1	Official Documentation	Authoritative definitions
2	Industry Standards	Best practices
3	Academic Papers	Deep understanding
4	Expert Blogs	Practical insights
5	Community Discussions	Real-world problems
6	Books	Comprehensive coverage

Questions to Answer

## Domain Understanding Checklist

### Fundamentals
- [ ] What problem does this domain solve?
- [ ] What are the core concepts/primitives?
- [ ] What are the key relationships between concepts?
- [ ] What are common misconceptions?

### Practical
- [ ] What tools do practitioners use?
- [ ] What are typical workflows?
- [ ] What are common failure modes?
- [ ] What metrics define success?

### Context
- [ ] What drives change in this domain?
- [ ] What are current trends?
- [ ] What regulations apply?
- [ ] Who are thought leaders?

---

Phase 2: Deep Dive

Concept Decomposition

## Core Concept: [Concept Name]

### Definition
[Precise definition in simple terms]

### Why It Matters
[Practical importance]

### Components
1. [Sub-concept 1]: [Explanation]
2. [Sub-concept 2]: [Explanation]
3. [Sub-concept 3]: [Explanation]

### Relationships
- Depends on: [Other concepts]
- Enables: [Other concepts]
- Conflicts with: [Other concepts]

### Examples
**Good Example**: [Description]
**Bad Example**: [Anti-pattern]

### Common Mistakes
1. [Mistake]: [Why it's wrong]
2. [Mistake]: [Why it's wrong]

Knowledge Mapping

                    [Domain]
                        |
        ________________|________________
        |               |               |
    [Concept A]    [Concept B]    [Concept C]
        |               |               |
    ___|___         ___|___         ___|___
    |     |         |     |         |     |
  [A.1] [A.2]     [B.1] [B.2]     [C.1] [C.2]

Depth Calibration

Level	Knowledge	Application
L1: Aware	Know it exists	Can recognize
L2: Familiar	Understand basics	Can discuss
L3: Competent	Know how to use	Can implement
L4: Proficient	Know when/why	Can optimize
L5: Expert	Deep understanding	Can innovate

## Target Knowledge Levels

For [Project/Goal]:
- [Concept A]: L3 (need to implement)
- [Concept B]: L2 (need to integrate)
- [Concept C]: L1 (just awareness)

---

Phase 3: Expert Simulation

The Socratic Method

## Expert Interview Simulation

### Question 1: [Basic Question]
**Expected Expert Answer**: [How an expert would respond]
**My Understanding**: [What I think the answer is]
**Gap**: [What I'm missing]

### Question 2: [Edge Case]
**Expected Expert Answer**: [How an expert would respond]
**My Understanding**: [What I think the answer is]
**Gap**: [What I'm missing]

### Question 3: [Why Question]
**Expected Expert Answer**: [How an expert would respond]
**My Understanding**: [What I think the answer is]
**Gap**: [What I'm missing]

Devil's Advocate Analysis

## Challenging Assumptions

### Assumption 1: [Statement I believe]
**Strongest Counterargument**: [Best case against it]
**Response**: [How to address it]
**Verdict**: [Keep/Modify/Discard]

### Assumption 2: [Statement I believe]
**Strongest Counterargument**: [Best case against it]
**Response**: [How to address it]
**Verdict**: [Keep/Modify/Discard]

Expert Persona Templates

## Expert Persona: [Domain] Specialist

### Background
- 10+ years in [domain]
- Worked at [typical companies/contexts]
- Expertise in [specific areas]

### Common Advice This Expert Gives
1. [Typical guidance 1]
2. [Typical guidance 2]
3. [Typical guidance 3]

### Red Flags This Expert Watches For
1. [Warning sign 1]
2. [Warning sign 2]
3. [Warning sign 3]

### Questions This Expert Would Ask
1. [Diagnostic question 1]
2. [Diagnostic question 2]
3. [Diagnostic question 3]

Validation Techniques

Technique	Purpose	Method
Teach-back	Test understanding	Explain to someone new
Application	Test practical use	Build something small
Comparison	Test relationships	Compare to known domain
Edge Cases	Test depth	Find where knowledge breaks
Prediction	Test mental model	Predict outcomes

---

Phase 4: Knowledge Documentation

Domain Knowledge Base Template

# [Domain] Knowledge Base

## Overview
[2-3 paragraphs explaining the domain comprehensively]

## Core Concepts

### [Concept 1]
[Detailed explanation with examples]

### [Concept 2]
[Detailed explanation with examples]

## Key Terminology
[Glossary of important terms]

## Common Patterns
[Recurring solutions and approaches]

## Anti-patterns
[Common mistakes to avoid]

## Tools & Resources
[List of useful tools, docs, communities]

## Decision Framework
[How to make common decisions in this domain]

## FAQ
[Frequently asked questions with answers]

## Further Reading
[Books, articles, courses for deeper learning]

Cheat Sheet Format

# [Domain] Cheat Sheet

## Quick Reference

| Situation | Approach |
|-----------|----------|
| [When X] | [Do Y] |
| [When A] | [Do B] |

## Key Formulas/Patterns

## Common Mistakes

1. [Mistake] -> [Correct approach]
2. [Mistake] -> [Correct approach]

## Gotchas

- [Non-obvious thing 1]
- [Non-obvious thing 2]

---

Research Strategies

Breadth-First Research

1. Read 5-10 overview articles
2. Identify recurring themes
3. Map key concepts
4. Note terminology
5. List questions

Depth-First Research

1. Pick ONE core concept
2. Read primary sources
3. Work through examples
4. Test understanding
5. Move to next concept

Just-In-Time Learning

1. Start with specific goal
2. Research only what blocks you
3. Implement immediately
4. Learn from errors
5. Deepen as needed

Comparative Learning

## [New Domain] vs [Known Domain]

| Aspect | [Known] | [New] |
|--------|---------|-------|
| Core Problem | [X] | [Y] |
| Main Actors | [X] | [Y] |
| Key Trade-offs | [X] | [Y] |
| Success Metrics | [X] | [Y] |

### Key Differences
1. [Difference]
2. [Difference]

### Transferable Knowledge
1. [What carries over]
2. [What carries over]

---

Quality Indicators

Signs of Good Understanding

- [ ] Can explain to a beginner
- [ ] Can predict outcomes
- [ ] Can identify mistakes
- [ ] Can propose improvements
- [ ] Can connect to other domains
- [ ] Can answer "why" questions
- [ ] Can recognize edge cases

Signs of Shallow Understanding

- Only memorized facts
- Can't explain reasoning
- Confused by variations
- No mental model for predictions
- Can't identify bad advice

Knowledge Confidence Scale

Level	Indicator
High	Can teach and debate
Medium	Can apply and explain
Low	Can recognize and follow
None	Need to look everything up

---

Common Patterns

The Feynman Technique

1. Choose a concept
2. Explain it simply (as if to a child)
3. Identify gaps in explanation
4. Research to fill gaps
5. Simplify and refine
6. Repeat until clear

Mental Model Building

## Mental Model: [Domain]

### Core Metaphor
[Domain] is like [familiar thing] because [similarity]

### Key Dynamics
- When [X happens], [Y results]
- When [A increases], [B decreases]

### Boundaries
- This model breaks when [edge case]
- Does not explain [limitation]

Knowledge Transfer Template

## Transferring [Domain] Knowledge

### For Developers
[Technical framing of domain concepts]

### For Business Stakeholders
[Business framing of domain concepts]

### For Users
[User-friendly framing of domain concepts]

---

Red Flags - STOP

Never:

• Assume expertise from surface reading
• Skip primary sources for summaries only
• Ignore domain experts' warnings
• Apply patterns without understanding context
• Trust outdated sources for evolving domains

Always:

• Validate understanding through application
• Seek multiple perspectives
• Document gaps in knowledge
• Update knowledge base as you learn
• Cite sources for important claims

---

Integration

Related skills: brainstorm, plan, session Process: Use with plan for domain-specific implementations