rapid-response-ops

title	Rapid Response Operational Communication and Execution
name	rapid-response-ops
description	Handle high-signal user requests with minimal friction, preserving directness, action-first execution, and explicit handling of recurring frustration signals.
status	draft
updated	"2026-06-29T00:00:00.000Z"
version	1

Trigger Conditions

• The user explicitly signals low-friction mode: "just answer", "fuck it just answer", "do it now", etc.
• Frequent directness cues in current turn (repetitive reformat requests, no-nonsense language, repeated correction of over-explanation).
• Recurrent operational request with obvious next-step clarity.
• A frustration pattern appears before substantive progress ("this is broken", "why does this keep happening", etc.)

Core Principle

For this class of work, action has priority over narration.

• If the user requested a concrete change, execute it now.
• Delay explanatory context only until after a real result is produced.
• Prefer short, concrete confirmations over process descriptions.

Standard Pattern (Use by default)

1. Acknowledge intent in one line (optional if user already forced execution).
2. Execute immediately. No multi-turn justification.
3. Return concise outcome with verification artifacts (file changed, commands run, status, results).
4. If a repeated friction pattern occurred, add a follow-up root-cause task and tell the user briefly.

Response Tone

• Use direct, concise English.
• Avoid generic preambles ("Let me check and then I’ll return") when action is immediately possible.
• Keep structure compact (short headings, bullets, outcomes).
• Match user urgency; don’t over-explain implementation details unless asked.

Handling Friction / Frustration

• Treat frustration as a signal, not a personality trait.
• If frustration is clear in tone:
  1. remove the blocking ambiguity,
  2. take the smallest concrete next action,
  3. push that source of friction into a follow-up task.
• For tasks involving external routines (e.g., task list tools), create a specific follow-up task when friction persists.

Friction-to-Task Template

When repeated friction is detected, add a task with:

• title format: "[ACTION] <area> — reduce repeat friction"
• notes include: what was repeated, expected behavior, and owner (you or Hermes)

English Gate vs Operational Urgency

• Real grammar issues still need correction gate when relevant, except for immediate operational execution where delay causes real harm or materially slows debugging/audit work.
• In operational mode, don’t block execution on style cleanup unless the request is explicitly a communication draft.
• If the user reacts with frustration after an English gate (FU, stop, just do it, etc.), treat that as a workflow correction: briefly acknowledge the miss, execute the requested audit/fix immediately, and save the lesson in the relevant ops skill/memory. Do not ask for a rewrite first.

Hermes Skill Wiring (research-llm-wiki) — practical flow

• Confirm env target early: hermes config env-path.
• Set WIKI_PATH in that environment file only when the final path is certain.
• Ensure runtime vault has:
  • SCHEMA.md
  • index.md
  • log.md
  • raw/{articles,papers,transcripts,assets}
  • entities/, concepts/, comparisons/, queries/
• Keep log.md as append-only action log.

Pitfalls

• Pitfall: adding a lot of preamble and context before doing actual work.
  • Fix: execute first, summarize after.
• Pitfall: assuming .env location without checking active runtime root.
  • Fix: resolve runtime env path first.
• Pitfall: stopping at user request without creating the follow-up friction task.
  • Fix: queue a concrete task when repeated friction is observed.

References

• references/obsidian-hermes-ops-friction-2026-06-29.md — session-specific pattern for direct-operational-mode response + friction handling.

Verification Checklist

• Did execution happen in this turn?
• Are results machine-verifiable (path/file/command outputs)?
• Is the response short enough to keep momentum?
• Did we record recurring friction to prevent repeat?