# Daily research brief — playbook

**Audience:** operator or agent executing `target_repo: freedom-intelligence`  
**Template:** `briefs/_template.md`  
**Baseline memory:** `research/2026-07-24-baseline-field-survey.md`  
**Sources:** `docs/sources-allowlist.md`

---

## Purpose

Produce **one** curated brief per active day covering axes A–D when there is
signal. Briefs are **deltas** from the baseline survey and prior briefs — not
full resurveys.

---

## Idempotence

| Rule | Detail |
| ---- | ------ |
| One brief per date | Path `briefs/YYYY/MM/YYYY-MM-DD.md` |
| Calendar | Prefer **Europe/Berlin** date in front matter |
| Skip empty days | Either omit file or write `*No material delta.*` in Headline deltas |
| Automation due bit | Cleared only by State Hub event `fi_daily_brief` (below) |

---

## Manual procedure

1. **Orient**
   - Read last 1–2 briefs if any; skim baseline § executive snapshot if first week
   - `git pull` on freedom-intelligence

2. **Scan** (`docs/sources-allowlist.md`) — 30–60 minutes cap  
   - Capture only items that change capability, cost, access, or operability

3. **Draft**
   ```bash
   mkdir -p briefs/$(date +%Y/%m)
   cp briefs/_template.md briefs/$(date +%Y/%m)/$(date +%Y-%m-%d).md
   ```
   - Fill front matter (`status: final` when done)
   - Leave empty sections as `*(none)*`
   - Cite primary URLs

4. **Collection candidates**
   - Use inventory field names; set priority
   - If nominating: add or update `inventory/catalog/{id}.yaml` with
     `status: candidate` and `collection.brief_refs`

5. **Lab implications**
   - Link open workplans (`FI-WP-*`) only when action is real

6. **Commit** (operator policy) — brief + any catalog YAML

7. **Completion evidence** (required for activity-core rhythm)

   Post State Hub progress (HTTP or MCP), shape:

   ```yaml
   event_type: fi_daily_brief
   author: <agent-or-operator>
   summary: "FI daily brief YYYY-MM-DD"
   detail:
     repo: freedom-intelligence
     date: "YYYY-MM-DD"
     path: "briefs/YYYY/MM/YYYY-MM-DD.md"
     collection_candidates: 0
   ```

   Workstation API often `http://127.0.0.1:8000`; remote tunnel ports per
   Custodian docs. See `docs/state-hub-delivery.md`.

---

## Automation consumer

When activity-core emits `activity_task_spawn` with
`target_repo: freedom-intelligence` and labels including `research-brief`:

1. Checkout this repo on the execution host  
2. Run this playbook end-to-end  
3. Prefer **llm-connect / OpenRouter** for any LLM drafting (Binky lesson: do
   not install coding-agent CLIs on railiance01 solely for this)  
4. Always post `fi_daily_brief` even if the brief is “no material delta”  
5. Idempotency key: do not open a second brief file for the same `date`

Activity definition: `activity-definitions/fi-daily-research-brief.md`  
Workplan: `workplans/FI-WP-0002-activity-core-daily-research.md`  
Resolver: activity-core state-hub query `fi_brief_status` (implemented 2026-07-24)

### Ops: load this repo’s definitions

Dev / workstation worker:

```bash
export ACTIVITY_DEFINITION_DIRS=/home/worsch/freedom-intelligence
# then: make sync-activity-definitions  (with ACTCORE_DB_URL + stack)
```

Production (railiance): either project
`activity-definitions/fi-daily-research-brief.md` into ConfigMap
`actcore-external-activity-definitions`, or mount a checkout under
`ACTIVITY_DEFINITION_DIRS` (`/etc/activity-core/external-definitions`). Keep
`enabled: false` until FI-WP-0002-T05 dry-run passes.

---

## Quality bar

| Check | Pass |
| ----- | ---- |
| Signal | No filler paragraphs |
| Sources | At least one primary link per non-empty axis row |
| Honesty | Benchmarks marked directional; prices “verify before budget” |
| Collection | License noted for any candidate |
| Length | Prefer one screen to three; deep dives go under `research/` |

---

## First daily after baseline

The baseline survey (2026-07-24) already covers the field. The **first daily**
should only list changes **after** that document’s research window. If nothing
moved, a short no-delta brief still completes the rhythm and posts
`fi_daily_brief`.