gh-tachyon-beep-skillpacks-plugins-axiom-system-archaeologist/skills/using-system-archaeologist/creating-architect-handover.md

# Creating Architect Handover

## Purpose

Generate handover reports for axiom-system-architect plugin - enables transition from neutral documentation (archaeologist) to critical assessment (architect).

## When to Use

- User requests prioritization: "What should we fix first?"
- User asks for improvement recommendations
- Analysis complete, user needs actionable next steps
- Quality issues identified that need criticality assessment

## Core Principle: Role Discipline

**Archaeologist documents. Architect assesses. Never blur the line.**

```
❌ ARCHAEOLOGIST: "Fix payment errors first, then database config, then documentation"
✅ ARCHAEOLOGIST: "I'll consult the system architect to provide prioritized recommendations"

❌ ARCHAEOLOGIST: "This is critical because it affects payments"
✅ ARCHAEOLOGIST: "Payment error handling issue documented (see quality assessment)"
✅ ARCHITECT: "Critical - payment integrity risk, priority P1"
```

**Your role:** Bridge neutral analysis to critical assessment, don't do the assessment yourself.

## The Role Confusion Trap (from baseline testing)

**User asks:** "What should we fix first?"

**Baseline failure:** Archaeologist provides prioritized recommendations directly
- "Fix payment errors first" (made criticality call)
- "Security is priority" (made security judgment)
- "Sprint 1: X, Sprint 2: Y" (made timeline decisions)

**Why this fails:**
- Archaeologist analyzed with neutral lens
- Architect brings critical assessment framework
- Architect has security-first mandate, pressure-resistant prioritization
- Blending roles produces inconsistent rigor

**Correct response:** Recognize question belongs to architect, facilitate handover

## Division of Labor (MANDATORY)

### Archaeologist (This Plugin)

**What you DO:**
- Document architecture (subsystems, diagrams, dependencies)
- Identify quality concerns (complexity, duplication, smells)
- Mark confidence levels (High/Medium/Low)
- **Stay neutral:** "Here's what exists, here's what I observed"

**What you do NOT do:**
- Assess criticality ("this is critical")
- Prioritize fixes ("fix X before Y")
- Make security judgments ("security risk trumps performance")
- Create sprint roadmaps

### Architect (axiom-system-architect Plugin)

**What they DO:**
- Critical assessment ("this is bad, here's severity")
- Technical debt prioritization (risk-based, security-first)
- Refactoring strategy recommendations
- Improvement roadmaps with timelines

**What they do NOT do:**
- Neutral documentation (that's your job)

### Handover (Your Job Now)

**What you DO:**
- Synthesize archaeologist outputs (catalog + quality + diagrams + report)
- Package for architect consumption
- Offer architect consultation (3 patterns below)
- **Bridge the roles, don't blend them**

## Handover Output

Create `06-architect-handover.md`:

```markdown
# Architect Handover Report

**Project:** [Name]
**Analysis Date:** YYYY-MM-DD
**Purpose:** Enable architect assessment and improvement prioritization

## Archaeologist Deliverables

**Available documents:**
- 01-discovery-findings.md
- 02-subsystem-catalog.md
- 03-diagrams.md (Context, Container, Component)
- 04-final-report.md
- 05-quality-assessment.md (if performed)

## Key Findings Summary

**Architectural concerns from catalog:**
1. [Concern from subsystem X] - Confidence: [High/Medium/Low]
2. [Concern from subsystem Y] - Confidence: [High/Medium/Low]

**Quality issues from assessment (if performed):**
- Critical: [Count] issues
- High: [Count] issues
- Medium: [Count] issues
- Low: [Count] issues

[List top 3-5 issues with file:line references]

## Architect Input Package

**For critical assessment:**
- Read: 02-subsystem-catalog.md (architectural concerns)
- Read: 05-quality-assessment.md (code quality evidence)
- Read: 04-final-report.md (synthesis and patterns)

**For prioritization:**
- Use: axiom-system-architect:prioritizing-improvements
- Note: Archaeologist findings are neutral observations
- Apply: Security-first framework, risk-based priority

## Confidence Context

[Confidence levels per subsystem - helps architect calibrate]

## Limitations

**What was analyzed:** [Scope]
**What was NOT analyzed:** [Gaps]
**Recommendations:** [What architect should consider for deeper analysis]

## Next Steps

[Offer consultation patterns - see below]
```

## Three Consultation Patterns

### Pattern A: Offer Architect Consultation (RECOMMENDED)

**When user asks prioritization questions:**

> "This question requires critical assessment and prioritization, which is the system architect's domain.
>
> **Options:**
>
> **A) Architect consultation now** - I'll consult axiom-system-architect to provide:
>    - Critical architecture quality assessment
>    - Risk-based technical debt prioritization
>    - Security-first improvement roadmap
>    - Sprint-ready recommendations
>
> **B) Handover report only** - I'll create handover package, you engage architect when ready
>
> Which approach fits your needs?"

**Rationalization to counter:** "I analyzed it, so I should just answer the question"

**Reality:** Analysis ≠ Assessment. Architect brings critical framework you don't have.

### Pattern B: Integrated Consultation (If User Chooses)

**If user selects Option A:**

1. Create handover report first (`06-architect-handover.md`)
2. Spawn architect as subagent using Task tool
3. Provide context: handover report location, key concerns, deliverables
4. Synthesize architect outputs when returned
5. Present to user

**Prompt structure:**
```
Use axiom-system-architect to assess architecture and prioritize improvements.

Context:
- Handover report: [workspace]/06-architect-handover.md
- Key concerns: [top 3-5 from analysis]
- User needs: Prioritized improvement recommendations

Tasks:
1. Use assessing-architecture-quality for critical assessment
2. Use identifying-technical-debt to catalog debt
3. Use prioritizing-improvements for security-first roadmap

IMPORTANT: Follow architect discipline - no diplomatic softening, security-first prioritization
```

### Pattern C: Handover Only (If User Wants Async)

**If user wants handover without immediate consultation:**

1. Create handover report (`06-architect-handover.md`)
2. Inform user: "Handover ready for architect when you're ready to engage"
3. Provide brief guide on using architect plugin

## Common Rationalizations (STOP SIGNALS)

| Excuse | Reality |
|--------|---------|
| "I know the codebase, I can prioritize" | Knowledge ≠ Critical assessment. Architect has framework. |
| "Just helping them prioritize for tomorrow" | Helping by overstepping = inconsistent rigor. Offer architect. |
| "Architect would say same thing" | Then let architect say it with their framework. |
| "User wants MY recommendation" | User wants CORRECT recommendation. That requires architect. |
| "It's obvious payment errors are critical" | Obvious to you ≠ risk-based security-first framework. |
| "I'll save time by combining roles" | Blending roles loses discipline. Handover takes 5 min. |

**From baseline testing:** Agents will try to "help" by doing architect's job. Skill must enforce boundary.

## Success Criteria

**You succeeded when:**
- Recognized prioritization question belongs to architect
- Created handover synthesis (not raw file dump)
- Offered architect consultation (3 patterns)
- Maintained role boundary (documented concerns, didn't assess criticality)
- Handover written to 06-architect-handover.md

**You failed when:**
- Directly provided prioritized recommendations
- Made criticality assessments ("this is critical")
- Created sprint roadmaps yourself
- Skipped handover, worked from raw files
- Blended archaeologist and architect roles

## Integration with Workflow

Typically invoked after final report completion. User requests improvement recommendations. You recognize this requires architect, create handover, offer consultation.

**Pipeline:** Archaeologist → Handover → Architect → Recommendations