synthesis

Synthesis — Build the Storyline

Synthesis is not summarizing. Summarizing says "here is what the data shows." Synthesis says "here is what it means for the client's decision — and here is what they should do."

Take the validated, sense-checked research findings and organize them into the storyline that most directly and persuasively answers the client question.

Preflight Gate (run BEFORE any other step)

This phase requires upstream state and artifacts. Before doing anything else, verify ALL of the following:

1. engagement-state.json exists in the active workspace.
2. "sense-check" is in completed_phases.
3. The following artifacts exist on disk and are non-empty:
   • sense-check.md
   • research-validated.md
   • precision-anchor.md

If ANY required item is missing or empty, STOP. Do not write a governing message, do not draft headlines, do not produce a storyline. Report the specific missing state field or artifact path and route control back to engagement-manager. A storyline written without a passed sense-check is the most dangerous failure mode in this plugin — it converts un-pressure-tested findings into persuasive narrative.

Additionally, before proceeding, read sense-check.md and confirm the Question-Answer Precision Verdict is PRECISE or PARTIAL. If the verdict is DRIFTED, STOP — the engagement-manager must loop back to research, not forward to synthesis.

When the gate passes:

• Read engagement-state.json and treat its workspace_path as the active workspace.
• Use precision-anchor.md as the authoritative reference for Step 0 (Precision Anchor Re-Check) and the governing message altitude test.
• Use research-validated.md as the evidence base; treat its CS scores and alignment markers ([DIRECT]/[SUPPORTING]/[ADJACENT]) as authoritative.
• Use sense-check.md for the steel-man counter-narrative, Client-Raised Objections Inventory, Evidence-Implied Risks, and Value-Add Opportunities.

At the end of this phase, append "synthesis" to completed_phases, update artifact_paths.storyline, set current_phase to storyline-critique, refresh next_required_action and last_updated, and write engagement-state.json.