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feat(instructions): add DT-to-RPI handoff contract specification#679

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feat/583-dt-rpi-handoff-contract
Feb 20, 2026
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feat(instructions): add DT-to-RPI handoff contract specification#679
WilliamBerryiii merged 8 commits intomainfrom
feat/583-dt-rpi-handoff-contract

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@chaosdinosaur chaosdinosaur commented Feb 19, 2026

Pull Request

Description

Add ambient-tier instruction defining the formal contract for lateral handoffs from Design Thinking coaching into the RPI (Research → Plan → Implement) workflow.

The handoff contract includes:

  • Tiered Handoff Schema — Three exit points aligned to DT space boundaries (Problem Statement Complete, Concept Validated, Implementation Spec Ready)
  • Exit-Point Artifact Schema — YAML template for handoff summary files extending the coaching state pattern
  • RPI Input Contracts — Per-agent table defining what each RPI agent (researcher, planner, implementor) needs from DT outputs
  • Graduation Awareness Behavior — Four-step flow (Detect → Surface → Prepare → Transfer) for the DT coach at space boundaries
  • Handoff Quality Markers — Confidence taxonomy (validated/assumed/unknown/conflicting) with RPI implications

Token budget: ~1,500–2,000 tokens (ambient tier, applyTo: '**/.copilot-tracking/dt/**').

Related Issue(s)

Closes #583

Type of Change

AI Artifacts:

  • Copilot instructions (.github/instructions/*.instructions.md)

Sample Prompts (for AI Artifact Contributions)

User Request:
"We've finished our synthesis and have a validated problem statement. Let's hand this off to the RPI workflow for implementation planning."

Execution Flow:

  1. DT coach detects space boundary readiness signals (Method 3 complete, synthesis validated).
  2. Coach surfaces lateral handoff option: "Your problem statement looks solid. You could continue to Method 4 (Brainstorming), revisit earlier methods, or hand off to the RPI Researcher to investigate implementation approaches."
  3. If handoff chosen, coach creates handoff-summary.md with artifacts tagged by confidence markers.
  4. Coach records lateral transition in coaching state and provides handoff summary path to the RPI agent.

Output Artifacts:
.copilot-tracking/dt/{project-slug}/handoff-summary.md — YAML-structured handoff file with exit point, artifacts, constraints, and assumptions, each tagged with confidence markers.

Success Indicators:

  • Handoff summary contains all DT artifacts with confidence markers
  • RPI agent receives structured input matching its input contract
  • Coach remains available for advisory after handoff

Testing

  • npm run lint:md — 0 errors (183 files)
  • npm run lint:frontmatter — 0 errors, 0 warnings
  • npm run lint:collections-metadata — 11 collections validated, 0 errors
  • npm run plugin:generate — 11 plugins generated successfully

Checklist

Required Checks

  • Documentation is updated (if applicable)
  • Files follow existing naming conventions
  • Changes are backwards compatible (if applicable)

AI Artifact Contributions

  • Verified contribution follows common standards and type-specific requirements

Required Automated Checks

  • Markdown linting: npm run lint:md
  • Frontmatter validation: npm run lint:frontmatter

Security Considerations

  • This PR does not contain any sensitive or NDA information

Additional Notes

Part of Epic #563 — Design Thinking Coaching Capabilities (Phase 5: Implementation Space). This ambient instruction enables the DT coach agent to formally transition teams from coaching into the RPI implementation workflow with structured artifact handoff.

@chaosdinosaur
feat(instructions): add dt-method-03-deep for advanced input synthesi…
4ec7736 
…s techniques

Add on-demand deep instruction for Method 3: Input Synthesis covering
advanced affinity analysis with multi-pass clustering, cross-stakeholder
pattern detection, outlier investigation, and temporal pattern recognition.
Includes insight framework with observation-inference-insight formula,
HMW question scaffolding with breadth/depth calibration and generative
tension, problem statement articulation with POV format and assumption
audit, and manufacturing-specific synthesis patterns.

Closes #586
@chaosdinosaur
feat(instructions): add DT-to-RPI handoff contract specification
e30d9d2 
Add ambient-tier instruction defining the formal contract for lateral
handoffs from Design Thinking coaching into the RPI workflow.

Includes tiered handoff schema with three exit points aligned to DT
space boundaries, exit-point artifact schema with YAML template, per-
agent input contracts for researcher/planner/implementor, four-step
graduation awareness behavior, and handoff quality markers.

Closes #583
@chaosdinosaur chaosdinosaur requested a review from a team as a code owner February 19, 2026 22:17
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Dependency Review

✅ No vulnerabilities or license issues or OpenSSF Scorecard issues found.

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Codecov Report

✅ All modified and coverable lines are covered by tests.
✅ Project coverage is 85.43%. Comparing base (d3ec70d) to head (9739cff).
⚠️ Report is 3 commits behind head on main.

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@@           Coverage Diff           @@
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@WilliamBerryiii WilliamBerryiii merged commit 87f9962 into main Feb 20, 2026
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@hve-core-release-please hve-core-release-please bot mentioned this pull request Feb 20, 2026
Merged
WilliamBerryiii pushed a commit that referenced this pull request Feb 20, 2026
@hve-core-release-please
chore(main): release hve-core 3.0.0 (#644)
75b7ec1 
🤖 I have created a release *beep* *boop*
---


##
[3.0.0](hve-core-v2.3.10...hve-core-v3.0.0)
(2026-02-20)


### ⚠ BREAKING CHANGES

* **skills:** migrate PR reference generation to self-contained skill
([#669](#669))
* restructure RPI collection to HVE Core naming convention
([#668](#668))

### ✨ Features

* **agents:** add agile-coach agent
([#562](#562))
([de8d86c](de8d86c))
* **agents:** add DT coach agent with tiered instruction loading
([#656](#656))
([206d3a7](206d3a7))
* **agents:** add product manager advisor and UX/UI designer agents
([#627](#627))
([539eb8a](539eb8a))
* **agents:** add system architecture reviewer for design trade-offs and
ADR creation ([#626](#626))
([de5cfd6](de5cfd6))
* **build:** pin devcontainer image and align tool parity
([#704](#704))
([6258b1c](6258b1c))
* **design-thinking:** add manufacturing industry context template
([#682](#682))
([ce864bf](ce864bf))
* **instructions:** add DT coaching state protocol for session
persistence ([#654](#654))
([5a5be4e](5a5be4e))
* **instructions:** add dt-coaching-identity ambient instruction
([#642](#642))
([6209a0d](6209a0d))
* **instructions:** add dt-method-01-deep for advanced scope
conversation techniques
([#673](#673))
([cc92ef9](cc92ef9))
* **instructions:** add dt-method-03-deep for advanced input synthesis
techniques ([#676](#676))
([0079a4f](0079a4f))
* **instructions:** add dt-method-09-deep instructions for Method 9
advanced coaching
([#703](#703))
([150b2a6](150b2a6))
* **instructions:** add dt-method-sequencing ambient instruction
([#650](#650))
([e465b2f](e465b2f))
* **instructions:** add dt-quality-constraints and design-thinking
collection ([#645](#645))
([17002bd](17002bd))
* **instructions:** add DT-to-RPI handoff contract specification
([#679](#679))
([87f9962](87f9962))
* **instructions:** add energy industry context template
([#687](#687))
([41088d8](41088d8))
* **instructions:** add healthcare industry context template
([#686](#686))
([b2d5281](b2d5281))
* **instructions:** add Method 1 Scope Conversations coaching knowledge
([#651](#651))
([93e2d48](93e2d48))
* **instructions:** add Method 2 Design Research coaching knowledge
([#652](#652))
([30f7f3b](30f7f3b))
* **instructions:** add Method 3 Input Synthesis coaching knowledge
([#653](#653))
([1efdb7d](1efdb7d))
* **instructions:** add Method 7 High-Fidelity Prototypes coaching
instruction ([#666](#666))
([9233eab](9233eab))
* **instructions:** add pull request instructions for PR generation
workflow ([#706](#706))
([73d23eb](73d23eb))
* **instructions:** create DT curriculum content (9 modules)
([#690](#690))
([9f7378f](9f7378f)),
closes [#617](#617)
* **instructions:** create dt-method-02-deep.instructions.md
([#700](#700))
([4d4d0ca](4d4d0ca))
* **instructions:** create dt-method-06-lofi-prototypes.instructions.md
([#684](#684))
([4d5f757](4d5f757))
* **instructions:** create dt-method-07-deep.instructions.md
([#678](#678))
([d3ec70d](d3ec70d))
* **instructions:** Create dt-method-08-deep.instructions.md
([#683](#683))
([d9e1115](d9e1115))
* **instructions:** create dt-method-08-testing.instructions.md
([#681](#681))
([3008ad8](3008ad8))
* **instructions:** create dt-method-09-iteration.instructions.md
([#685](#685))
([9d7f4f5](9d7f4f5))
* **instructions:** create dt-rpi-research-context.instructions.md
([#689](#689))
([34c7b89](34c7b89))
* **instructions:** create manufacturing reference learning scenario
([#692](#692))
([1bd3994](1bd3994))
* **instructions:** Design Thinking Method 4 brainstorming instruction
file ([#664](#664))
([06f90b0](06f90b0))
* **prompts:** add DT start-project prompt for coaching initialization
([#657](#657))
([ce583d5](ce583d5))
* **prompts:** add dt-resume-coaching prompt for session recovery
([#665](#665))
([11b93cb](11b93cb))
* **prompts:** create dt-handoff-problem-space.prompt.md
([#688](#688))
([277963d](277963d))
* **scripts:** add collection-level maturity field with validation,
gating, and notices
([#697](#697))
([7b1c8e8](7b1c8e8))
* **scripts:** add per-violation CI annotations and colorized console
output ([#637](#637))
([bd7d512](bd7d512))
* **skills:** edit SKILL frontmatter schema, add CI validation, and
documentation ([#625](#625))
([0138a78](0138a78))
* **skills:** mandate unit testing and document language support
([#636](#636))
([9263617](9263617))
* **skills:** migrate PR reference generation to self-contained skill
([#669](#669))
([cf8805f](cf8805f))


### 🐛 Bug Fixes

* **collections:** migrate artifacts into collection-based
subdirectories
([#658](#658))
([dfa5261](dfa5261))
* **instructions:** optimize Phase 1 DT token budgets and close
[#564](https://github.com/microsoft/hve-core/issues/564)/[#565](https://github.com/microsoft/hve-core/issues/565)
gaps ([#675](#675))
([4f42f00](4f42f00))
* **scripts:** add CI annotations and step summary to copyright header
check ([#638](#638))
([5fa6328](5fa6328))
* **scripts:** add grouped link-lang console diagnostics and failure
summary ([#661](#661))
([4d6871f](4d6871f))
* **scripts:** add per-violation Write-Host and Write-CIAnnotation
output to Test-DependencyPinning
([#640](#640))
([9d3b71d](9d3b71d))
* **scripts:** align agent frontmatter schema with VS Code spec
([#469](#469))
([254d445](254d445))
* **scripts:** optimize PSScriptAnalyzer linting performance in WSL2
([#667](#667))
([f120b93](f120b93))
* **scripts:** stabilize YAML display key ordering in collection
manifest ([#701](#701))
([73c0d2c](73c0d2c))
* **scripts:** use text stubs for plugin links when symlinks unavailable
([#695](#695))
([d7650a3](d7650a3))
* **skills:** fix powershell test coverage in pr-reference skill
([#699](#699))
([408e6b7](408e6b7))


### 📚 Documentation

* **dt:** add Method 5 Concepts and Method 6 Lo-Fi Prototypes
instructions ([#693](#693))
([cfdcf11](cfdcf11))
* **hve-guide:** add role-based guides and project lifecycle
documentation ([#663](#663))
([17a85da](17a85da))


### ♻️ Refactoring

* restructure RPI collection to HVE Core naming convention
([#668](#668))
([120dde0](120dde0))
* **scripts:** consolidate duplicate logging into shared SecurityHelpers
module ([#655](#655))
([627a877](627a877))
* **scripts:** use shared SecurityHelpers and CIHelpers modules in
security scripts
([#705](#705))
([3a0baa7](3a0baa7))


### 🔧 Maintenance

* **deps-dev:** bump markdownlint-cli2 from 0.20.0 to 0.21.0 in the
npm-dependencies group
([#609](#609))
([1486dd7](1486dd7))

---
This PR was generated with [Release
Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See
[documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please).

Co-authored-by: hve-core-release-please[bot] <254602402+hve-core-release-please[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
@chaosdinosaur chaosdinosaur deleted the feat/583-dt-rpi-handoff-contract branch February 24, 2026 18:48
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feat(instructions): DT→RPI handoff contract specification

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