Daily Brief Output PRD

Larry Pipeline v1.0 — Prescriptive Output Requirements

01 Diagnosis — What Version B Gets Wrong

Version B was produced by the Larry pipeline (Claude Code automated). Version A was produced manually via Claude.ai. The comparison reveals that Version B's failure mode is not signal selection (it ingested 28 signals vs. 10) — it's output depth. Version B is a report that tells Jason what happened. Version A is an execution system that tells Jason what to do and provides the tools to do it. These are different products.

02 Scoring Engine Requirements

2.1 Rubric

Score every signal on four dimensions, each 1–5. Total = /20. Threshold to surface = ≥16/20.

2.2 Routing rules

• ≥18/20 + Forge infrastructure relevance: Track B Emergency — lead the brief, banner alert pinned below header.
• ≥16/20 + publishing action: Track A — full signal card with SVG, seed, win/loss, order chain.
• ≥16/20 + build action (code/config/infrastructure): Track B — full signal card with numbered build steps, command blocks, seed.
• 13–15/20: Track C — banked. One sentence per signal in collapsible Track C section. Include SPO triplet for registry.
• <13/20: Dropped. List title only in drop note at bottom of Track C.

03 Signal Card Anatomy (Required)

Every Track A and Track B signal requires a full signal card. Track C signals use the condensed list format only. The following anatomy is mandatory — no shortcuts.

3.1 Card sections in order

A. Ribbon bar

B. Card header

C. 3-column body

D. SVG diagram

E. Order chain (2°/3°/4° effects)

F. Timing pill

G. Win/Loss conditions

H. Seed row

I. Card footer

04 Seed Quality Requirements

A seed is a complete, pasteable context block for starting a new Claude chat session. It is not a summary. It is not an action item. It must be copy-pasteable directly into a new Claude chat and produce useful work without any additional context from Jason.

4.1 Seed content structure (mandatory fields)

[CONTEXT BLOCK — always first]
You are helping Jason MacDonald, founder of MasteryMade. HC_TOKEN: JMD-FORGE-2026
STACK: [current Forge stack summary — ~3 sentences]
ACTIVE JVs: [current JV pipeline]
BRAND: "Builder. Operator. Architect." | "Dominia Facta. Build what compounds."
REGISTRY: https://jasondmacdonald.com/knowledge-registry

[TRACK + SIGNAL]
TRACK [A/B] — [Signal name] / [Strategic framing] [Score/20]

[SERIES CONTEXT]
SERIES: Stacks on [node-id (status, N briefs)]. [1-2 sentences on what specifically this new signal adds to the existing node.]

[SIGNAL DETAIL]
SIGNAL: [Full factual description of what happened. Include: source, key data points, what was said/done/published, any specific numbers.] 
SOURCE: [URL]

[STRATEGIC FRAME]
[HOOK]: [The specific first line of the article/asset — what opens it]
[ANGLE]: [The argument structure — why this specific signal matters in this specific way for this specific thesis]

[TRACK A: PUBLISHING TARGET]
PUBLISH: [Specific slug] via NowPage ([standalone/companion])
WIN: [Specific measurable outcome — pts within timeframe AND inbound within timeframe]
LOSS: [What failure looks like → specific redirect]

OR

[TRACK B: BUILD TARGET]
BUILD: [What to build, specific file/config/command targets]
WIN: [Specific measurable outcome — what's done, what's verified, timeframe]
LOSS: [Failure condition → specific redirect]

[TASK LINE — always last]
Task: [1–2 sentence specific task instruction]. Return [specific deliverable].

4.2 Seed quality gates

• Self-contained: A Claude instance with no memory of prior sessions must be able to execute the seed without asking clarifying questions.
• Specific publish targets: Track A seeds must include the exact slug for NowPage publication.
• Specific task lines: The Task line must name a specific deliverable (article text, command sequence, 2-paragraph asset, etc.) and a return format.
• Win/Loss are measurable: No seed may use "success" or "failure" without a specific observable condition attached.
• Context block is current: The STACK section must reflect the current Forge configuration (Channels, v2.1.81 features, DEFCON status, etc.).

4.3 Seed button implementation

The seed is stored as a JavaScript string in a const seeds = {} object keyed by signal identifier. The seed button calls a seed(key) function that writes the seed string to clipboard and shows a toast. The button must:

• Show an SVG copy icon + "Seed A →" or "Seed B →" label before click.
• Change to a green checkmark + "Copied" for 2.8 seconds after click.
• Use class="seed-btn" and add class="ok" state on success.
• Be inside a class="seed-row" div that shows the seed's purpose in dim type to the left.

05 SVG Diagram Requirements

5.1 Permitted diagram types

5.2 Technical requirements

• All SVGs are inline — no <img src>, no external files.
• viewBox height: 100–130px typical. Never exceed 200px without strong justification.
• All text uses font-family="IBM Plex Mono".
• All critical text (labels, key numbers) must be 7px+ at viewBox scale.
• Arrow markers use <defs><marker> pattern — see existing brief source for the exact marker template.
• DPR: SVGs are vector and scale cleanly. No canvas DPR concerns.
• Contrast: text on dark backgrounds uses fill="#EAE4DB" (--text) or fill="#888079" (--dim). Text on colored areas uses white fill="#fff" or black fill="#000".

5.3 What SVGs must NOT be

• Decorative headers or dividers
• Logo reproductions
• Generic "network graphs" that don't show specific data
• Anything that could be removed without losing information

06 The Thread — Synthesis Section

The Thread is the most important section of the brief. It is where the brief stops being a list of signals and becomes a strategic document. Version B's synthesis was 2 sentences. The target is a full section with five subsections.

6.1 Pull quote

6.2 Vision nodes grid (3-column)

6.3 Synthesis body (3 paragraphs)

6.4 World arc (2×2 grid)

6.5 Future unlocks (4 items)

07 Registry Update Requirements

The knowledge registry at jasondmacdonald.com/knowledge-registry must be updated after every brief. The update is mandatory, not optional.

7.1 What triggers a node update

• New node: Any signal that introduces a concept not currently in the registry with ≥2 expected future stacking signals.
• Status upgrade: Any node that receives its 3rd independent confirmation signal upgrades from growing to established. This must be explicit in the brief's registry bar.
• Description update: Any established node that receives a new evidence signal gets its description updated to reference the new brief and data point.
• New connection: Any signal that links two existing nodes that weren't previously connected.

7.2 Node JSON structure (required fields)

{
  "id": "kebab-case-unique-id",
  "label": "Human Readable Label",
  "category": "platform|masteryos|forge|nowpage|signal-engine",
  "status": "established|growing|seed",
  "brief_first": "#47",
  "briefs": ["#47", "#52", "#57"],
  "description": "Full paragraph description. Include: what this node represents, key evidence signals, current strategic relevance. 2–4 sentences minimum.",
  "connections": ["other-node-id", "another-node-id"],
  "sources": [
    {"label": "Brief #57 — context note", "url": "https://jasondmacdonald.com/daily-brief-2026-03-26"},
    {"label": "Source article title", "url": "https://verified-live-url.com/article"}
  ]
}

7.3 Source URL verification (critical)

7.4 Registry bar in the brief

The purple registry bar above the intake bar must show all node changes for that brief. Format per tag:

• New node: new: [node-id] ([category], [status]) — orange border
• Status upgrade: ↑ [node-id] [old-status] → [new-status] — gold border
• Evidence added to existing node: ↑ [node-id] (new signal adds ...) — gold border
• Emergency/Critical: ⚡ [node-id] — [1-line description] — red border

08 HTML/CSS Standards

8.1 Type scale

8.2 Responsive scaling (required)

html { font-size: clamp(14px, 0.8vw + 11px, 17px); }

This single rule makes all rem-based sizes fluid. Do not set fixed font sizes on body or paragraphs — use rem units relative to this fluid base.

8.3 Canvas DPR fix (if using canvas graphs)

function setCanvasSize(canvas) {
  const dpr = window.devicePixelRatio || 1;
  const rect = canvas.parentElement.getBoundingClientRect();
  cssW = rect.width;
  cssH = canvas.offsetHeight || 520;
  canvas.width = Math.floor(cssW * dpr);
  canvas.height = Math.floor(cssH * dpr);
  canvas.style.width = cssW + 'px';
  canvas.style.height = cssH + 'px';
}

// In draw():
ctx.scale(dpr, dpr); // FIRST thing after clearRect — all coords in CSS pixels

Hit detection must use getBoundingClientRect() client coordinates (CSS pixels), not buffer pixel coordinates.

8.4 Design tokens (required, CSS custom properties)

:root, [data-theme="dark"] {
  --red: #C0272D;   --gold: #C8A96E;   --green: #3DAA6B;
  --blue: #4A9EDB;  --orange: #E8813A; --purple: #9B6FD4;
  --bg: #0C0C0C;    --s1: #111;        --s2: #161616;   --s3: #1c1c1c;
  --border: #222;   --b2: #2a2a2a;
  --text: #EAE4DB;  --dim: #888079;    --muted: #444;
  --hbg: rgba(12,12,12,.97);
}
[data-theme="light"] {
  --bg: #F4F1EC;    --s1: #FFF;        --s2: #EDE9E2;   --s3: #E4DFD7;
  --border: #D5D0C8; --b2: #C5BFB5;
  --text: #1A1410;  --dim: #5C5650;    --muted: #9A9590;
  --hbg: rgba(244,241,236,.97);
}

8.5 Required page sections in order

1. <script id="registry-json"> — machine-readable JSON at top of body
2. Theme toggle + seed scripts (inline JS)
3. Sticky header (class="hdr") with logo, prev link, PRD version chip, brief number chip
4. Emergency alert banner (if Track B Emergency) — pinned below header, full width
5. Meta thesis bar — today's thesis in gold italic
6. Purple registry bar — node updates for this brief
7. Intake bar — date, summary phrase, signal counts, collapsible score table
8. Collapsible series arc bar
9. Main content: Track B Emergency (if any) → Track B → Track A → Track C
10. The Thread synthesis section
11. Footer with brief number, PRD version, prev link, registry link

09 Working Links — Non-Negotiable

9.1 Link verification protocol

Before the brief is published via NowPage, every URL in the brief must pass one of:

• web_fetch(url) returns 200 with content
• URL was verified live as part of the signal fetch process (i.e., the article was read to score it)

If a URL cannot be verified:

• For source articles: use the parent domain URL (e.g., https://news.ycombinator.com) instead of the direct thread URL, and note in card meta that the direct URL was unavailable.
• For registry sources: use the brief's own URL as the source and note the original in the description field.
• Never publish a dead link. A "source not available" note is better than a 404.

9.2 HN links

HN thread URLs follow the pattern https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=[ID]. The ID is not always in the signal input. If the direct HN thread URL is not available, use https://news.ycombinator.com as the source and note "HN [score]pts" in the badge only — do not fabricate a thread URL.

10 Pre-Publish Quality Gate Checklist

Before calling publish_to_nowpage, verify every item in this list. If any item fails, fix it before publishing.

Signal processing

• ☐ All signals scored on U/N/A/F with written justification for each dimension
• ☐ Routing decisions consistent with rubric (≥16 surfaces, <16 banks or drops)
• ☐ Scores reviewed against established registry nodes — N scores recalibrated if needed
• ☐ No Track B items manufactured if no genuine build signal exists

Signal cards

• ☐ Every Track A/B card has: ribbon, header, 3-column body, SVG, order chain, timing pill, win/loss, seed row, footer
• ☐ Every SVG adds information not already in the text (not decorative)
• ☐ Every timing pill names a specific closing condition
• ☐ Every win condition is measurable with a specific number and timeframe
• ☐ Every loss condition has a specific redirect action

Seeds

• ☐ Every Track A and Track B signal has a seed
• ☐ Each seed contains: CONTEXT BLOCK, TRACK+SIGNAL, SERIES, SIGNAL DETAIL, SOURCE, HOOK/ANGLE, PUBLISH/BUILD target, WIN, LOSS, TASK line
• ☐ Each seed is self-contained — no prior session memory required to execute it
• ☐ Track A seeds include specific NowPage slug
• ☐ Seed button implemented with copy-to-clipboard + toast + state change

Links

• ☐ Every source URL verified live before publish
• ☐ No fabricated HN thread URLs
• ☐ Every internal brief link (series arc, registry, prev) uses correct slug
• ☐ registry link points to jasondmacdonald.com/knowledge-registry

Synthesis section

• ☐ Pull quote present and in Jason's voice
• ☐ Vision nodes grid has one cell per surfaced signal
• ☐ All 3 synthesis paragraphs present
• ☐ World arc has all 4 cells
• ☐ Future unlocks has 4 items with correct time horizons

Registry

• ☐ Registry bar shows all node changes for this brief
• ☐ New nodes have complete JSON (all required fields)
• ☐ Status upgrades applied where 3rd confirmation signal received
• ☐ All source URLs in node JSON verified live
• ☐ Registry published via NowPage update_mode=replace after brief publishes

HTML/CSS

• ☐ html { font-size: clamp(14px, 0.8vw + 11px, 17px); } present
• ☐ All design tokens as CSS custom properties
• ☐ Light/dark theme toggle functional
• ☐ All card grids responsive to 1 column on mobile
• ☐ Canvas DPR fix applied if canvas elements used
• ☐ hc-protocol meta tag with JMD-FORGE-2026
• ☐ Machine-readable registry-json script block present