# Optional structured continuity
Release 0.6.1 · Workspace schema family 0.6

Choose structured continuity when a longer or shared analysis needs explicit records, stable identifiers, review history and checks between exports. A short brief and readable continuation note remain the ordinary workflow.

## Get the files

Download https://stephenklahr.com/downloads/scale-structured-continuity-v0.6.1.zip and extract it. This bundle contains the structured instructions, schemas and tools without Northstar evidence or answers.

Keep SCALE-AGENT-INSTRUCTIONS.md available. For the assistant's structured work, attach this document and:
- schemas/scale-workspace.schema.json;
- schemas/relationship-vocabulary.json;
- schemas/scale-workspace-starter.json for a new record, or your current workspace JSON;
- the relevant source evidence.

If the assistant will run validation, also make the tools folder available in its code environment. Confirm which files and execution tools it can access. Reading a schema is not the same as running validation.

A continuation note may help reconstruct a draft, but it cannot prove missing review history or recreate source evidence. Retain gaps and have the architect check the result.

## Structured working rules

JSON is the canonical state. Preserve existing identifiers, evidence and claim locators, scope, dates, confidence basis, review status, decisions, unresolved items and history. Keep facts, inferences, assumptions, recommendations, conflicts and unknowns distinct. For confidence use high, medium, low or insufficient, with a specific basis.

Each architecture relationship has one source element, one allowed relationship type and one target. Record a recommendation as an analysis or proposal, not a graph edge. Use only the records needed for the question.

Present material proposed changes in coherent groups for human review. Record a reviewer's identity, actual disposition, time and rationale only when known. An accepted record requires the corresponding completed review. Modify and Investigate leave a record proposed until its corrected version is accepted. An analysis review does not establish a business owner's approval.

Preserve rejected interpretations and their reasons. Keep prior exports unchanged. Continued exports retain earlier records, record corrections and supersession, and identify their prior export. Use the schema's unknown values and document limitations; never invent dates, source locations or approvals. For undated sources, follow schemas/README.md to distinguish receipt time from the unknown period a source describes.

## Export your work

Ask: **EXPORT WORKSPACE. Produce my complete JSON workspace using the attached schema. Preserve corrections and rejected claims. Validate this file if you can run the supplied tools, report the command and result, and generate its readable view. Otherwise label it unvalidated.**

Save the resulting JSON under a distinct name, such as my-analysis-01.workspace.json. Keep it in your approved working folder alongside the relevant evidence. A displayed JSON block must be saved as a .json file before a local validator can read it.

For local validation, use Node.js 24 or later. Open a terminal in the extracted bundle's tools folder and install its dependencies once:

```text
npm install
```

Save your JSON in the extracted bundle's root folder. From tools, validate your actual file:

```text
node validate-scale.mjs --kit .. --file ../my-analysis-01.workspace.json
```

After it passes, generate the readable view:

```text
node render-scale-workspace.mjs --file ../my-analysis-01.workspace.json --output ../rendered
```

Read the generated Markdown in rendered. The generated CSVs are partial views, not backups. Fix canonical JSON and regenerate views when needed. Follow tools/README.md for troubleshooting; a command that tests bundled fixtures is not validation of your own export.

Validation checks structure and record integrity. You must still check important source claims and human decisions. If tools cannot run, keep the export labeled unvalidated; do not describe an assistant's inspection as a successful validator run.

## Resume structured work

Attach the instructions, this document, schema/vocabulary, latest JSON and required evidence. Ask: **CONTINUE ANALYSIS. Confirm the workspace identity, scope, evidence cutoff, rejected claims, decisions and reviews due. Identify what evidence you can access before adding new findings.**

Save the next export as my-analysis-02.workspace.json and keep the first. From the tools folder, check it against the earlier file:

```text
node validate-scale.mjs --kit .. --file ../my-analysis-02.workspace.json --previous ../my-analysis-01.workspace.json
```

Then generate its view using the same renderer command with the new filename. Keep both exports. Do not claim a continuity check passed unless the validator was run with the prior file.

Use MIGRATION.md for older workspace versions. The documentation release is 0.6.1; the JSON scaleVersion remains "0.6".