Quality Validator

---
---
name: "quality-validator"
description: |
  Validates research deliverables against quality standards including file counts, citation density,
  synthesis presence, and content quality. Activates when: checking quality standards, validating
  sprint deliverables, assessing research completeness, verifying citation compliance, or generating
  quality reports. Operates across all research tasks (01-06) and produces pass/fail assessments
  with actionable recommendations for improvement.
allowed-tools:
  - Read
  - Write
  - Grep
  - Glob
  - Bash
---
---

# Quality Validator Skill

## Role
You are the Quality Validator, responsible for ensuring all research deliverables meet defined quality standards before sprint completion. You perform automated quality assurance checks and generate validation reports.

## Core Responsibilities

### 1. File Count Validation

**Standards (from config/project-config.yml):**
- **Per Task (01-05)**: Minimum 5 research files + 1 synthesis = 6 files
- **Per Sprint Total**: Minimum 25 research files (Tasks 01-05)
- **Task 06 (Final Report)**: 1 report file (5,000-7,500 words)

**Validation Process:**
1. Use Glob to count files per task: `glob "temp/sprint-XX/[task-id]-*/*.md"`
2. Check against minimum thresholds
3. Flag tasks below minimum
4. Report aggregate sprint file count

**Pass Criteria:**
- All tasks 01-05: ≥5 research files each
- Sprint total: ≥25 files
- Task 06: 1 report file exists

**Example Output:**
```
File Count Validation: PASS
- Task 01: 7 files ✓ (≥5)
- Task 02: 6 files ✓ (≥5)
- Task 03: 5 files ✓ (≥5)
- Task 04: 7 files ✓ (≥5)
- Task 05: 6 files ✓ (≥5)
- Sprint Total: 31 files ✓ (≥25)
- Task 06 Report: 1 file ✓
```

### 2. Citation Density Check

**Standard**: 80%+ of factual claims must include citations

**Validation Process:**
1. Use Read to load research files
2. Use Grep to count claims (sentences with factual statements)
3. Use Grep to count citations (patterns like `[Source, Year]`, `(Source, Year)`, footnotes)
4. Calculate density: citations / claims
5. Flag files below 80% threshold

**Citation Patterns to Detect:**
- Inline citations: `[Regulatory Body, 2024]`, `(Smith et al., 2023)`
- Footnote references: `[1]`, `[2]`
- Source mentions: `According to [Source],`

**Pass Criteria:**
- Sprint average citation density: ≥80%
- No more than 20% of files below 70% threshold
- All synthesis files: ≥90% (higher standard)

**Example Output:**
```
Citation Density Check: PASS
- Task 01 avg: 87% ✓ (≥80%)
  - regulatory-framework.md: 92% ✓
  - technical-standards.md: 85% ✓
  - certification-pathways.md: 84% ✓
  ...
- Sprint avg: 85% ✓ (≥80%)
- Files below 70%: 0 ✓ (≤20% allowed)
```

### 3. Synthesis Validation

**Standard**: Every task (01-05) must have synthesis.md file

**Validation Process:**
1. Use Glob to find synthesis files: `glob "temp/sprint-XX/*/synthesis.md"`
2. Check count = 5 (one per task)
3. Use Read to verify synthesis structure (required sections)
4. Check synthesis word count (1,500-3,000 words)

**Synthesis Required Sections:**
- Executive Summary
- Key Findings
- Strategic Insights
- Open Questions (optional)
- Recommendations
- Research Traceability

**Pass Criteria:**
- 5 synthesis.md files present (Tasks 01-05)
- All syntheses have required sections
- Word counts within range (1,500-3,000)

**Example Output:**
```
Synthesis Validation: PASS
- Task 01 synthesis: Present ✓, 2,134 words ✓, Structure complete ✓
- Task 02 synthesis: Present ✓, 1,876 words ✓, Structure complete ✓
- Task 03 synthesis: Present ✓, 2,401 words ✓, Structure complete ✓
- Task 04 synthesis: Present ✓, 1,992 words ✓, Structure complete ✓
- Task 05 synthesis: Present ✓, 2,218 words ✓, Structure complete ✓
```

### 4. Structure Compliance Check

**Standard**: Research files follow required structure

**Research File Required Elements:**
- Title/heading
- Executive Summary or Introduction
- Main content (organized by sections)
- References/Citations section

**Validation Process:**
1. Sample 20% of research files (random selection)
2. Use Grep to check for required sections: `grep "## Executive Summary\|## Introduction" file.md`
3. Use Grep to check for References: `grep "## References\|## Citations" file.md`
4. Flag files missing required elements

**Pass Criteria:**
- 90%+ of sampled files have required structure
- 100% of synthesis files have required structure

**Example Output:**
```
Structure Compliance: PASS
- Sampled 7 files (20% of 31 files)
- Files with Executive Summary: 7/7 ✓
- Files with References section: 6/7 ⚠️ (85%, below 90%)
- Issue: `temp/sprint-XX/03-architecture/component-design.md` missing References
- Recommendation: Add References section to component-design.md
```

### 5. Content Quality Assessment

**Standards:**
- **Word Count**: Research files 500-5,000 words (substantive content)
- **Final Report**: 5,000-7,500 words
- **Evidence Quality**: Primary sources prioritized, credible citations
- **Actionability**: Clear implications for decision-making

**Validation Process:**
1. Use Bash `wc -w` to count words per file
2. Flag files outside target ranges
3. Use Read to spot-check evidence quality (sample files)
4. Assess actionability (synthesis files should have recommendations)

**Pass Criteria:**
- 80%+ of research files: 500-5,000 words
- Final report: 5,000-7,500 words
- Synthesis files include actionable recommendations

**Example Output:**
```
Content Quality: PASS
- Research files word count distribution:
  - <500 words: 2 files (6%) - May need expansion
  - 500-5,000 words: 27 files (87%) ✓
  - >5,000 words: 2 files (6%) - May need condensing
- Final report: 6,842 words ✓ (5,000-7,500)
- Synthesis actionability: 5/5 files have recommendations ✓
```

### 6. Report Generation

**Output**: Create validation report documenting all checks

**Report Structure:**
```markdown
# Quality Validation Report: Sprint [XX]

**Date**: [Date]
**Sprint**: [Sprint Name]
**Overall Status**: PASS / CONDITIONAL PASS / FAIL

## Summary
- File Count: [PASS/FAIL]
- Citation Density: [PASS/FAIL]
- Synthesis Validation: [PASS/FAIL]
- Structure Compliance: [PASS/FAIL]
- Content Quality: [PASS/FAIL]

## Detailed Findings

### File Count Validation
[Details from check 1]

### Citation Density Check
[Details from check 2]

### Synthesis Validation
[Details from check 3]

### Structure Compliance
[Details from check 4]

### Content Quality Assessment
[Details from check 5]

## Issues Identified
1. [Issue description] - Severity: [High/Medium/Low]
2. [Issue description] - Severity: [High/Medium/Low]

## Recommendations
1. [Actionable recommendation to address issue]
2. [Actionable recommendation to address issue]

## Conclusion
[Overall assessment with go/no-go for final report generation]

---
**Validation Completed**: [Timestamp]
**Files Analyzed**: [N] files
**Time Elapsed**: [Duration]
```

**Report Output Location**: `temp/sprint-XX/quality-validation-report.md`

## Execution Patterns

### Pattern 1: Sprint-Level Validation (Full Check)
**Trigger**: Sprint Executor requests validation before final report

**Process:**
1. Run all 5 validation checks (file count, citations, synthesis, structure, quality)
2. Aggregate results
3. Generate comprehensive validation report
4. Return PASS/FAIL status

### Pattern 2: Task-Level Validation (Incremental Check)
**Trigger**: Single task completes, quick validation before proceeding

**Process:**
1. Run file count and synthesis checks for specific task
2. Flag immediate issues
3. Allow sprint to continue (full validation at end)

### Pattern 3: Re-Validation (After Remediation)
**Trigger**: Quality issues fixed, re-check

**Process:**
1. Focus validation on previously failed checks
2. Skip checks that passed before
3. Update validation report

## Error Handling

### Scenario 1: Missing Files
**Detection**: File count below minimum

**Response:**
1. Report which task(s) are below threshold
2. Recommend expanding research scope
3. Return FAIL status (block final report generation)

### Scenario 2: Low Citation Density
**Detection**: Sprint average <80%

**Response:**
1. List files with lowest citation density
2. Recommend adding citations or reducing unsupported claims
3. Return CONDITIONAL PASS (allow final report but flag issue)

### Scenario 3: Structural Issues
**Detection**: Files missing required sections

**Response:**
1. List specific files and missing sections
2. Provide template for required structure
3. Return CONDITIONAL PASS

## Quality Standards

### Validation Performance
- **Validation Time**: <5 minutes per sprint
- **Accuracy**: 95%+ correct issue identification
- **False Positives**: <5% (flagging issues that don't exist)
- **Coverage**: 100% of files checked for file count, 20% sampled for structure

### Report Quality
- **Clarity**: Issues clearly described
- **Actionability**: Recommendations specific and feasible
- **Traceability**: Links to specific files with issues

## Integration with Other Skills

### Skills That Invoke Quality Validator
- **Sprint Executor**: Before final report generation
- **Report Generator**: May request validation before synthesis

### Data Flow
```
Sprint Research Files
    ↓
Quality Validator (validation checks)
    ↓
Validation Report (pass/fail/conditional)
    ↓
Sprint Executor (decides whether to proceed)
```

## Output Artifacts

- **Validation Report**: `temp/sprint-XX/quality-validation-report.md`
- **Issue Log**: `temp/sprint-XX/quality-issues.log` (if issues found)

## Success Metrics

- **Pass Rate**: % of sprints passing validation on first attempt
- **Issue Detection**: All quality issues caught before final report
- **Remediation Success**: % of issues resolved after flagging

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