onboarding · diff
git:20251105.cdc6516 to git:20260206.2057872
94 added, 88 removed. Audit A to A.
---
name: onboarding
description: Personalize COG for your workflow - creates profile, interests, and watchlist files with guided setup (run this first!)
---
# COG Onboarding Skill
## Purpose
Welcome new users and collect essential information to personalize their COG experience. All configuration is stored as natural markdown files within the vault structure, following COG's philosophy of transparent, editable knowledge.
## When to Invoke
- User explicitly requests `/onboarding` or mentions "onboarding" or "setup COG"
- User is new and hasn't completed onboarding yet
- User wants to update their profile or add new projects
- Any time profile customization is needed
+ ## Core Design Principle: Smart, Low-Friction Onboarding
+
+ **The onboarding MUST feel like a natural conversation, NOT a form to fill out.**
+
+ Key rules:
+ - **Ask open-ended questions, not option-pickers.** Never present numbered lists of choices for the user to pick from.
+ - **Ask as few questions as possible.** Infer what you can from context and the user's natural responses.
+ - **Never ask redundant questions.** If you can extract the answer from something the user already said, don't ask again.
+ - **Parse intelligently.** If someone says "I'm Alex, a PM at a fintech startup tracking Stripe and Plaid", extract: name=Alex, role=PM at fintech startup, watchlist=[Stripe, Plaid]. Don't ask follow-up questions for info already given.
+ - **Confirm, don't re-ask.** If you're unsure about something the user said, confirm your interpretation rather than asking the question fresh.
+
## Process Flow
### 1. Welcome Message
Greet the user warmly and explain what COG is:
```
Welcome to COG - your self-evolving second brain powered by Claude + Obsidian + Git!
- COG helps you:
- - Capture thoughts and insights through brain dumps
- - Get daily intelligence briefings tailored to your interests
- - Build and consolidate knowledge over time
- - Track patterns in your thinking and development
-
- Before we begin, I'll ask you a few questions to personalize your experience. This will take about 3-5 minutes.
+ COG helps you capture thoughts, get daily intelligence briefings, and build knowledge over time - all stored as simple markdown files you own.
- All your preferences will be stored as readable markdown files in your vault, so you can edit them anytime.
+ Let's get you set up. Tell me a bit about yourself - your name, what you do, and what topics or areas you're most interested in staying sharp on. Feel free to share as much or as little as you'd like.
```
+ **This single open-ended prompt replaces the old sequential questions.** The user can naturally mention their name, role, interests, sources, projects, and competitors all at once - or just share a few things.
+
### 2. Check for Existing Profile
Look for `00-inbox/MY-PROFILE.md`. If it exists:
```
- I found an existing profile! Would you like to:
- 1. Update your profile
- 2. Add new projects
- 3. Update interest areas
- 4. View current profile
- 5. Start fresh (archive old profile)
-
- What would you like to do? (1-5)
+ I found an existing COG profile! What would you like to update? Just tell me what you'd like to change - your interests, projects, profile info, or anything else.
```
- ### 3. Information Collection (Keep it Simple!)
+ **Don't present a numbered menu.** Let them describe what they want in natural language.
- Ask only essential questions in a conversational way:
+ ### 3. Intelligent Information Extraction
- **Question 1: What's your name?**
- - Just first name is fine, or full name if they prefer
- - Store in: `00-inbox/MY-PROFILE.md`
+ After the user responds, extract as much as possible from their natural language:
- **Question 2: What do you do? (Your job/role/main activity)**
- - This helps personalize content relevance
- - Examples: "Software engineer", "Product manager", "Student studying AI", "Entrepreneur"
- - Store in: `00-inbox/MY-PROFILE.md`
+ | Field | How to Extract |
+ |-------|---------------|
+ | **Name** | Look for self-introduction patterns ("I'm Alex", "My name is...", "Call me..."). Use first name by default. |
+ | **Role** | Look for job/activity mentions ("I'm a PM", "I work in...", "software engineer at..."). |
+ | **Interests** | Look for topic mentions ("interested in AI", "following crypto", "love design"). Also infer from role context. |
+ | **News Sources** | Look for source mentions ("I read HN", "follow on Twitter"). If not mentioned, skip - it's optional. |
+ | **Projects** | Look for project mentions ("working on a SaaS app", "building..."). If not mentioned, skip. |
+ | **Competitive Watch** | Look for company/person mentions ("tracking Stripe", "watching what OpenAI does"). If not mentioned, skip. |
- **Question 3: What topics are you interested in?**
- - Ask them to list 3-5 main topics they want to learn about or stay updated on
- - Examples: "AI/ML, startups, health optimization", "leadership, product strategy, design"
- - Store in: `00-inbox/MY-INTERESTS.md`
- - Keep it natural - don't make them choose from categories
+ ### 4. Smart Follow-Up (Only If Needed)
- **Question 4: Where do you like to get your news and information?**
- - Examples: "Hacker News, Twitter, research papers", "TechCrunch, newsletters, podcasts"
- - Store in: `00-inbox/MY-INTERESTS.md` under "Preferred Sources"
- - This helps COG understand what sources to prioritize
+ After extracting what you can, check what's missing from the **required** fields only:
+ - **Name** (required)
+ - **Role** (required)
+ - **Interests** (required - need at least 2-3 topics)
- **Question 5: Do you have any active projects you're working on?**
- - Optional - if yes, ask for project names (comma-separated)
- - For each project, create:
- - `04-projects/[project-slug]/PROJECT-OVERVIEW.md` with basic structure
- - Full directory structure
- - If no projects, skip this entirely
+ If any required field is missing, ask ONE follow-up that covers all gaps. For example:
+ ```
+ Thanks! I got your name and role. What topics are you most interested in staying updated on? (e.g., AI, startups, design, health - whatever matters to you)
+ ```
- **Question 6: Any companies, competitors, or people you want to keep an eye on?** (Optional)
- - Optional - if yes, collect the list
- - Store in: `03-professional/COMPETITIVE-WATCHLIST.md`
- - Used for automatic extraction in braindumps
+ **Optional fields** (news sources, projects, competitive watch) should NEVER generate follow-up questions. If the user didn't mention them, skip them. They can always add them later by editing the files or running onboarding again.
- ### 4. Generate Profile Documents
+ ### 5. Confirm and Create
+ Before creating files, briefly confirm what you captured and ask about agent team mode:
+ ```
+ Here's what I've got:
+
+ - **Name**: Alex
+ - **Role**: Product Manager at a fintech startup
+ - **Interests**: AI/ML, fintech trends, product strategy, UX design
+ - **Projects**: Payments dashboard revamp
+ - **Tracking**: Stripe, Plaid
+
+ One more thing - COG can run in two modes:
+ - **Solo mode** (default): I handle everything directly in our conversation.
+ - **Agent team mode**: I delegate research, analysis, and writing to specialist sub-agents for deeper, more thorough results. Works best with Claude Code.
+
+ Which do you prefer? (Solo is great for most people - team mode is for power users who want maximum depth.)
+ ```
+
+ **Wait for confirmation**, then generate everything. If they say "looks good" or similar, proceed. If they correct something, update and proceed without re-confirming. Default to `solo` if they don't express a preference.
+
+ ### 6. Generate Profile Documents
+
Create the following markdown files:
#### `00-inbox/MY-PROFILE.md`
```markdown
---
type: profile
created: YYYY-MM-DD
onboarding_completed: true
+ agent_mode: solo
tags: ["#profile", "#config", "#cog"]
---
# My COG Profile
## About Me
- **Name**: [Name]
- **Role**: [Job/role/main activity]
- **Profile Created**: [Date]
+ ## Settings
+ - **Agent Mode**: solo *(solo = handle everything directly; team = delegate to specialist sub-agents for deeper results)*
+
## Active Projects
- [If they have projects:]
+ [If they mentioned projects:]
- [[04-projects/[slug]/PROJECT-OVERVIEW|Project Name 1]]
- [[04-projects/[slug]/PROJECT-OVERVIEW|Project Name 2]]
[If no projects:]
- *No active projects yet. Add them anytime by editing this file or running the onboarding skill again.*
+ *No active projects yet. Add them anytime by editing this file or running onboarding again.*
## Related
- [[MY-INTERESTS|My Interests & News Sources]]
- [[03-professional/COMPETITIVE-WATCHLIST|Competitive Watchlist]] *(if applicable)*
## Notes
*Feel free to add notes here about your COG usage, preferences, or anything else.*
---
*Edit this file anytime to update your profile. COG reads it when you use skills.*
```
#### `00-inbox/MY-INTERESTS.md`
```markdown
---
type: interests
created: YYYY-MM-DD
tags: ["#interests", "#daily-brief", "#config"]
---
# My Interests & News Sources
*These topics guide my daily intelligence briefings.*
## Topics I'm Interested In
- [Topic 1]
- [Topic 2]
- [Topic 3]
- [Topic 4]
- [Topic 5]
## Preferred News Sources
+ [If sources were mentioned:]
*Where I like to get information:*
- [Source 1]
- [Source 2]
- [Source 3]
+ [If no sources mentioned:]
+ *No specific sources set. COG will search broadly for your topics. Add preferred sources here anytime.*
+
## Notes
*Add any additional context about your interests here.*
---
*Update this file anytime as your interests evolve. Just edit and save—COG will pick up the changes.*
```
- #### `03-professional/COMPETITIVE-WATCHLIST.md` (if applicable)
+ #### `03-professional/COMPETITIVE-WATCHLIST.md` (only if they mentioned companies/people to track)
```markdown
---
type: competitive-intelligence
created: YYYY-MM-DD
tags: ["#competitive", "#intelligence", "#tracking"]
---
# Competitive Watchlist
*Companies, people, or organizations I'm keeping an eye on.*
## Watching
- [Company/Person 1]
- [Company/Person 2]
- [Company/Person 3]
## Why I'm Tracking Them
*Add context here about why these matter to you or your projects.*
---
*When you mention these in braindumps, COG will automatically extract the intel to your project competitive folders.*
```
#### For Each Project: `04-projects/[project-slug]/PROJECT-OVERVIEW.md`
```markdown
---
type: project-overview
project: [project-name]
slug: [project-slug]
created: YYYY-MM-DD
status: active
tags: ["#project", "#overview"]
---
# [Project Name]
## What is this project?
[Brief description - leave for user to fill in]
## Current Status
*What phase are you in? What's happening now?*
## Project Resources
- [[braindumps/|Project Braindumps]]
- [[competitive/|Competitive Intelligence]]
- [[content/|Content & Assets]]
- [[planning/|Planning Documents]]
## Next Steps
- [ ] [Action item 1]
- [ ] [Action item 2]
---
*This overview helps COG organize your project-related thoughts and updates.*
```
- ### 5. Create Directory Structure
+ ### 7. Create Directory Structure
Based on configuration, create personalized structure:
**Base Structure (Always):**
```
00-inbox/
01-daily/
briefs/
checkins/
02-personal/
braindumps/
development/
wellness/
03-professional/
braindumps/
leadership/
strategy/
skills/
04-projects/
05-knowledge/
consolidated/
patterns/
timeline/
+ booklets/
06-templates/
```
**Project-Specific (For each listed project):**
```
04-projects/[project-slug]/
PROJECT-OVERVIEW.md
braindumps/
competitive/
content/
planning/
resources/
```
- ### 6. Create Welcome Guide
+ ### 8. Create Welcome Guide
Generate: `00-inbox/WELCOME-TO-COG.md`
```markdown
---
type: guide
created: YYYY-MM-DD
tags: ["#welcome", "#getting-started", "#cog"]
---
# Welcome to Your COG Second Brain, [Name]!
Your COG is now personalized and ready to use. Here's how to get started:
## Your Profile Documents
I've created these documents to store your preferences:
- **[[MY-PROFILE]]** - Your basic info and workflow preferences
- **[[MY-INTERESTS]]** - Topics for your daily briefs
- **[[03-professional/COMPETITIVE-WATCHLIST]]** - Companies you're tracking *(if applicable)*
**You can edit these files anytime.** COG reads them when you use skills, so your changes take effect immediately.
## Quick Start Skills
### 1. Daily Morning Routine
Invoke the daily-brief skill to get your personalized intelligence briefing covering:
[List their selected interest areas]
### 2. Capture Your Thoughts
Use the braindump skill to quickly capture ideas, insights, and thoughts. Your braindumps will automatically be categorized into:
[List their focus domains]
Choose from your active projects:
[List their projects with links]
### 3. Weekly Reflection
Every week, use the weekly-checkin skill to review your week's insights and patterns.
## Your Active Projects
[If they have projects]
You're tracking these projects:
- [[04-projects/[slug]/PROJECT-OVERVIEW|Project 1]]
- [[04-projects/[slug]/PROJECT-OVERVIEW|Project 2]]
When you use the braindump skill, select the project to automatically file your thoughts in the right place.
## How COG Uses Your Profile
**Daily Briefs**: Uses [[MY-INTERESTS]] to curate relevant news
**Braindumps**: Offers your projects from [[MY-PROFILE]] as options
**Competitive Intel**: Auto-extracts mentions of companies in [[COMPETITIVE-WATCHLIST]]
**Weekly Check-ins**: Reviews progress across your domains
## Next Steps
1. **Try your first braindump**: Use the braindump skill and start writing
2. **Get your daily brief**: Invoke the daily-brief skill to see curated intelligence
3. **Explore your vault**: All your files are organized in the sidebar
4. **Edit your profile**: Open [[MY-PROFILE]] and customize anytime
## Tips for Success
- **Don't overthink it**: Just dump your thoughts, COG will help organize
- **Be consistent**: Daily briefs and braindumps work best as habits
- **Review weekly**: Use the weekly-checkin skill to see patterns emerge
- **Evolve your setup**: Edit your profile files anytime or run onboarding again to add projects
## Getting Help
- Check `SETUP.md` for detailed guides
- Visit the GitHub repo for documentation
**Your second brain is learning about you. Let's begin!**
---
*You can archive or delete this welcome guide once you're comfortable with COG.*
```
- ### 7. First Action Prompts
- After setup, guide the user to their first action:
+ ### 9. Wrap-Up (No Menu!)
+ After setup, summarize what was created and suggest a natural next action:
```
- Great! Your COG is now configured.
-
- I've created these profile documents for you:
- - MY-PROFILE.md (your basic preferences)
- - MY-INTERESTS.md (topics for daily briefs)
- [If applicable:] - COMPETITIVE-WATCHLIST.md (companies to track)
- [If applicable:] - PROJECT-OVERVIEW.md files for each project
-
- All files are in your vault and can be edited anytime.
-
- Would you like to:
-
- 1. **Try your first braindump** - Capture what's on your mind right now
- 2. **Get your daily brief** - See today's intelligence report
- 3. **Review your profile** - Open MY-PROFILE.md to see/edit settings
- 4. **Start later** - You're all set, invoke skills when ready
+ You're all set! I've created your profile, interests, and project files. Everything is in your vault and editable anytime.
- What would you like to do? (1-4)
+ If you want to jump right in, try a braindump - just tell me what's on your mind and I'll capture it. Or ask for your daily brief to see what's happening in your interest areas today.
```
+ **Don't present a numbered menu of next actions.** Just suggest one or two natural things and let them decide.
+
## Configuration Update Mode
If user runs onboarding after initial setup (MY-PROFILE.md exists):
+ Don't show a menu. Just ask:
```
- You've already completed onboarding! Would you like to:
-
- 1. **Update your profile** - Edit MY-PROFILE.md with new preferences
- 2. **Add new interests** - Update MY-INTERESTS.md with new topics
- 3. **Add new projects** - Create new project structures
- 4. **View current profile** - See your current MY-PROFILE.md
-
- What would you like to do? (1-4)
+ You've already completed onboarding! What would you like to update? Just tell me what needs changing.
```
+ Then intelligently handle whatever they say - whether it's adding projects, changing interests, updating their role, etc.
+
## Success Criteria
Onboarding is successful when:
- 1. ✅ `MY-PROFILE.md` created in `00-inbox/`
- 2. ✅ `MY-INTERESTS.md` created in `00-inbox/`
- 3. ✅ Project directories and overviews created (if applicable)
- 4. ✅ `WELCOME-TO-COG.md` guide created
- 5. ✅ User understands next steps and where their profile is stored
+ 1. `MY-PROFILE.md` created in `00-inbox/`
+ 2. `MY-INTERESTS.md` created in `00-inbox/`
+ 3. Project directories and overviews created (if applicable)
+ 4. `WELCOME-TO-COG.md` guide created
+ 5. User understands next steps and where their profile is stored
## Error Handling
**If profile already exists:**
- Don't overwrite, offer update mode instead
- Preserve existing content, only append/modify requested sections
- Archive old version to `00-inbox/archive/MY-PROFILE-YYYY-MM-DD.md` if starting fresh
**If directory creation fails:**
- Report which directories couldn't be created
- Provide manual creation instructions
- Continue with rest of setup
**If user exits mid-onboarding:**
- Create partial profile with note: "Onboarding incomplete - run onboarding skill to finish"
- Save what was collected so far
- Resume from last completed step on next run
## Privacy & Data
All configuration data is stored as markdown files in:
- `00-inbox/MY-PROFILE.md` - Basic profile
- `00-inbox/MY-INTERESTS.md` - Interest areas
- `03-professional/COMPETITIVE-WATCHLIST.md` - Competitive tracking
- `04-projects/[project]/PROJECT-OVERVIEW.md` - Project details
Benefits of markdown storage:
- - ✅ Human-readable and editable
- - ✅ Version controlled with Git
- - ✅ Searchable in Obsidian
- - ✅ Linkable from other notes
- - ✅ No parsing required, just read as text
- - ✅ Can be archived, moved, organized like any other note
+ - Human-readable and editable
+ - Version controlled with Git
+ - Searchable in Obsidian
+ - Linkable from other notes
+ - No parsing required, just read as text
+ - Can be archived, moved, organized like any other note
## Philosophy
COG's configuration is **knowledge, not configuration**. By storing preferences as markdown notes:
- They're part of your knowledge base, not hidden config files
- You can link to them, reference them, evolve them
- They have context and can include your own notes
- They're transparent and auditable
- They benefit from all of Obsidian's features (tags, links, search, graph view)
This is "configuration as knowledge" - your preferences are themselves notes in your second brain.