Skills

inno-idea-eval

Installation
SKILL.md

inno-idea-eval

Canonical Summary

Multi-persona idea evaluation with quality gate. Evaluates ideas across 5 InnoEval dimensions (Clarity, Novelty, Validity, Feasibility, Significance) using 3 reviewer personas and a meta-review. Sits between inno-idea-generation and inno-c...

Trigger Rules

Use this skill when the user request matches its research workflow scope. Prefer the bundled resources instead of recreating templates or reference material. Keep outputs traceable to project files, citations, scripts, or upstream evidence.

Resource Use Rules

  • Read from references/ only when the current task needs the extra detail.

Execution Contract

  • Resolve every relative path from this skill directory first.
  • Prefer inspection before mutation when invoking bundled scripts.
  • If a required runtime, CLI, credential, or API is unavailable, explain the blocker and continue with the best manual fallback instead of silently skipping the step.
  • Do not write generated artifacts back into the skill directory; save them inside the active project workspace.

Upstream Instructions

Inno Idea Eval

Directory structure

skills/inno-idea-eval/
├── SKILL.md                                    ← this file
├── prompts/
│   ├── build_eval_query.md                     ← Per-persona evaluation query (all 5 dims)
│   ├── build_evidence_assembly.md              ← How to compose evidence from pipeline artifacts
│   ├── build_meta_review_query.md              ← Area-chair aggregation of 3 persona reviews
│   ├── build_novelty_queries.md                ← Query extraction for novelty verification (Step 0.5a)
│   ├── build_novelty_analysis.md               ← Similarity analysis for novelty verification (Step 0.5c)
│   └── build_refinement_feedback_query.md      ← Structured feedback for refinement loop
└── references/
    ├── eval_agent_instructions.md              ← Full eval agent system prompt + scoring rubrics
    ├── novelty_verification_config.md          ← Novelty search config, threat levels, fast-fail protocol
    └── reviewer_personas.md                    ← 3 persona definitions + evidence filter logic

How to use the resource files: Each prompt template in prompts/ documents the exact parameters, the full text template, and usage notes (when it is a new conversation vs. appended message, how to format evidence blocks, etc.). The references/ directory contains the Eval Agent's complete system instructions including its scoring rubrics, persona definitions, and evidence filter logic. Consult these files for the authoritative details; the steps below provide a summary.

Inputs

Paths for Ideation/ideas and Ideation/references come from instance.json (instance.Ideation.ideas, instance.Ideation.references). They are absolute in Dr. Claw-created projects; use as-is. If relative, resolve with path.join(project_path, value).

Parameter Required Description
selected_idea Yes The idea to evaluate, read from Ideation/ideas/selected_idea.txt
references No* Pre-formatted string listing all source papers (from inno-prepare-resources)
prepare_res No* Full text response from the Prepare Agent (selected repositories and reasoning)
download_res No* Result log from downloading arXiv paper sources
data_module No* The imported metaprompt module (provides TASK field describing the ML task)
context_variables Yes Shared context dictionary (must contain final_selected_idea_data)

*Standalone mode: only selected_idea required; evaluation proceeds ungrounded with a noted limitation.

Outputs

Output Description
eval_report Full markdown evaluation report (meta-review)
eval_scores Structured JSON: per-dimension, per-persona, aggregated
eval_decision One of: strong_accept / accept / borderline_accept / borderline_reject / reject
eval_feedback Strengths/weaknesses/suggestions (for refinement or downstream)
context_variables["idea_evaluation_result"] Complete structured result dict

Cache file outputs

Each step produces two kinds of files:

  1. .txt files (primary) -- the full markdown content of each review, written directly to Ideation/ideas/
  2. .json files (derived) -- structured metadata under Ideation/ideas/logs/, whose text fields must be copied verbatim from the corresponding .txt files (never summarized)

Full directory layout

Ideation/ideas/
├── novelty_grounding_report.txt                ← Step 0.5: Active Novelty Verification report
├── eval_report.txt                             ← Step 4: full meta-review report (markdown)
├── eval_persona_1_review.txt                   ← Step 1: Senior ML Researcher review
├── eval_persona_2_review.txt                   ← Step 2: Domain Expert review
├── eval_persona_3_review.txt                   ← Step 3: Methods Specialist review
└── logs/
    ├── idea_eval_agent_novelty.json            ← Step 0.5: Novelty search + analysis structured data
    ├── idea_eval_agent_persona_1.json          ← Step 1: Persona 1 structured scores
    ├── idea_eval_agent_persona_2.json          ← Step 2: Persona 2 structured scores
    ├── idea_eval_agent_persona_3.json          ← Step 3: Persona 3 structured scores
    └── idea_eval_agent_meta_review.json        ← Step 4: Aggregated decision + full report

Write order (critical)

For every step, always write the .txt file first, then build the .json file by copying the .txt content into the appropriate field:

For the novelty verification step:

  1. Write novelty_grounding_report.txt with the full novelty analysis report
  2. Copy that full text into report_text
  3. Write logs/idea_eval_agent_novelty.json

For each persona review:

  1. Write eval_persona_{N}_review.txt with the agent's full review
  2. Read it back (or keep in memory) and embed the full text into review_text
  3. Write the corresponding logs/idea_eval_agent_persona_{N}.json

For the meta-review step:

  1. Write eval_report.txt with the agent's full meta-review report
  2. Copy that full text into report_text
  3. Write logs/idea_eval_agent_meta_review.json

.txt file naming

Step File name Content
Novelty verification novelty_grounding_report.txt Active Novelty Verification report
Persona 1 review eval_persona_1_review.txt Full markdown review from Senior ML Researcher
Persona 2 review eval_persona_2_review.txt Full markdown review from Domain Expert
Persona 3 review eval_persona_3_review.txt Full markdown review from Methods Specialist
Meta-review eval_report.txt Full markdown meta-review report

.json file naming

Step File name Key fields
Novelty idea_eval_agent_novelty.json search_config, queries, novelty_threat_level, report_text
Persona 1 idea_eval_agent_persona_1.json persona, scores, review_text
Persona 2 idea_eval_agent_persona_2.json persona, scores, review_text
Persona 3 idea_eval_agent_persona_3.json persona, scores, review_text
Meta-review idea_eval_agent_meta_review.json aggregated_scores, decision, report

.json file format (each persona)

Each file contains context_variables only (no messages). The review_text field holds the full text copied from the corresponding .txt file:

{
  "context_variables": {
    "ideas_path": "<instance.Ideation.ideas>",
    "references_path": "<instance.Ideation.references>",
    "persona": "senior_ml_researcher | domain_expert | methods_specialist",
    "scores": {
      "clarity": { "score": 0, "reason": "...", "references": [] },
      "novelty": { "score": 0, "reason": "...", "references": [] },
      "validity": { "score": 0, "reason": "...", "references": [] },
      "feasibility": { "score": 0, "reason": "...", "references": [] },
      "significance": { "score": 0, "reason": "...", "references": [] }
    },
    "strengths": [],
    "weaknesses": [],
    "suggestions": [],
    "recommendation": "Accept|Reject|...",
    "review_text": "<FULL text from eval_persona_{N}_review.txt>"
  }
}

.json file format (meta-review)

{
  "context_variables": {
    "ideas_path": "<instance.Ideation.ideas>",
    "references_path": "<instance.Ideation.references>",
    "aggregated_scores": {
      "clarity": { "avg": 0, "scores": [0, 0, 0] },
      "novelty": { "avg": 0, "scores": [0, 0, 0] },
      "validity": { "avg": 0, "scores": [0, 0, 0] },
      "feasibility": { "avg": 0, "scores": [0, 0, 0] },
      "significance": { "avg": 0, "scores": [0, 0, 0] }
    },
    "overall_avg": 0,
    "decision": "strong_accept|accept|borderline_accept|borderline_reject|reject",
    "report_text": "<FULL text from eval_report.txt>",
    "strengths": [],
    "weaknesses": [],
    "suggestions": [],
    "idea_evaluation_result": { "...complete structured result..." }
  }
}

.json file format (novelty verification)

{
  "context_variables": {
    "step": "novelty_verification",
    "search_config": {
      "num_queries": 4,
      "sources": ["arxiv", "semantic_scholar", "openalex"],
      "max_results_per_query": 10,
      "year_from": "<current_year - 3>"
    },
    "queries": [
      { "type": "core_method", "query": "...", "rationale": "..." },
      { "type": "problem_domain", "query": "...", "rationale": "..." },
      { "type": "key_component", "query": "...", "rationale": "..." },
      { "type": "broad_approach", "query": "...", "rationale": "..." }
    ],
    "idea_summary": "...",
    "search_results": { "total_raw": 0, "total_unique": 0 },
    "triage": [
      { "title": "...", "year": 0, "relevance": "high|medium|low|irrelevant", "is_inspiration_source": false, "assessment": "..." }
    ],
    "detailed_analysis": [
      { "title": "...", "year": 0, "overlap": "...", "differences": "...", "threat_level": "..." }
    ],
    "novelty_threat_level": "critical_overlap|high_overlap|moderate_overlap|low_overlap|novel",
    "genuine_novel_contributions": ["..."],
    "report_text": "<FULL text from novelty_grounding_report.txt>",
    "fast_fail_triggered": false,
    "user_decision": null
  }
}
  • review_text and report_text must contain the complete markdown from the .txt file -- never a summary or abbreviation.
  • IMPORTANT: Each persona .json grows independently; the meta-review .json aggregates all three.

Step-by-step Instructions

Step 0 -- Assemble Evidence

Full template: prompts/build_evidence_assembly.md

Read existing pipeline artifacts and compose 3 evidence blocks (one per persona knowledge level):

Persona Knowledge Evidence Included
high (Senior ML) All papers + LaTeX sources + all repos + full task context
medium (Domain Expert) Paper titles/abstracts + repo descriptions + task context
medium (Methods Specialist) Repo code + paper titles + implementation details

Sources: Ideation/references/papers/, Experiment/code_references/, references string, prepare_res, data_module.TASK. No new search needed.

If running in standalone mode (no pipeline artifacts), note this limitation in each review and proceed with ungrounded evaluation.

Step 0.5 -- Active Novelty Verification

Query template: prompts/build_novelty_queries.md Analysis template: prompts/build_novelty_analysis.md Configuration: references/novelty_verification_config.md

Proactively search the literature to verify whether the idea (or key components) already exists. This step runs before persona reviews so all 3 reviewers have the prior art report as evidence.

Sub-steps:

0.5a — Extract search queries (LLM call using build_novelty_queries.md):

  • Input: selected_idea + known source_papers (inspiration)
  • Output: 4 search queries (core_method, problem_domain, key_component, broad_approach) + idea_summary + key_terms
  • If query extraction fails, fall back to extracting queries from the idea title and key sentences

0.5b — Execute searches (4 invocations of search_ai_papers.py):

python3 ~/.claude/skills/searching-ai-papers/scripts/search_ai_papers.py \
  --query "<query>" --sources arxiv,semantic_scholar,openalex \
  --max-results 10 --year-from <current_year-3> --format json
  • Run once per query (4 total)
  • Collect all results and cross-deduplicate by title similarity
  • If a search fails, log the error and proceed with available results
  • If ALL searches fail, proceed with unverified novelty (set threat level to unverified)

0.5c — Analyze similarity (LLM call using build_novelty_analysis.md):

  • Input: selected_idea + deduplicated search results + source_papers + idea_summary + key_terms
  • Three-phase analysis: Triage → Deep Analysis → Synthesis
  • Papers matching known inspiration sources are tagged [INSPIRATION_SOURCE]
  • Output: Novelty Grounding Report with threat level assessment

0.5d — Fast-fail check:

  • If threat level is critical_overlap on a non-inspiration paper AND CRITICAL_OVERLAP_FAST_FAIL is true:
    • Present the overlapping paper to the user
    • Offer choices: Proceed / Refine / Abandon
    • Record the user's decision in the JSON log
  • If user chooses "Refine": return to idea generation with the overlapping paper as context
  • If user chooses "Abandon": stop evaluation

0.5e — Inject report into evidence:

  • The Novelty Grounding Report is included in evidence blocks for ALL 3 personas (regardless of evidence level)
  • In standalone mode, this step still runs (search does not depend on pipeline artifacts)

Save (txt first, then json):

  1. Write the full report -> Ideation/ideas/novelty_grounding_report.txt
  2. Build structured data with report_text copied verbatim from the .txt file
  3. Write -> Ideation/ideas/logs/idea_eval_agent_novelty.json

For refinement re-runs, save as novelty_grounding_report_v{N}.txt and idea_eval_agent_novelty_v{N}.json.

Steps 1-3 -- Three Persona Reviews (each in a NEW conversation)

Full template: prompts/build_eval_query.md Agent system prompt: references/eval_agent_instructions.md Persona definitions: references/reviewer_personas.md

For each persona (1=Senior ML Researcher, 2=Domain Expert, 3=Methods Specialist):

  1. Build eval query using prompts/build_eval_query.md template with persona-specific evidence block from Step 0
  2. Start a NEW conversation with the Eval Agent
  3. The agent evaluates all 5 dimensions and produces structured scores

Scoring Calibration (from InnoEval):

  • 9-10 (10%): Groundbreaking / paradigm-shifting
  • 7-8 (25%): Strong contribution with clear novelty
  • 5-6 (45%): Solid but incremental
  • 3-4 (15%): Notable weaknesses
  • 0-2 (5%): Fundamentally flawed

Self-Discovery Check (Novelty only): If a found paper appears identical to the idea, assume it IS the idea's inspiration source -- don't penalize.

Save (txt first, then json) after each persona:

  1. Write the agent's full review -> Ideation/ideas/eval_persona_{N}_review.txt
  2. Build structured scores JSON
  3. Write -> Ideation/ideas/logs/idea_eval_agent_persona_{N}.json

Step 4 -- Meta-Review

Full template: prompts/build_meta_review_query.md

Aggregate all 3 reviews. The agent acts as Area Chair:

  • Computes average score per dimension across all personas
  • Resolves reviewer disagreements (where scores differ by >3 points)
  • Produces final recommendation

Decision Thresholds:

Average Score Decision Action
>= 7.0 strong_accept Proceed to code survey
>= 6.0 accept Proceed to code survey
>= 5.0 borderline_accept Present report, ask user whether to proceed or refine
>= 4.0 borderline_reject Suggest refinement, ask user
< 4.0 reject Trigger refinement loop automatically

Save (txt first, then json):

  1. Write the meta-review report -> Ideation/ideas/eval_report.txt
  2. Build aggregated scores and decision
  3. Write -> Ideation/ideas/logs/idea_eval_agent_meta_review.json

Step 5 -- Quality Gate

  • Accept path (strong_accept or accept): Pipeline continues to inno-code-survey. selected_idea passes through unchanged.
  • Borderline path (borderline_accept or borderline_reject): Present evaluation report to user. Ask whether to proceed, refine, or abandon.
  • Reject path (reject): Build structured feedback via prompts/build_refinement_feedback_query.md. Trigger refinement loop.

Step 6 -- Refinement Loop (if triggered)

Full template: prompts/build_refinement_feedback_query.md

  1. Build structured feedback from all persona reviews (weaknesses + suggestions)
  2. Append refinement prompt to the original idea generation conversation (from inno-idea-generation)
  3. Idea Agent revises the idea (not generates new)
  4. Save revised idea as Ideation/ideas/refined_idea_v{N}.txt
  5. Re-run evaluation (Steps 1-4) on the refined idea
  6. Maximum 2 refinement iterations before requiring user decision
  7. If accepted after refinement, update selected_idea.txt and final_selected_idea_data

Step 7 -- Output

Set context_variables["idea_evaluation_result"] with complete structured data:

{
  "decision": "strong_accept|accept|...",
  "overall_avg": 0.0,
  "aggregated_scores": { "..." },
  "persona_reviews": [ "..." ],
  "report": "<full report text>",
  "novelty_verification": {
    "threat_level": "critical_overlap|high_overlap|moderate_overlap|low_overlap|novel",
    "genuine_novel_contributions": ["..."],
    "search_coverage": { "total_raw": 0, "total_unique": 0, "sources": ["..."] },
    "fast_fail_triggered": false,
    "user_decision": null
  },
  "refinement_iterations": 0,
  "grounded": true
}

If refinement occurred, also update:

  • Ideation/ideas/selected_idea.txt with the refined idea
  • context_variables["final_selected_idea_data"] with updated text

Configuration

Constant Default Description
NUM_PERSONAS 3 Number of reviewer personas
ACCEPT_THRESHOLD 6.0 Minimum avg score for automatic accept
STRONG_ACCEPT_THRESHOLD 7.0 Minimum avg score for strong accept
BORDERLINE_THRESHOLD 5.0 Minimum avg score before auto-reject
REJECT_THRESHOLD 4.0 Below this triggers automatic refinement
MAX_REFINEMENT_ITERATIONS 2 Maximum refinement attempts before user decision
NUM_QUERIES 4 Search queries extracted from idea (Step 0.5)
MAX_RESULTS_PER_QUERY 10 Results per query per source (Step 0.5)
DEFAULT_SOURCES arxiv,semantic_scholar,openalex Search sources for novelty verification
YEAR_WINDOW 3 Years back to search from current year
CRITICAL_OVERLAP_FAST_FAIL true User checkpoint on critical overlap detection

Checklist

  • Evidence assembled from pipeline artifacts (or standalone mode noted)
  • Novelty queries extracted (4 queries: core_method, problem_domain, key_component, broad_approach)
  • Literature search executed (4 queries x 3 sources) and results deduplicated
  • Novelty Grounding Report generated with threat level assessment
  • Fast-fail check applied (if critical_overlap detected on non-inspiration paper)
  • Report saved -> novelty_grounding_report.txt, then full text copied into logs/idea_eval_agent_novelty.json
  • Novelty report injected into evidence blocks for all 3 personas
  • Persona 1 review saved -> eval_persona_1_review.txt, then full text copied into logs/idea_eval_agent_persona_1.json
  • Persona 2 review saved -> eval_persona_2_review.txt, then full text copied into logs/idea_eval_agent_persona_2.json
  • Persona 3 review saved -> eval_persona_3_review.txt, then full text copied into logs/idea_eval_agent_persona_3.json
  • Meta-review saved -> eval_report.txt, then full text copied into logs/idea_eval_agent_meta_review.json
  • Decision computed from aggregated scores
  • Quality gate applied: accept -> proceed; borderline -> ask user; reject -> refine
  • If refinement: feedback built, idea revised, re-evaluated (max 2 iterations)
  • context_variables["idea_evaluation_result"] set with complete structured data (including novelty_verification)
  • If refinement occurred: selected_idea.txt updated, final_selected_idea_data updated
  • All .txt files written to Ideation/ideas/, all .json files written to Ideation/ideas/logs/
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