Desk-Open

# Open a Desk

Create a new desk in the workshop with the standard structure.

When to use

- The operator wants to start a new workstream

- Work arrives that doesn't belong to any existing desk

- A topic needs its own frame (its own history, its own priors)

What it creates

Given a workshop directory and a desk name, create:

desks/<desk-name>/
  journal.md       # persistent memory — read at start, written at end
  .signals/        # structured signal output (JSON) — dashboard reads this

How to use

1. **Choose a name.** Short, descriptive, kebab-case. The name is

how the operator and other desks refer to this desk.

Examples: `security-scan`, `api-review`, `ops`, `cloud-workshop`

2. **Check if it already exists.** If `desks/<desk-name>/` already

has a `journal.md`, the desk is live — **do not overwrite it.**

Instead, resume it: read the journal and continue from where it

left off. If the operator explicitly wants a fresh start, they

must rename or archive the existing desk first.

3. **Create the structure.** Make the directory, initial journal,

and signals folder:

```

desks/<desk-name>/journal.md

desks/<desk-name>/.signals/

```

4. **Write the first journal entry.** The journal starts with:

- What this desk is for (its focus/purpose)

- What repos or work it covers (if applicable)

- Any initial context the first session needs

5. **Announce it.** Tell the operator what was created and what

the desk's focus is.

Session orientation

This skill initializes storage — it does not launch a session.

A desk becomes active when a Copilot session references its

directory. The session workflow:

1. The operator (or TA) starts a session and says "sit at the

`<desk-name>` desk"

2. The session reads `desks/<desk-name>/journal.md` to load priors

3. Work happens — the session uses `signal-write` to emit signals

and `desk-journal` to persist state at the end

4. The next session repeats from step 2

The desk identity comes from which journal is read, not from a

persistent process. Desks are long-running in *state* (the journal

carries forward), not in *runtime* (each session is independent).

Journal format

# <Desk Name> — Journal

## <date> — Desk opened
- **Purpose:** <what this desk focuses on>
- **Scope:** <repos, areas, or work this desk covers>
- **Next step:** <what the first session should do>

Principles

- A desk is a peer, not a sub-agent. It has equal standing to

disagree with other desks.

- The journal is the memory. Without it, the next session starts

blind. Write enough that someone starting from zero finds the way.

- One desk, one focus. If the scope is too broad, open two desks.

Each desk's value comes from its specific frame — dilute the

frame and you lose the value.