Template selector

Match projects to the correct template category. Don't guess, use the decision tree.

Quick reference

Project type	Template category
Newsroom AI tool, fact-checker	editorial-tool
Conference, summit, workshop	event-website
Newsletter, podcast, blog	publication
Investigation, data journalism	research-project
CMS workflow, syndication	content-pipeline
Historical collection, archive	digital-archive

Decision tree

Is it for journalism/publishing?
├── Yes →
│   ├── Has specific end date/event? → event-website
│   ├── Ongoing content series? → publication
│   ├── Historical/preservation? → digital-archive
│   ├── Newsroom tool/AI? → editorial-tool
│   ├── CMS/automation? → content-pipeline
│   └── Investigation with scope? → research-project
│
└── No (general software) →
    Use general template or another collection

Detailed category descriptions

editorial-tool

Use when: Building newsroom tools, writing assistants, fact-checkers, AI-powered research tools, moderation systems, workflow automation for journalists

Not for: Generic productivity tools, non-journalism software

Signs it's an editorial tool:

• Primary users are journalists, editors, or producers
• Helps with a specific editorial workflow step
• Requires accuracy/trust for publication decisions

event-website

Use when: Building sites for conferences, summits, workshops, or events with specific dates

Not for: Ongoing content, organization websites without events, event management software (that's editorial-tool)

Signs it's an event website:

• Has a specific event date (or date range)
• Registration/attendance is involved
• Content includes speakers, schedule, venue info

publication

Use when: Building newsletters, podcasts, blogs, magazines, or ongoing content series with regular publishing schedule

Not for: One-off articles, static content sites, CMSes that power publications (that's editorial-tool)

Signs it's a publication:

• Regular publishing cadence (daily, weekly, monthly)
• Growing subscriber/reader base
• Consistent voice and format

research-project

Use when: Building investigative journalism projects, data journalism, analysis with defined scope and end date

Not for: Ongoing research operations, general data analysis, tools that support research (that's editorial-tool)

Signs it's a research project:

• Answers a specific question or hypothesis
• Has a defined end point (publication date)
• Involves data collection, analysis, and findings

content-pipeline

Use when: Building CMS workflows, publishing automation, content syndication systems, feed aggregators, cross-posting tools

Not for: Manual publishing workflows, single-site content management, publications themselves

Signs it's a content pipeline:

• Automates content movement between systems
• Transforms content formats
• Handles scheduling and distribution

digital-archive

Use when: Building historical collections, preservation projects, research databases, document repositories

Not for: Active news sites, CMS platforms, search engines

Signs it's a digital archive:

• Primary focus is preservation
• Collection has defined scope (time period, topic)
• Users are researchers, historians, or the public seeking historical content

Common mistakes

Project	Wrong choice	Right choice	Why
Newsletter dashboard	editorial-tool	publication	It's about the publication, not the tech
AI fact-checker	research-project	editorial-tool	It's a tool, not a one-off investigation
Event registration system	event-website	editorial-tool	It's a tool that serves events
Podcast website	content-pipeline	publication	It's a publication, not automation
Document search tool	digital-archive	editorial-tool	It's a tool, not the archive itself
FOIA tracking system	research-project	editorial-tool	It's a tool that supports research

The litmus test

If you're still unsure, ask:

1. Is this a tool that helps journalists do X, or is this X itself?

   • Tool → editorial-tool
   • The thing itself → other categories

2. Does it have a specific end date?

   • Yes, event dates → event-website
   • Yes, publication date → research-project
   • No, ongoing → publication, content-pipeline, or digital-archive

3. Is preservation the primary goal?

   • Yes → digital-archive
   • No → other categories

Using templates

For project memory (CLAUDE.md)

1. Identify project category using decision tree above
2. Copy appropriate template from project-memory/templates/
3. Fill in bracketed placeholders with your specifics
4. Delete sections that don't apply
5. Add project-specific gotchas as you discover them

For retrospectives (LESSONS.md)

1. Identify project category
2. Copy appropriate template from project-retrospective/templates/
3. Fill in as the project progresses or at completion
4. Be specific about failures, that's the valuable part

Template locations

claude-skills-journalism/
├── project-memory/templates/
│   ├── editorial-tool.md
│   ├── event-website.md
│   ├── publication.md
│   ├── research-project.md
│   ├── content-pipeline.md
│   └── digital-archive.md
│
└── project-retrospective/templates/
    ├── editorial-tool.md
    ├── event.md
    ├── publication.md
    └── research-project.md

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Pick the specific template that fits. "General" is a last resort.