docs(confidence-engine): route design evolution provenance through archive index

docs/current-handoff.md

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Current Handoff — Confidence Engine
 
 > **Role:** Concise operational snapshot for resuming work today. Not a historical diary.
-> See `docs/design-evolution-log.md` for v0.51–v0.58 progression and provenance.
+> The design evolution archive index at `docs/design-evolution/README.md` provides progressive loading of experiment history; load the relevant chapter only when a specific historical question requires it.
 
 ## Repository checkpoint
 
@@ -115,17 +115,17 @@ Reconstruct CU when canonical meaning or eligible evidence set changes — NOT w
 
 ## Next restart point
 
-Read `docs/design-evolution-log.md` section "v0.51–v0.58 progress" for the full product reasoning and provenance chronology.
+Consult `docs/design-evolution/README.md` for progressive loading of product reasoning and provenance chronology; load the relevant chapter only when a specific historical question requires it.
 
-The current handoff captures all operational facts needed to resume today. For historical decisions, experiment evidence, or methodology evolution — consult the design-evolution log or task-context packs as appropriate.
+The current handoff captures all operational facts needed to resume today. For historical decisions, experiment evidence, or methodology evolution — consult the design evolution archive index or task-context packs as appropriate.
 
 ## Provenance pointers
 
 | Need | Read |
 |---|---|
-| Product evolution v0.51–v0.58 | `docs/design-evolution-log.md` |
+| Product evolution v0.51–v0.58 | `docs/design-evolution/README.md` (progressive loading) |
 | Methodology / Return-to-Origin axioms | `docs/current-working-principles.md` §0 (A1–A12) |
 | Architecture guardrails | `.claude/architecture-guardrails.md` |
 | Task routing by work type | `docs/task-context-packs.md` |
 | Broader architectural intent | `docs/architectural-principles.md` |
-| Experiment history (specific) | `docs/design-evolution-log.md` § named section only |
+| Experiment history (specific) | `docs/design-evolution/README.md` → relevant chapter |

docs/current-project-state.md

@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ The following were built during Experiments 18–25B. They are isolated diagnost
 | Task-specific or historical references | `docs/project-knowledge-inventory.md` |
 | Broader architectural intent | `docs/architectural-principles.md` (task-specific only) |
 | Task-specific routing by work type | `docs/task-context-packs.md` (four minimal packs + common rules) |
-| Historical evidence or a named experiment | `docs/design-evolution-log.md` (the named section only) |
+| Historical evidence or a named experiment | `docs/design-evolution/README.md` → relevant chapter |
 
 Do not read the full design-evolution log unless a specific experiment is required. Use the inventory to locate task-specific context, then load only what you need.
 
@@ -153,9 +153,7 @@ Engine experiments advanced through Experiment 43, which diagnosed Clarify's abs
 
 UX/product development reached v0.55: Portfolio / Investigation / Report route separation, persisted report lifecycle (first visit = one synthesis; subsequent visits = zero), confirmation-gated restart, focused-presentation ownership per question, empty Done + Re-open semantics, zero-Open-Questions milestone. All verified via targeted Vitest and live Playwright.
 
-First document to read: **`docs/current-handoff.md`** (methodology continuity + current state), then `docs/current-project-state.md`, then `docs/project-knowledge-inventory.md`. Consult `.claude/architecture-guardrails.md` before any code changes. The full experiment history remains available in `docs/design-evolution-log.md` but is no longer default reading — load only when a specific question requires it.
-
-First document to read: **`docs/current-handoff.md`** (methodology continuity + current state), then `docs/current-project-state.md`, then `docs/project-knowledge-inventory.md`. Consult `.claude/architecture-guardrails.md` before any code changes. The full experiment history remains available in `docs/design-evolution-log.md` but is no longer default reading — load only when a specific question requires it.
+First document to read: **`docs/current-handoff.md`** (methodology continuity + current state), then `docs/current-project-state.md`, then `docs/project-knowledge-inventory.md`. Consult `.claude/architecture-guardrails.md` before any code changes. The full experiment history remains available in `docs/design-evolution/README.md` but is no longer default reading — load only when a specific question requires it.
 
 ## Verification Marker
 

docs/project-knowledge-inventory.md

@@ -30,16 +30,14 @@ These are the documents Claude should normally read before continuing Confidence
 - **Why required:** Provides only the guidance that should influence work today, verified against current implementation. Reduces ambiguity about which principles are active versus aspirational.
 - **Size:** small
 
-### docs/design-evolution-log.md (selected sections only)
-- **Purpose:** Chronological record of design decisions, experiments, and their conclusions.
+### docs/design-evolution/README.md (selected chapters only)
+- **Purpose:** Chronological record of design decisions, experiments, and their conclusions. Load the specific chapter via the archive index — do not load all chapters.
 - **Sections to read:**
-  - Lines 1–90: Phases 1–4 overview (context for where we came from);
-  - Lines 824–838: Experiment 16 "What did we learn?";
-  - Lines 889–910: Experiment 17 summary;
-  - Lines 1218–1520: Experiments 23 through 25B (current engine experiments);
-  - Final ~40 lines of the file (Return-to-Work Note for each recent experiment).
-- **Why required:** The minimum history needed to understand what was learned in the active experiment chain (23–25B) and where the pause decision sits. Do not read experiments before v23 unless you need historical context.
-- **Size:** medium (targeted sections ≈ 400 lines of ~1,540 total)
+  - ch4: Experiments 23 through 25B (current engine experiments);
+  - ch8: Experiments 47–51;
+  - The Return-to-Work Note entries in each relevant chapter for recent experiment closeout.
+- **Why required:** The minimum history needed to understand what was learned in the active experiment chain and where the pause decision sits. Do not read experiments before v23 unless you need historical context.
+- **Size:** varies by chapter (progressive loading recommended)
 
 ### docs/project-knowledge-inventory.md (this file — Section 1 only)
 - **Purpose:** Your own cross-reference for what to load next.
@@ -195,7 +193,7 @@ These documents document the path from Phase 1 through Experiment 25B. Archiving
 After creating this inventory, I simulated a fresh-session context load using only:
 - `.claude/project-context.md` (entire file)
 - `.claude/architecture-guardrails.md` (entire file)
-- `docs/design-evolution-log.md` (lines 1–90 + lines 824–838 + lines 889–910 + lines 1218–1520)
+- `docs/design-evolution/README.md` ch4 (Experiments 23–25B), plus relevant chapter sections as needed
 - `docs/03_Confidence_Engine_Language_Guide.md` (entire file)
 
 Five questions answered from this set:
@@ -215,4 +213,4 @@ None. The five questions were answered accurately from the minimum context set.
 
 ## Return-to-Work Note
 
-Engine experiments paused after Experiment 25B, which established scope-aware condition status classification — distinguishing direct evidence from relevant-but-different claims by checking subject, timeframe, and claim type. Present-state evidence does not settle future-feasibility conditions. The passive classifier layers remain isolated; no active integration yet. Knowledge-management experiments continue: five historical documents archived per Experiment 29; backlog info.md split in Experiment 31 into `docs/ui-mock-reference.md` (mock scenarios reference) and `docs/archive/deferred-ux-backlog.md` (deferred UX planning). Neither backlog item deleted or promoted. **Phase 2B context audit (2026-08-19):** ~76 historical experiment files moved to `docs/archive/experiments/` under eight subdirectories — preserved as evidence, removed from default context loading paths. No methodology or current operational paths changed. First file to inspect when resuming: `.claude/project-context.md`, then Experiments 23–25B in `docs/design-evolution-log.md` (lines 1218–1520).
+Engine experiments paused after Experiment 25B, which established scope-aware condition status classification — distinguishing direct evidence from relevant-but-different claims by checking subject, timeframe, and claim type. Present-state evidence does not settle future-feasibility conditions. The passive classifier layers remain isolated; no active integration yet. Knowledge-management experiments continue: five historical documents archived per Experiment 29; backlog info.md split in Experiment 31 into `docs/ui-mock-reference.md` (mock scenarios reference) and `docs/archive/deferred-ux-backlog.md` (deferred UX planning). Neither backlog item deleted or promoted. **Phase 2B context audit (2026-08-19):** ~76 historical experiment files moved to `docs/archive/experiments/` under eight subdirectories — preserved as evidence, removed from default context loading paths. No methodology or current operational paths changed. First file to inspect when resuming: `.claude/project-context.md`, then consult `docs/design-evolution/README.md` (ch4 for Experiments 23–25B).

docs/task-context-packs.md

@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@
 ### Then read only when relevant
 - the specific implementation file;
 - its focused tests;
-- the immediately previous experiment entry in `docs/design-evolution-log.md`;
+- the design evolution archive index at `docs/design-evolution/README.md` when provenance is needed;
 - the relevant contract or backlog entry.
 
 ### Do not load by default
-- full design-evolution history; archived documents; UI mock reference; unrelated architecture documents.
+- the full experiment history; archived documents; UI mock reference; unrelated architecture documents.
 
 ### Stop and ask or record a gap when
 - current documentation and source disagree;