ds-scout

Frames research tasks by scouting literature, evaluation contracts, and baseline candidates.

1.1k|116|Updated Feb 26, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/OpenLAIR/dr-claw --skill ds-scout
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: ds-scout
Source: https://github.com/OpenLAIR/dr-claw/tree/main/skills/ds-scout
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/OpenLAIR/dr-claw --skill ds-scout

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

Research quests often stall because the task framing, dataset split, metric contract, or baseline landscape is ambiguous. This Skill resolves that ambiguity early by scouting papers, repos, and benchmarks so later stages like baseline building and ideation start from a solid, evidence-backed frame.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Bounded Literature Scouting: Searches arXiv, benchmark docs, and official repos with a layered search ladder, reusing durable memory before opening new web searches.
  • Evaluation Contract Definition: Produces an explicit statement of task, dataset, split, primary metric, and fair-comparison rules so downstream stages never re-derive them.
  • Baseline Shortlisting: Scores candidate baselines on provenance, metric compatibility, implementation availability, and reproduction cost, then recommends an attach, import, reproduce, or reject route.
  • Use Case: A researcher starts a new quest with only a vague goal like "improve retrieval on BEIR". The scout checks quest memory, searches arXiv for the benchmark neighborhood, locks the nDCG@10 metric contract, shortlists two reproducible baselines, and records a durable report pointing to the baseline stage.

Quick Start

Use the ds-scout skill to frame my research quest, clarify the dataset and metric contract, and shortlist credible baselines before any implementation work.

Frequently Asked Questions about ds-scout

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I frame an ambiguous research task before starting experiments?

Start with a scouting pass that reconstructs the current frame, lists only the unknowns that block later stages, and resolves them through memory reuse and targeted arXiv or benchmark searches. The output is an explicit task frame, evaluation contract, and baseline shortlist.

How do I choose a baseline for a machine learning research project?

Score each candidate on provenance trust, metric and split compatibility, implementation availability, environment risk, and reproduction cost. Then pick one route per candidate: attach an existing baseline, import a reusable package, reproduce from source, or reject it.

When should I not use a literature scouting stage?

Skip scouting when the paper, baseline, dataset, metric contract, and scope are already fixed, or when a validated baseline exists and the real blocker is execution or verification rather than framing.

How do I avoid redundant literature searches across research sessions?

Check durable quest and global memory first with list and search operations over task, benchmark, metric, and baseline keywords before any web search. Write concise paper and knowledge cards after each pass so later sessions warm-start instead of re-searching.

What should an evaluation contract for a research benchmark include?

It should state the task, dataset and version, split, official evaluation path, primary metric with direction, secondary metrics, fair-comparison rules, and what counts as a useful improvement, plus evidence from papers, repos, and benchmark docs.