Update FAILURE-RECOVERY.md

Author: LivingFramework

FAILURE-RECOVERY.md

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+# Failure Recovery
+
+> What to do when things break. Because they will.
+
+Long-horizon collaboration doesn't fail dramatically. It fails through small, invisible drift that compounds until something snaps.
+
+The goal isn't preventing failure. The goal is making failure visible, bounded, and repairable.
+
+This document tells you how.
+
+---
+
+## The Core Protocol
+
+When something goes wrong, follow this sequence:
+
+```
+STOP → DIAGNOSE → ROLLBACK → NOTE
+```
+
+**Do not skip steps. Do not rush.**
+
+---
+
+## Step 1: STOP
+
+The moment you sense something is off — stop.
+
+Do not:
+- Ask Claude to explain itself
+- Try to fix it quickly
+- Push forward hoping it resolves
+
+Do:
+- Pause all work
+- State clearly: "We're stopping. Something is wrong."
+
+**Prompt:**
+
+> "Stop. Something isn't right. Do not generate further output until we diagnose what happened."
+
+Stopping prevents error from spreading. The earlier you stop, the less you have to repair.
+
+---
+
+## Step 2: DIAGNOSE
+
+Identify what went wrong. Not why — just what.
+
+Ask:
+- What was the last known good state?
+- What changed since then?
+- Which file(s) are affected?
+- Is this a content error, a structure error, or a drift error?
+
+**Prompt:**
+
+> "Let's diagnose. What was the last stable state? What changed? Which files are affected? Don't explain why yet — just identify what."
+
+Common failure types:
+
+| Type | Symptom |
+|------|---------|
+| Context drift | Claude acting on outdated or forgotten rules |
+| File divergence | Multiple versions, Claude referenced wrong one |
+| Numeric error | Reconstructed number instead of referencing canonical |
+| Boundary violation | Work from one domain leaking into another |
+| Tone/trust drift | Responses feel off, over-soft, or misaligned |
+
+---
+
+## Step 3: ROLLBACK
+
+Return to the last known good state.
+
+Do not try to fix forward. Go back to stable ground first.
+
+Actions:
+- Identify the last clean version of affected file(s)
+- Restore from archive or revert changes
+- Re-read `RUNNING-DOCUMENT.md` to reset context
+- Confirm Claude is aligned before proceeding
+
+**Prompt:**
+
+> "We're rolling back to [last stable state]. Discard work since [point of failure]. Re-read RUNNING-DOCUMENT.md and confirm you're aligned with current rules."
+
+---
+
+## Step 4: NOTE
+
+Document what happened so it doesn't repeat.
+
+Update these files:
+
+1. **RUNNING-DOCUMENT.md** — add to Corrections Log
+2. **This file** — add to Failure History below (if pattern is new)
+
+Capture:
+- What failed
+- What triggered it
+- How it was repaired
+- What rule/practice prevents recurrence
+
+**Prompt:**
+
+> "Log this failure in the Corrections Log: what happened, what we fixed, what prevents it next time."
+
+---
+
+## Quick Reference Card
+
+```
+┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
+│           FAILURE RECOVERY                  │
+├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
+│  1. STOP     — Halt immediately             │
+│  2. DIAGNOSE — What broke, not why          │
+│  3. ROLLBACK — Return to last stable state  │
+│  4. NOTE     — Document to prevent repeat   │
+└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+```
+
+---
+
+## Failure History
+
+<!-- Log significant failures here for pattern recognition -->
+
+| Date | Type | What Happened | Resolution | Prevention |
+|------|------|---------------|------------|------------|
+| | | | | |
+
+---
+
+## Warning Signs
+
+Catch drift early. Watch for:
+
+- Claude contradicting earlier decisions
+- Numbers that look plausible but weren't referenced
+- Tone shifts (over-soft, over-confident, defensive)
+- Confusion about which file is authoritative
+- Claude asking questions that were already answered
+- Work from one project appearing in another
+
+When you see these: **STOP**. Don't wait for full failure.
+
+---
+
+## Prevention Habits
+
+Best way to handle failure is to make it rare:
+
+1. **Read RUNNING-DOCUMENT.md every session** — context resets
+2. **Reference CANONICAL-NUMBERS.md for any numbers** — no reconstruction
+3. **One canonical file per domain** — no version confusion
+4. **Archive, don't delete** — rollback requires history
+5. **Name files with status** — know what's DRAFT vs FINAL
+6. **Trust your instincts** — if something feels off, stop
+
+---
+
+## Remember
+
+Failure isn't the enemy. Invisible failure is.
+
+A system that breaks visibly and repairs cleanly is more trustworthy than one that pretends to be perfect.
+
+When in doubt: **STOP → DIAGNOSE → ROLLBACK → NOTE**