using-system-architect

# Using System Architect

## Overview

**System Architect provides critical assessment and strategic recommendations for existing codebases.**

The architect works WITH the archaeologist: archaeologist documents what exists (neutral), architect assesses quality and recommends improvements (critical).

## When to Use

Use system-architect skills when:
- You have archaeologist outputs (subsystem catalog, diagrams, architecture report)
- Need to assess architectural quality ("how bad is it?")
- Need to identify and catalog technical debt
- Need refactoring strategy recommendations
- Need to prioritize improvements with limited resources
- User asks: "What should I fix first?" or "Is this architecture good?"

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## How to Access Reference Sheets

**IMPORTANT**: All reference sheets are located in the SAME DIRECTORY as this SKILL.md file.

When this skill is loaded from:
  `skills/using-system-architect/SKILL.md`

Reference sheets like `assessing-architecture-quality.md` are at:
  `skills/using-system-architect/assessing-architecture-quality.md`

NOT at:
  `skills/assessing-architecture-quality.md` ← WRONG PATH

When you see a link like `[assessing-architecture-quality.md](assessing-architecture-quality.md)`, read the file from the same directory as this SKILL.md.

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## The Pipeline

```
Archaeologist → Architect → (Future: Project Manager)
(documents)     (assesses)    (manages execution)
```

**Archaeologist** (axiom-system-archaeologist):
- Neutral documentation of existing architecture
- Subsystem catalog, C4 diagrams, dependency mapping
- "Here's what you have"

**Architect** (axiom-system-architect - this plugin):
- Critical assessment of quality
- Technical debt cataloging
- Refactoring recommendations
- Priority-based roadmaps
- "Here's what's wrong and how to fix it"

**Project Manager** (future: axiom-project-manager):
- Execution tracking
- Sprint planning
- Risk management
- "Here's how we'll track the fixes"

## Available Architect Skills

### 1. assess