…tence (#654)

# Pull Request

## Description

> **Note:** This PR depends on #642, #645, #650, #651, #652, #653 (Phase
1 foundation) being merged first.

Add `dt-coaching-state.instructions.md`, which defines the YAML-based
coaching state schema for Design Thinking session persistence. The state
file tracks method progress across sessions and enables the coach to
resume seamlessly by reading project metadata, the current
method/space/phase, transition history, session logs, and produced
artifacts.

## Related Issue(s)

Closes #582

## Type of Change

Select all that apply:

**Code & Documentation:**

- [ ] Bug fix (non-breaking change fixing an issue)
- [x] New feature (non-breaking change adding functionality)
- [ ] Breaking change (fix or feature causing existing functionality to
change)
- [ ] Documentation update

**Infrastructure & Configuration:**

- [ ] GitHub Actions workflow
- [ ] Linting configuration (markdown, PowerShell, etc.)
- [ ] Security configuration
- [ ] DevContainer configuration
- [ ] Dependency update

**AI Artifacts:**

- [x] Reviewed contribution with `prompt-builder` agent and addressed
all feedback
- [x] Copilot instructions (`.github/instructions/*.instructions.md`)
- [ ] Copilot prompt (`.github/prompts/*.prompt.md`)
- [ ] Copilot agent (`.github/agents/*.agent.md`)
- [ ] Copilot skill (`.github/skills/*/SKILL.md`)

**Other:**

- [ ] Script/automation (`.ps1`, `.sh`, `.py`)
- [ ] Other (please describe):

## Sample Prompts (for AI Artifact Contributions)

**User Request:**

> Resume my design thinking coaching session for the factory floor
maintenance project.

**Execution Flow:**

1. Coach reads
`.copilot-tracking/dt/factory-floor-maintenance/coaching-state.md`.
2. Parses YAML schema: validates `project`, `current`,
`methods_completed`, and `transition_log` fields.
3. Restores context from `current.method` (e.g., 3), `current.space`
(`problem`), and `current.phase` (e.g., `theme clustering`).
4. Reviews latest `session_log` and `transition_log` entries to
summarize where the team left off.
5. Scans `artifacts` list for available project outputs to reference.
6. Announces resumed state to the user with current method, phase, and a
brief summary of previous work.

**Output Artifacts:**

```yaml
# .copilot-tracking/dt/factory-floor-maintenance/coaching-state.md
project:
  name: "Factory Floor Maintenance"
  slug: "factory-floor-maintenance"
  created: "2026-02-18"
  initial_request: "Reduce unplanned downtime on the factory floor"
  initial_classification: "fluid"

current:
  method: 3
  space: "problem"
  phase: "theme clustering"

---------

Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Allen Greaves <allengreaves@microsoft.com>

# Pull Request

## Description

Add `dt-coach.agent.md` as the single conversational Design Thinking
coaching agent.

- Implement Think/Speak/Empower coaching philosophy governing all
responses
- Define tiered instruction loading: ambient (automatic), method
(pattern-matched), on-demand (`read_file`)
- Reference all four ambient-tier instruction files (identity, quality,
sequencing, state)
- Implement hat-switching logic for seamless method transitions
- Integrate progressive hint engine with 4-level escalation
- Add session management with coaching state initialization and recovery
- Define method routing with non-linear iteration support
- Include context refresh protocol and artifact management

> [!NOTE]
> This PR depends on #642, #645, #650, #651, #652, #653 (Phase 1
foundation) and #654 (coaching state protocol) being merged first.

## Related Issue(s)

Closes #579

## Type of Change

Select all that apply:

**Code & Documentation:**

- [ ] Bug fix (non-breaking change fixing an issue)
- [x] New feature (non-breaking change adding functionality)
- [ ] Breaking change (fix or feature causing existing functionality to
change)
- [ ] Documentation update

**Infrastructure & Configuration:**

- [ ] GitHub Actions workflow
- [ ] Linting configuration (markdown, PowerShell, etc.)
- [ ] Security configuration
- [ ] DevContainer configuration
- [ ] Dependency update

**AI Artifacts:**

- [ ] Reviewed contribution with `prompt-builder` agent and addressed
all feedback
- [ ] Copilot instructions (`.github/instructions/*.instructions.md`)
- [ ] Copilot prompt (`.github/prompts/*.prompt.md`)
- [x] Copilot agent (`.github/agents/*.agent.md`)
- [ ] Copilot skill (`.github/skills/*/SKILL.md`)

**Other:**

- [ ] Script/automation (`.ps1`, `.sh`, `.py`)
- [ ] Other (please describe):

## Testing

<!-- Describe how you tested these changes -->

## Checklist

### Required Checks

- [x] Documentation is updated (if applicable)
- [x] Files follow existing naming conventions
- [x] Changes are backwards compatible (if applicable)
- [ ] Tests added for new functionality (if applicable)

### Required Automated Checks

The following validation commands must pass before merging:

- [x] Markdown linting: `npm run lint:md`
- [x] Spell checking: `npm run spell-check`
- [x] Frontmatter validation: `npm run lint:frontmatter`
- [ ] Skill structure validation: `npm run validate:skills`
- [x] Link validation: `npm run lint:md-links`
- [x] PowerShell analysis: `npm run lint:ps`

## Security Considerations

- [x] This PR does not contain any sensitive or NDA information
- [x] Any new dependencies have been reviewed for security issues
- [x] Security-related scripts follow the principle of least privilege

## Additional Notes

🎴 Generated by Copilot

---------

Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Allen Greaves <allengreaves@microsoft.com>

🤖 I have created a release *beep* *boop*
---


##
[3.0.0](hve-core-v2.3.10...hve-core-v3.0.0)
(2026-02-20)


### ⚠ BREAKING CHANGES

* **skills:** migrate PR reference generation to self-contained skill
([#669](#669))
* restructure RPI collection to HVE Core naming convention
([#668](#668))

### ✨ Features

* **agents:** add agile-coach agent
([#562](#562))
([de8d86c](de8d86c))
* **agents:** add DT coach agent with tiered instruction loading
([#656](#656))
([206d3a7](206d3a7))
* **agents:** add product manager advisor and UX/UI designer agents
([#627](#627))
([539eb8a](539eb8a))
* **agents:** add system architecture reviewer for design trade-offs and
ADR creation ([#626](#626))
([de5cfd6](de5cfd6))
* **build:** pin devcontainer image and align tool parity
([#704](#704))
([6258b1c](6258b1c))
* **design-thinking:** add manufacturing industry context template
([#682](#682))
([ce864bf](ce864bf))
* **instructions:** add DT coaching state protocol for session
persistence ([#654](#654))
([5a5be4e](5a5be4e))
* **instructions:** add dt-coaching-identity ambient instruction
([#642](#642))
([6209a0d](6209a0d))
* **instructions:** add dt-method-01-deep for advanced scope
conversation techniques
([#673](#673))
([cc92ef9](cc92ef9))
* **instructions:** add dt-method-03-deep for advanced input synthesis
techniques ([#676](#676))
([0079a4f](0079a4f))
* **instructions:** add dt-method-09-deep instructions for Method 9
advanced coaching
([#703](#703))
([150b2a6](150b2a6))
* **instructions:** add dt-method-sequencing ambient instruction
([#650](#650))
([e465b2f](e465b2f))
* **instructions:** add dt-quality-constraints and design-thinking
collection ([#645](#645))
([17002bd](17002bd))
* **instructions:** add DT-to-RPI handoff contract specification
([#679](#679))
([87f9962](87f9962))
* **instructions:** add energy industry context template
([#687](#687))
([41088d8](41088d8))
* **instructions:** add healthcare industry context template
([#686](#686))
([b2d5281](b2d5281))
* **instructions:** add Method 1 Scope Conversations coaching knowledge
([#651](#651))
([93e2d48](93e2d48))
* **instructions:** add Method 2 Design Research coaching knowledge
([#652](#652))
([30f7f3b](30f7f3b))
* **instructions:** add Method 3 Input Synthesis coaching knowledge
([#653](#653))
([1efdb7d](1efdb7d))
* **instructions:** add Method 7 High-Fidelity Prototypes coaching
instruction ([#666](#666))
([9233eab](9233eab))
* **instructions:** add pull request instructions for PR generation
workflow ([#706](#706))
([73d23eb](73d23eb))
* **instructions:** create DT curriculum content (9 modules)
([#690](#690))
([9f7378f](9f7378f)),
closes [#617](#617)
* **instructions:** create dt-method-02-deep.instructions.md
([#700](#700))
([4d4d0ca](4d4d0ca))
* **instructions:** create dt-method-06-lofi-prototypes.instructions.md
([#684](#684))
([4d5f757](4d5f757))
* **instructions:** create dt-method-07-deep.instructions.md
([#678](#678))
([d3ec70d](d3ec70d))
* **instructions:** Create dt-method-08-deep.instructions.md
([#683](#683))
([d9e1115](d9e1115))
* **instructions:** create dt-method-08-testing.instructions.md
([#681](#681))
([3008ad8](3008ad8))
* **instructions:** create dt-method-09-iteration.instructions.md
([#685](#685))
([9d7f4f5](9d7f4f5))
* **instructions:** create dt-rpi-research-context.instructions.md
([#689](#689))
([34c7b89](34c7b89))
* **instructions:** create manufacturing reference learning scenario
([#692](#692))
([1bd3994](1bd3994))
* **instructions:** Design Thinking Method 4 brainstorming instruction
file ([#664](#664))
([06f90b0](06f90b0))
* **prompts:** add DT start-project prompt for coaching initialization
([#657](#657))
([ce583d5](ce583d5))
* **prompts:** add dt-resume-coaching prompt for session recovery
([#665](#665))
([11b93cb](11b93cb))
* **prompts:** create dt-handoff-problem-space.prompt.md
([#688](#688))
([277963d](277963d))
* **scripts:** add collection-level maturity field with validation,
gating, and notices
([#697](#697))
([7b1c8e8](7b1c8e8))
* **scripts:** add per-violation CI annotations and colorized console
output ([#637](#637))
([bd7d512](bd7d512))
* **skills:** edit SKILL frontmatter schema, add CI validation, and
documentation ([#625](#625))
([0138a78](0138a78))
* **skills:** mandate unit testing and document language support
([#636](#636))
([9263617](9263617))
* **skills:** migrate PR reference generation to self-contained skill
([#669](#669))
([cf8805f](cf8805f))


### 🐛 Bug Fixes

* **collections:** migrate artifacts into collection-based
subdirectories
([#658](#658))
([dfa5261](dfa5261))
* **instructions:** optimize Phase 1 DT token budgets and close
[#564](https://github.com/microsoft/hve-core/issues/564)/[#565](https://github.com/microsoft/hve-core/issues/565)
gaps ([#675](#675))
([4f42f00](4f42f00))
* **scripts:** add CI annotations and step summary to copyright header
check ([#638](#638))
([5fa6328](5fa6328))
* **scripts:** add grouped link-lang console diagnostics and failure
summary ([#661](#661))
([4d6871f](4d6871f))
* **scripts:** add per-violation Write-Host and Write-CIAnnotation
output to Test-DependencyPinning
([#640](#640))
([9d3b71d](9d3b71d))
* **scripts:** align agent frontmatter schema with VS Code spec
([#469](#469))
([254d445](254d445))
* **scripts:** optimize PSScriptAnalyzer linting performance in WSL2
([#667](#667))
([f120b93](f120b93))
* **scripts:** stabilize YAML display key ordering in collection
manifest ([#701](#701))
([73c0d2c](73c0d2c))
* **scripts:** use text stubs for plugin links when symlinks unavailable
([#695](#695))
([d7650a3](d7650a3))
* **skills:** fix powershell test coverage in pr-reference skill
([#699](#699))
([408e6b7](408e6b7))


### 📚 Documentation

* **dt:** add Method 5 Concepts and Method 6 Lo-Fi Prototypes
instructions ([#693](#693))
([cfdcf11](cfdcf11))
* **hve-guide:** add role-based guides and project lifecycle
documentation ([#663](#663))
([17a85da](17a85da))


### ♻️ Refactoring

* restructure RPI collection to HVE Core naming convention
([#668](#668))
([120dde0](120dde0))
* **scripts:** consolidate duplicate logging into shared SecurityHelpers
module ([#655](#655))
([627a877](627a877))
* **scripts:** use shared SecurityHelpers and CIHelpers modules in
security scripts
([#705](#705))
([3a0baa7](3a0baa7))


### 🔧 Maintenance

* **deps-dev:** bump markdownlint-cli2 from 0.20.0 to 0.21.0 in the
npm-dependencies group
([#609](#609))
([1486dd7](1486dd7))

---
This PR was generated with [Release
Please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please). See
[documentation](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please#release-please).

Co-authored-by: hve-core-release-please[bot] <254602402+hve-core-release-please[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>