Individual skill
thinking-map-territory
When a claim, doc, test, metric, or assumption conflicts with observed behavior, stop theorizing from the map and verify the live code or data; let territory overrule.
skills/thinking-map-territory/SKILL.md
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- Last checked
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- ai-tools Repository topic
- anthropic Repository topic
- claude Repository topic
- claude-code Repository topic
- critical-thinking Repository topic
- decision-making Repository topic
- first-principles Repository topic
- mental-models Repository topic
- problem-solving Repository topic
- systems-thinking Repository topic
- data Derived category
- testing Derived category
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# Map Territory
Docs, tests, diagrams, metrics, comments, and mental models are maps. Running code and actual data are the territory. When they disagree, verify territory and update the model — never force reality to match the description.
## When to Use
- Observed behavior contradicts a doc, test expectation, diagram, comment, dashboard, or prior assumption.
- A claim about the system rests on a secondary source rather than current code or data.
- Tests pass but production or manual behavior is wrong.
- You are about to theorize why something happens before inspecting what happens.
- A decision depends on whether a model, schema, or metric is still current.
## When NOT to Use