regulatory-research-fallback

Fallback workflow for regulatory research when web extraction tools fail on government PDFs

Quality

62%

Does it follow best practices?

Run evals on this skill

Adds up to 20 points to the overall score

View guide

Securityby

Low

Low-risk findings worth noting

Fix and improve this skill with Tessl

tessl review fix ./benchmarks/gdpval/skills/regulatory-research-fallback/SKILL.md

Regulatory Research Fallback Workflow

This skill provides a systematic approach to gathering regulatory/compliance information when primary web extraction tools fail on government or regulatory website URLs.

When to Use This Skill

read_webpage returns "unknown error" on .gov or regulatory PDF URLs
search_web fails to retrieve current regulatory information
You need to create compliance checklists or regulatory documentation
Primary sources are inaccessible but the task must be completed

Step-by-Step Procedure

Step 1: Attempt Primary Source Extraction

First, try standard web extraction tools:

1. Use read_webpage on the regulatory URL
2. Use search_web for supplementary regulatory information
3. Document which tools failed and with what errors

Step 2: Activate Fallback - Shell Agent Research

When primary tools fail, delegate to shell_agent for secondary research:

Task: "Research [TOPIC] compliance requirements using available system tools. 
Gather information from alternative sources including:
- State/federal regulatory summaries
- Industry compliance guides
- Professional association resources
Focus on actionable checklist items for [SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT]"

Example shell_agent task for pharmacy compliance:

"Research pharmacy compliance requirements for [state]. Gather information 
about licensing, storage, dispensing, and documentation requirements from 
available sources. Create structured notes on mandatory compliance areas."

Step 3: Apply Domain Knowledge

When sources remain inaccessible, use established domain knowledge:

For pharmacy compliance, standard areas include:
- Licensing and registration requirements
- Controlled substance handling
- Prescription record-keeping
- Storage and security protocols
- Patient counseling requirements
- Continuing education obligations

Step 4: Create Documentation with Confidence Levels

Structure output with clear sourcing transparency:

## [Requirement Area]

**Status**: Based on standard regulatory framework (primary sources inaccessible)

**Key Requirements**:
- [Item 1] - Standard industry requirement
- [Item 2] - Common regulatory expectation
- [Item 3] - Best practice guideline

**Note**: Verify with [specific agency] for jurisdiction-specific requirements

Step 5: Flag Verification Needs

Always include disclaimers when using fallback approach:

⚠️ **Verification Required**: This checklist was created using secondary 
sources due to primary regulatory website inaccessibility. Please verify 
all requirements with the official [Agency Name] before implementation.

Key Principles

Persevere through failures - Tool errors don't mean task failure
Layer your research - Try multiple approaches before concluding information is unavailable
Be transparent - Clearly mark when information comes from secondary sources
Provide value anyway - A best-effort checklist is better than no guidance
Flag verification needs - Help users understand what needs official confirmation

Example Output Structure

# [Compliance Area] Checklist

## Source Transparency
This document was created using secondary research methods due to 
inaccessibility of primary regulatory sources. All items should be 
verified with official authorities.

## Core Requirements
[Checklist items based on standard regulatory framework]

## Verification Steps
[List of specific items requiring official confirmation]

## Recommended Next Actions
1. Contact [Agency] for current requirements
2. Review [Official Publication] when accessible
3. Consult with [Professional Association] for updates

Applicable Domains

This workflow applies to:

Pharmacy/healthcare compliance
Financial regulatory requirements
Environmental compliance
Building codes and permits
Employment law requirements
Any jurisdiction-specific regulatory research

name: regulatory-research-fallback category: workflow version: 1.0

Repository: HKUDS/OpenSpace
Path: benchmarks/gdpval/skills/regulatory-research-fallback/SKILL.md
Commit: c5a9c4b

Last updated: 2 days ago
First committed: 14 days ago

Is this your skill?

If you maintain this skill, you can claim it as your own. Once claimed, you can manage eval scenarios, bundle related skills, attach documentation or rules, and ensure cross-agent compatibility.