Add answer-first self-serve search UX

docs/modules/advisory-ai/knowledge-search.md

@@ -172,6 +172,8 @@ Global search now consumes AKS and supports:
   - Doctor: `Run` (navigate to doctor and copy run command).
 - `More` action for "show more like this" local query expansion.
 - A shared mode switch (`Find`, `Explain`, `Act`) across search and AdvisoryAI with mode-aware chip ranking and handoff prompts.
+- An answer-first FE shell: every non-empty search renders a visible answer state (`grounded`, `clarify`, `insufficient`) before raw cards, using existing synthesis/cards plus page context until a backend `contextAnswer` payload is introduced.
+- Page-owned self-serve questions and clarifiers, defined in `docs/modules/ui/search-self-serve-contract.md`, so search can offer "Common questions" and recovery prompts without per-page conditionals in the component.
 - Zero-result rescue actions that keep the current query visible while broadening scope, trying a related pivot, retrying with page context, or opening AdvisoryAI reformulation.
 - AdvisoryAI evidence-first next-step cards that can return search pivots (`chat_next_step_search`, `chat_next_step_policy`) back into global search or open cited evidence/context directly.
 - Search-quality metrics taxonomy is standardized on `query`, `click`, and `zero_result` event types (no legacy `search` event dependency in quality SQL).

docs/modules/ui/TASKS.md

@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 - `docs/implplan/SPRINT_20260221_041_FE_prealpha_ia_ops_setup_rewire.md`
 - `docs/implplan/SPRINT_20260306_001_Web_contextual_search_suggestions.md`
 - `docs/implplan/SPRINT_20260306_002_FE_search_advisory_quality_ux.md`
+- `docs/implplan/SPRINT_20260307_004_FE_self_serve_search_answer_first.md`
+- `docs/implplan/SPRINT_20260307_006_FE_self_serve_rollout_and_gap_closure.md`
 
 ## Delivery Tasks
 - [DONE] 041-T1 Root IA/nav rewrite (Mission Control + Ops + Setup)
@@ -28,6 +30,16 @@
 - [DONE] FE-UX-003 Zero-result rescue and reformulation UX
 - [DONE] FE-UX-004 AdvisoryAI evidence-first next-step cards
 - [DONE] FE-UX-005 Docs sync and rollout notes for search/advisory quality UX
+- [DONE] FE-SELF-001 Page-owned self-serve search contract
+- [DONE] FE-SELF-002 Answer-first search panel
+- [DONE] FE-SELF-003 Common questions and follow-up questions
+- [DONE] FE-SELF-004 Self-serve verification and behavior hardening
+- [DONE] FE-SELF-005 Docs sync and rollout guidance for self-serve search
+- [TODO] FE-ROLL-001 Priority page self-serve rollout
+- [TODO] FE-ROLL-002 Guided action handoffs
+- [TODO] FE-ROLL-003 Telemetry-driven self-serve gap review UX
+- [TODO] FE-ROLL-004 Full operator-journey Playwright coverage
+- [TODO] FE-ROLL-005 Docs and rollout readiness
 - [DONE] WEB-CTX-E2E Playwright coverage for contextual suggestions + ambient last-action payload
 - [DONE] FE-UX-E2E Playwright coverage for mode switching, rescue flows, and AdvisoryAI next-step cards
 - [DONE] WEB-CTX-NONOBVIOUS Strategic non-obvious suggestion recipes (cross-domain + action-aware)

docs/modules/ui/architecture.md

@@ -199,11 +199,13 @@ Each feature folder builds as a **standalone route** (lazy loaded). All HTTP sha
 * **Strategic non-obvious suggestions**: each page scope injects at least one cross-domain guidance query (for example, findings -> policy/VEX impact, policy -> impacted findings, doctor -> release blockers) and switches to action-aware variants after meaningful user actions.
 * **Explainable chips**: suggestion queries remain short and executable, while a separate rationale line explains whether a chip comes from page defaults, recent actions, or strategic cross-domain guidance.
 * **Shared operator modes**: global search and AdvisoryAI share one persisted mode state (`Find`, `Explain`, `Act`) via `SearchExperienceModeService`; the mode changes chip ordering, Ask-AI prompts, empty-state starters, and structured next-step behavior.
+* **Answer-first search**: every non-empty search renders a visible answer panel before raw cards; the panel must resolve to `grounded`, `clarify`, or `insufficient` and never leave the operator with an unexplained blank result area.
+* **Page-owned self-serve questions**: priority pages define common questions and clarifying prompts in the shared search context registry; empty-state search uses those as "Common questions" and answer states reuse them as follow-up or clarification buttons.
 * **Zero-result rescue loop**: no-result states must expose recovery actions for broadening scope, trying a related pivot, retrying with page context, and opening AdvisoryAI reformulation with the active mode and query context preserved.
 * **Search-surface focus rule**: focus movement into controls inside the global-search surface (mode buttons, scope toggle, rescue buttons, filters) must not collapse the panel; the surface behaves like one command workspace rather than a disposable tooltip.
 * **AdvisoryAI next-step cards**: assistant responses with citations render structured cards for evidence inspection, context navigation, deeper search, and policy pivots; search-return actions must emit deterministic `chat_next_step_*` metadata back into global search.
 * **Ambient payload activation**: each global search request sends ambient context (`currentRoute`, `visibleEntityKeys`, `recentSearches`, `sessionId`, optional `lastAction`) so AdvisoryAI can apply contextual ranking/refinement.
-* **Chip contract governance**: page-owned chip arrays and route mappings are defined by `docs/modules/ui/search-chip-context-contract.md` and implemented in `search-context.registry.ts`.
+* **Contract governance**: page-owned chip arrays follow `docs/modules/ui/search-chip-context-contract.md`, while answer-first self-serve questions and fallback states follow `docs/modules/ui/search-self-serve-contract.md`; both are implemented in `search-context.registry.ts`.
 * **Fallback transparency**: when unified search drops to legacy fallback, global search displays an explicit degraded banner and emits enter/exit telemetry markers for operator visibility.
 
 ---

docs/modules/ui/implementation_plan.md

@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ Provide a living plan for UI deliverables, dependencies, and evidence.
 - Update this file when new scoped work is approved.
 
 ## Near-term deliverables
-- TBD (add when sprint is staffed).
+- `SPRINT_20260307_004_FE_self_serve_search_answer_first.md` - answer-first search shell, page-owned self-serve questions, and explicit fallback states.
+- `SPRINT_20260307_006_FE_self_serve_rollout_and_gap_closure.md` - page rollout, guided handoffs, and telemetry-driven gap closure.
 
 ## Dependencies
 - `docs/modules/ui/architecture.md`

docs/modules/ui/search-chip-context-contract.md

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 - Define one deterministic contract for page-aware search chips.
 - Let feature teams add page suggestions without editing `AmbientContextService` logic.
 - Blend route context, last few page actions, and bounded suggestion randomization.
+- Answer-first self-serve questions and fallback states are governed separately in `docs/modules/ui/search-self-serve-contract.md`.
 
 ## Rule (mandatory for page teams)
 - Every page that needs custom search chips must declare a context entry in `SEARCH_CONTEXT_DEFINITIONS`.

docs/modules/ui/search-self-serve-contract.md

@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+# Search Self-Serve Contract
+
+## Purpose
+- Define the page-owned contract for answer-first search.
+- Ensure every high-value page can expose common operator questions and clarifying prompts without editing `GlobalSearchComponent`.
+- Keep the self-serve experience deterministic, evidence-first, and testable.
+
+## Rule (mandatory for page teams)
+- Every page that wants answer-first self-serve behavior must declare `selfServe` metadata in `SEARCH_CONTEXT_DEFINITIONS`.
+- Page components should continue to implement `SearchContextComponent` so ownership remains explicit.
+- `selfServe` definitions must provide one or both of:
+  - `commonQuestions[]`
+  - `clarifyingQuestions[]`
+- Question entries must provide:
+  - `key` / `fallback` for the executable question text
+  - optional `kind` (`page`, `clarify`, `recent`)
+  - optional `preferredModes` (`find`, `explain`, `act`)
+- Question arrays must stay deterministic and bounded:
+  - at most 3 base common questions per page
+  - at most 2 base clarifying questions per page
+  - concise, operator-facing wording
+  - no tenant secrets or volatile IDs in fallback copy
+
+## Answer-first UX contract
+- Every non-empty search must render one visible answer state before raw results:
+  - `grounded`
+  - `clarify`
+  - `insufficient`
+- `grounded` states must expose visible evidence summary plus citations or top-result references.
+- `clarify` states must offer narrowing questions instead of a blank panel.
+- `insufficient` states must explain the lack of grounding and still provide credible next questions or next searches.
+
+## Runtime behavior
+- Empty-state search uses `commonQuestions[]` for page-owned "Common questions".
+- The active mode (`Find`, `Explain`, `Act`) reorders questions via `preferredModes`.
+- A recent-action question may be prepended from the latest meaningful page action:
+  - `Find` -> related discovery question
+  - `Explain` -> why-it-matters question
+  - `Act` -> what-to-do-next question
+- Result-state answer panels use:
+  - `commonQuestions[]` as follow-up questions when grounded evidence exists
+  - `clarifyingQuestions[]` when no grounded answer exists
+- "Search next" remains driven by contextual chip logic so pages do not need to define a second parallel action system.
+
+## Source of truth
+- Page registry and interfaces:
+  - `src/Web/StellaOps.Web/src/app/core/services/search-context.registry.ts`
+- Runtime composition:
+  - `src/Web/StellaOps.Web/src/app/core/services/ambient-context.service.ts`
+- Search surface:
+  - `src/Web/StellaOps.Web/src/app/layout/global-search/global-search.component.ts`
+
+## Testing requirements
+1. Add unit coverage for route-specific questions in `ambient-context.service.spec.ts`.
+2. Add unit coverage for answer-state rendering in `global-search.component.spec.ts`.
+3. Add Playwright coverage for:
+   - grounded answer
+   - clarify recovery
+   - answer-to-AdvisoryAI handoff
+4. Keep route and API behavior mocked/deterministic; no live network dependencies.
+
+## Relationship to chip contract
+- `search-chip-context-contract.md` still governs contextual chips and route-suggestion behavior.
+- This document governs answer-first questions and fallback states.
+- Page teams adding self-serve behavior usually need to update both contracts together.