diff --git a/skills/desk-open/SKILL.md b/skills/desk-open/SKILL.md
index 63f2f994..f7ee398f 100644
--- a/skills/desk-open/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/desk-open/SKILL.md
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ Given a workshop directory and a desk name, create:
 ```
 desks/<desk-name>/
   journal.md       # persistent memory — read at start, written at end
+  .signals/        # structured signal output (JSON) — dashboard reads this
 ```
 
 ## How to use
@@ -28,10 +29,12 @@ desks/<desk-name>/
    how the operator and other desks refer to this desk.
    Examples: `security-scan`, `api-review`, `ops`, `cloud-workshop`
 
-2. **Create the structure.** Make the directory and initial journal:
+2. **Create the structure.** Make the directory, initial journal,
+   and signals folder:
 
    ```
    desks/<desk-name>/journal.md
+   desks/<desk-name>/.signals/
    ```
 
 3. **Write the first journal entry.** The journal starts with:
diff --git a/skills/signal-write/SKILL.md b/skills/signal-write/SKILL.md
index 22540fd0..70a163a9 100644
--- a/skills/signal-write/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/signal-write/SKILL.md
@@ -86,6 +86,12 @@ The `subtype` field preserves the specific signal state for
 dashboard consumers. `signal_type` controls sort priority
 (escalation → top).
 
+> **Note:** The signals-dashboard extension (shipped with the full
+> source repo, not the awesome-copilot package) reads `subtype`
+> when present and falls back to `signal_type` for display. If
+> consuming signals in your own tooling, prefer `subtype` for the
+> specific state.
+
 ### 2. Note the signal in the journal
 
 Also append a short marker to the desk's journal for persistence: