diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 6eb4b2f..972fc77 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ Keep it stable. Prefer pointers to canonical sources over copied structure, file
 - Add only durable style, ownership, gotchas, and at most a few stable commands agents should actually run.
 - Prefer links or pointers to canonical sources over copied lists.
 - Avoid project trees, architecture maps, generated inventories, current file sizes, issue lists, TODO inventories, and other snapshots that will rot.
-- Stable commands: `cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- test`, `cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- html-examples-smoke`, `cargo check --workspace`, `redgate health --strict`. Use the xtask runner for full verification so jobs are capped from local CPU and memory; use the html_examples smoke for focused repo-owned browser verification of the HTML pattern gallery, no-reload dynamic interactions, and no `/tmp` scripts. req: test/004 req: test/006 req: test/012 req: test/013 req: test/014
+- Stable commands: `cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- test`, `cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- html-examples-smoke`, `cargo check --workspace`, `redgate health --strict`. Use the xtask runner for full verification so jobs are capped from local CPU and memory; use the html_examples smoke for focused repo-owned browser verification of the HTML pattern gallery, no-reload dynamic interactions, and no `/tmp` scripts. Keep fast crate tests, focused browser smoke, and full xtask authority distinct; the full path should stay within a documented 10 minute local timeout or be split into deterministic shards under the same wrapper. req: test/004 req: test/006 req: test/012 req: test/013 req: test/014 req: test/015 req: test/016
 - Example behavior tests should prefer `hemx_test` generated-resource assertions over raw slot constants or raw effect/payload matching; keep browser selector helpers as test adapters only, not authoring APIs. req: test/008 req: test/009 req: test/010
 - Run the workout product exemplar with `cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- workout dev` and open `http://127.0.0.1:3028`; set `HEMX_WORKOUT_ADDR=127.0.0.1:3030` if the default port is busy. Its durable visual direction and recovery expectations live in `examples/workout/DESIGN.md`. req: examples/008
 - Use the same Workout command surface for tests, production build, and mobile release: `cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- workout test`, `cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- workout build`, `HEMX_WORKOUT_ORIGIN=https://workout.example.com cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- workout mobile-release`, and `HEMX_WORKOUT_ORIGIN=https://workout.example.com cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- workout mobile-verify`; Android/iOS SDKs, store submission targets, and signing remain external blockers, not repo-owned secrets, and do not imply a broad `hemx-mobile` framework. req: examples/006 req: examples/011 req: examples/013
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9a0dffd..02dda51 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -183,10 +183,24 @@ See `docs/versioning.md`.
 ## Local checks
 
 ```sh
+# Fast compile/regression pass for the crate you touched.
+cargo test -p <crate>
+
+# Focused real-browser smoke for the HTML pattern gallery.
+cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- html-examples-smoke
+
+# Full local authority check; keep this green before shipping broad slices.
 cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- test
+
 cargo check --workspace
 redgate health --strict
 ```
 
 Use `cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- test` for the full local verification path so
-jobs stay capped for local CPU and memory. req: test/004
+jobs stay capped for local CPU and memory. The focused browser tier is
+`cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- html-examples-smoke`; it owns dynamic html_examples
+browser behavior and should complete in about 30 seconds locally. The full tier
+should complete within a 10 minute local timeout; if it grows beyond that, split
+it into deterministic repo-owned shards that together cover the same behavior,
+with `cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- test` remaining the full authority wrapper.
+req: test/004 req: test/006 req: test/015 req: test/016
diff --git a/REQUIREMENTS.md b/REQUIREMENTS.md
index d9ba17b..7005c2d 100644
--- a/REQUIREMENTS.md
+++ b/REQUIREMENTS.md
@@ -859,6 +859,12 @@ what a valid business email is. [north_star]
 ### req: test/014
 0	014	html_examples browser smoke asserts dynamic interactions complete without full-page reload or navigation. [north_star]
 
+### req: test/015
+0	015	Verification docs distinguish fast, focused browser, and full tiers while preserving `cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- test` as the full local authority. [north_star]
+
+### req: test/016
+0	016	The full local verification path has an explicit timeout budget; any shard split is deterministic and preserves equivalent coverage. [north_star]
+
 ---
 
 ## check