refactor(blox): namespace vertical-locked blocks; generalise focus-areas

- research-areas → focus-areas (general scope: services, programs,
  research themes, expertise). Metric fields refactored from hardcoded
  team_size/publications/funding into a generic
  `metrics: [{icon, value, label}]` array; legacy fields kept as a
  backcompat fallback so existing content renders identically.
- knowledge-categories → help-categories
- trending-questions → help-questions

The `help-` prefix matches public-facing help-center conventions and mirrors the existing `resume-` namespace
pattern for vertical-locked blocks. Aliases in
data/blox_aliases.yaml preserve backwards compatibility -
templates keep working without content edits.

modules/blox/blox/focus-areas/block.html

@@ -99,6 +99,37 @@
       {{ with index . "publications" }}{{ $publications = strings.TrimSpace (printf "%v" .) }}{{ end }}
       {{ with index . "funding" }}{{ $funding = strings.TrimSpace (printf "%v" .) }}{{ end }}
 
+      {{/* Generic metrics array: [{ icon, value, label }, ...] — first 3 rendered */}}
+      {{ $metrics := slice }}
+      {{ $metrics_raw := index . "metrics" }}
+      {{ if reflect.IsSlice $metrics_raw }}
+        {{ range $metrics_raw }}
+          {{ if reflect.IsMap . }}
+            {{ $m_icon := "" }}
+            {{ $m_value := "" }}
+            {{ $m_label := "" }}
+            {{ with index . "icon" }}{{ $m_icon = printf "%v" . }}{{ end }}
+            {{ with index . "value" }}{{ $m_value = strings.TrimSpace (printf "%v" .) }}{{ end }}
+            {{ with index . "label" }}{{ $m_label = strings.TrimSpace (printf "%v" .) }}{{ end }}
+            {{ if or $m_value $m_label }}
+              {{ $metrics = $metrics | append (dict "icon" $m_icon "value" $m_value "label" $m_label) }}
+            {{ end }}
+          {{ end }}
+        {{ end }}
+      {{ end }}
+      {{/* Backcompat: synthesise from legacy team_size / publications / funding when `metrics` not provided */}}
+      {{ if not $metrics }}
+        {{ if $team_size }}
+          {{ $metrics = $metrics | append (dict "icon" "hero/user-group" "value" (replaceRE " researchers" "" $team_size) "label" "team") }}
+        {{ end }}
+        {{ if $publications }}
+          {{ $metrics = $metrics | append (dict "icon" "hero/document-text" "value" (replaceRE " papers" "" $publications) "label" "papers") }}
+        {{ end }}
+        {{ if $funding }}
+          {{ $metrics = $metrics | append (dict "icon" "hero/currency-dollar" "value" $funding "label" "funding") }}
+        {{ end }}
+      {{ end }}
+
       {{ $cta_raw := index . "cta" }}
       {{ if reflect.IsMap $cta_raw }}
         {{ with index $cta_raw "url" }}{{ $cta_url = strings.TrimSpace (printf "%v" .) }}{{ end }}
@@ -107,7 +138,7 @@
       {{ end }}
 
       {{ if or $name $description }}
-        {{ $items = $items | append (dict "name" $name "description" $description "icon" $icon "image" $image "gradient" $gradient "url" $url "status" $status "topics" $topics "team_size" $team_size "publications" $publications "funding" $funding "cta" (dict "url" $cta_url "text" $cta_text "icon" $cta_icon)) }}
+        {{ $items = $items | append (dict "name" $name "description" $description "icon" $icon "image" $image "gradient" $gradient "url" $url "status" $status "topics" $topics "metrics" $metrics "team_size" $team_size "publications" $publications "funding" $funding "cta" (dict "url" $cta_url "text" $cta_text "icon" $cta_icon)) }}
       {{ end }}
     {{ end }}
   {{ end }}
@@ -158,9 +189,7 @@
       {{ $item_url := index $item "url" }}
       {{ $status := index $item "status" }}
       {{ $topics := index $item "topics" }}
-      {{ $team_size := index $item "team_size" }}
-      {{ $publications := index $item "publications" }}
-      {{ $funding := index $item "funding" }}
+      {{ $metrics := index $item "metrics" }}
       {{ $item_cta := index $item "cta" }}
       {{ $item_cta_url := "" }}
       {{ $item_cta_text := "" }}
@@ -313,28 +342,16 @@
             
             {{/* Footer Section - Always at bottom */}}
             <div class="mt-auto">
-              {{/* Stats/Metrics */}}
-              {{ if or $team_size $publications $funding }}
+              {{/* Stats/Metrics — generic icon/value/label, max 3 */}}
+              {{ with $metrics }}
               <div class="grid grid-cols-3 gap-3 pt-4 border-t border-gray-200 dark:border-gray-700 mb-4">
-                {{ with $team_size }}
+                {{ range first 3 . }}
                 <div class="flex flex-col items-center text-center text-gray-500 dark:text-gray-400">
-                  {{ partial "functions/get_icon" (dict "name" "hero/user-group" "attributes" "class=\"w-4 h-4 mx-auto mb-1\"") }}
-                  <span class="text-xs leading-tight">{{ . | replaceRE " researchers" "" }}</span>
-                  <span class="text-xs text-gray-400">team</span>
-                </div>
-                {{ end }}
-                {{ with $publications }}
-                <div class="flex flex-col items-center text-center text-gray-500 dark:text-gray-400">
-                  {{ partial "functions/get_icon" (dict "name" "hero/document-text" "attributes" "class=\"w-4 h-4 mx-auto mb-1\"") }}
-                  <span class="text-xs leading-tight">{{ . | replaceRE " papers" "" }}</span>
-                  <span class="text-xs text-gray-400">papers</span>
-                </div>
-                {{ end }}
-                {{ with $funding }}
-                <div class="flex flex-col items-center text-center text-gray-500 dark:text-gray-400">
-                  {{ partial "functions/get_icon" (dict "name" "hero/currency-dollar" "attributes" "class=\"w-4 h-4 mx-auto mb-1\"") }}
-                  <span class="text-xs leading-tight">{{ . }}</span>
-                  <span class="text-xs text-gray-400">funding</span>
+                  {{ with index . "icon" }}
+                  {{ partial "functions/get_icon" (dict "name" . "attributes" "class=\"w-4 h-4 mx-auto mb-1\"") }}
+                  {{ end }}
+                  {{ with index . "value" }}<span class="text-xs leading-tight">{{ . }}</span>{{ end }}
+                  {{ with index . "label" }}<span class="text-xs text-gray-400">{{ . }}</span>{{ end }}
                 </div>
                 {{ end }}
               </div>

modules/blox/blox/focus-areas/manifest.json

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+{
+  "id": "focus-areas",
+  "name": "Focus Areas",
+  "version": "1.1.0",
+  "license": "MIT",
+  "category": "content",
+  "tags": ["focus-areas", "topics", "service-areas", "research-areas", "expertise", "pillars", "programs", "showcase"],
+  "description": "Display focus areas, services, programs, or research themes with rich cards, optional metrics, and multiple layouts (cards, hexagon, timeline)",
+  "author": "Hugo Blox",
+  "homepage": "https://hugoblox.com/blocks/",
+  "repository": "https://github.com/HugoBlox/kit",
+  "keywords": ["hugo", "static-site", "focus-areas", "service-areas", "research-areas", "topics", "expertise"]
+}

modules/blox/blox/help-categories/manifest.json

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+{
+  "name": "help-categories",
+  "version": "1",
+  "title": "Help Categories",
+  "description": "Grid of help center / knowledge base category cards",
+  "categories": ["content", "navigation"],
+  "preview": "preview.svg"
+}

modules/blox/blox/help-questions/manifest.json

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+{
+  "name": "help-questions",
+  "version": "1",
+  "title": "Help Questions",
+  "description": "Display popular, trending, or featured help center questions",
+  "categories": ["content"],
+  "preview": "preview.svg"
+}

modules/blox/blox/knowledge-categories/manifest.json

@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "name": "knowledge-categories",
-  "version": "1",
-  "title": "Knowledge Categories",
-  "description": "Grid of knowledge base category cards",
-  "categories": ["content", "navigation"],
-  "preview": "preview.svg"
-}

modules/blox/blox/research-areas/manifest.json

@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "id": "research-areas",
-  "name": "Research Areas",
-  "version": "1.0.0",
-  "license": "MIT",
-  "category": "content",
-  "tags": ["research", "areas", "focus", "topics", "science", "lab", "academic", "showcase"],
-  "description": "Display research focus areas with rich visuals, metrics, and interactive layouts",
-  "author": "Hugo Blox",
-  "homepage": "https://hugoblox.com/blocks/",
-  "repository": "https://github.com/HugoBlox/kit",
-  "keywords": ["hugo", "static-site", "research", "areas", "academic", "lab", "science"]
-}

modules/blox/blox/trending-questions/manifest.json

@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "name": "trending-questions",
-  "version": "1",
-  "title": "Trending Questions",
-  "description": "Display trending or featured questions",
-  "categories": ["content"],
-  "preview": "preview.svg"
-}

modules/blox/data/blox_aliases.yaml

@@ -9,3 +9,9 @@ renames:
     new: resume-languages
   - old: skills
     new: resume-skills
+  - old: research-areas
+    new: focus-areas
+  - old: knowledge-categories
+    new: help-categories
+  - old: trending-questions
+    new: help-questions