Agent Task Shaping

Shape ambiguous or frontier-agent work into a bounded agent task with outcome, scope, context, tools, autonomy level, and verification evidence.

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Agent Task Shaping

Use this skill before launching an agentic implementation, research, review, or long-running workflow from a vague request.

Process

  • State the user-visible outcome in one sentence.
  • Name the smallest reversible slice that can produce evidence.
  • Separate required context from optional background.
  • Choose the agent loadout or role that can own the slice end to end.
  • Identify allowed tools, blocked tools, and any permission expansion that needs approval.
  • Define the autonomy level: act directly, ask before mutation, ask before external side effects, or propose only.
  • Define verification evidence before work starts.

Output

Task

Scope

Context Needed

Agent / Loadout

Tool Boundaries

Autonomy Level

Verification Evidence

Follow-Up Capture

Avoid

  • turning broad strategy into unbounded execution
  • starting from tool availability instead of task outcome
  • asking a human for decisions the agent can resolve from repository evidence
  • adopting learnings without a traceable issue, test, policy check, or run receipt

45ck/skill-harness/tree/main/packs/agent-operating-skills/skills/agent-task-shaping commit 2705beedf3

Frequently asked questions

npx skillmds@latest add 45ck/agent-task-shaping