Agentic Workflow Guide

Agentic Workflow Guide

Design, review, and improve agent workflows based on proven principles.

この SKILL の基本姿勢は、agent を増やすことではなく、必要最小の primitive で解くこと。 context が膨らんだときも、まずは split / compact / reference 化を考え、いきなり multi-agent にしない。

Primitive First

Do not start with multi-agent by default.

• Single focused slash task -> Prompt
• Always-on or file-scoped guidance -> Instruction
• Reusable workflow with bundled assets -> Skill
• Persona, tool restrictions, delegation, or handoffs -> Agent
• Deterministic enforcement -> Hook

If the ask does not require an Agent, stop and use the simpler primitive.

この primitive 選択表が SSOT。skill-creator-plus / skill-finder などの判定表は「そのスキルを使うべきか」の即時ゲートとして扱い、基準がずれたらここに合わせる。

Selection details: references/customization-decision.md

When to Use

Core Principles

• Simplicity First: より単純な primitive で解けるなら agent 化しない
• SSOT / SRP: 情報源と責務の分割を守る
• Fail Fast: エラーは早く止める
• Feedback Loop: 各段で検証できるようにする
• Context Discipline: context が膨らんだら compact / split / retrieve を検討する

Principle details: references/design-principles.md

Pattern Selection

• Prompt Chaining: 順序のある段階処理
• Routing: 入力タイプで分岐する処理
• Parallelization: 独立タスクを並列で進める処理
• Orchestrator-Workers: 動的に subtasks を分解する処理
• Evaluator-Optimizer: 品質基準を満たすまで反復する処理

Every loop needs explicit stop conditions.

Pattern details: references/workflow-patterns/overview.md

Design Workflow

1. Extract from conversation Repeated behavior, tool preferences, workflow shape, and obvious specialization を先に拾う。
2. Choose primitive + scope Prompt / instruction / skill / agent / hook と workspace / profile を決める。
3. Clarify only the gaps 挙動を変える曖昧さだけ聞く。
4. Check escalation agent や multi-agent が本当に必要か確認する。
5. Choose pattern complexity が上がるなら pattern を明示して設計する。
6. Review before expanding split / compact / reference 化で済まないかを見る。
7. Implement and iterate 最初から完成形を狙わず、弱い箇所を見つけて詰める。

Rule Placement

• 汎用的な workflow 設計原則は、この SKILL と references/ を SSOT にする。
• repo local の .instructions.md には workspace 固有の差分だけを残す。差分が無い generic instruction は merge back して削除候補にする。
• IR は原則 in-memory で扱う。validator、script、deterministic handoff が必要な場合だけ中間 file を materialize し、不要になったら片付ける。
• scheduler / service / config など決定論的な state mutation は、AI/UI loop ではなく direct script / API で現状確認 -> 最小変更 -> live read-back まで行う。LLM は scope と整合対象の判断に限定する。
• For model allocation, trace actual producer/reviewer responsibilities, verify live availability and applicable pricing, and show current-to-proposed assignments with quality/cost tradeoffs before mutation; use scheduled runtime bindings.

Escalation Rules

• L0: Single Prompt
• L1: Prompt + Instructions
• L2: Single Agent
• L3: Multi-Agent

Prefer the lowest level that solves the problem cleanly.

Quick signals:

• Prompt > 50 lines
• Steps > 5
• "missed" / "overlooked" errorsが続く
• Multiple responsibilities in one agent
• Context > 70%

Threshold details: references/splitting-criteria.md

Entry Boundary Smells

Instruction Elevation Smell

always-loaded entry において、強い命令語が直下の catalog、reference list、workflow map、rule inventory を会話の優先レイヤーへ昇格させる状態。

Always-Loaded Entry Budget

always-loaded entry は会話境界と最小 guardrail のみを持つ。catalog、詳細手順、広い参照一覧は docs、README、task-specific assets へ退避する。

Runtime Boundary Rule

Review assets improve design quality and detect structural problems. Default conversational behavior is controlled by always-loaded entries.

Casual Input Safety Check

Lightweight inputs such as greetings, short Q&A, and numeric-only replies should not be force-routed into task intake unless the task context is explicit.

Review Gates

• Primitive choice is simpler than agent if possible
• Placement is appropriate and always-loaded entry files stay thin
• New additions are proposed only after delete / merge / split / move options are checked
• Single responsibility per agent is preserved
• Errors can be detected and stopped early
• Verify actual producer-to-consumer dataflow, not only fixtures injected into a validator; cover empty results and meaningful state transitions. Repeating unchanged input proves idempotency, not the full lifecycle.
• Deterministic parts are offloaded to scripts / IR / hooks, and state changes are confirmed by reading authoritative live state back (not LLM/UI loops)

Full checklist: references/review-checklist.md

Reference Map

Core references: primitive decision, design principles, workflow patterns, splitting criteria, review checklist, and context management.

For scheduled workflows, use scheduled runtime bindings. For delegated evidence and append-only current-state extraction, see orchestrator-workers and IR architecture.

agent Quick Fix

When an orchestrator promises delegation but works directly, make the delegation requirement explicit and verifiable. See agent-guide.md.

Tools Reference

Use references/agent-template.md for tool mapping and stable agent scaffold details.

Done Criteria

• Primitive and scope selected intentionally
• Workflow pattern selected and confirmed with user
• New or updated assets have clear Role/Workflow/Done Criteria where applicable
• Design principles checklist passed
• Recommendations are classified as delete / merge / split / move / add / keep where applicable
• Always-on instruction boundaries and DRY / SSOT risks are explicitly reviewed when copilot-instructions.md or AGENTS.md are in scope
• New agent / workflow assets are registered in the appropriate catalog or docs when needed
• AGENTS.md is updated only when shared guardrails or entry behavior need to change
• Long-running or ad-hoc terminals/tasks started during the workflow are closed, or remaining terminals are explicitly reported with a reason
• Distinguish configuration saved, code tested, live read verified, action authorized, and recurring cycle completed. Verify authoritative state before claiming completion or unattended readiness; pending safeguards and unobserved cycles retain their blockers and next check conditions.