ichichuang Zero-Iteration Failure Analysis
This skill provides a workflow for detecting and responding to agent failures that occur before any iterations are executed. These failures indicate system-level problems rather than task execution issues.
When to Apply
Use this skill when analyzing agent execution results and you observe:
- 0 iterations reported in the execution summary
- No tool invocations in the conversation log
- No artifacts created (no files, outputs, or intermediate results)
- Error message present but no agent reasoning visible
Identification Checklist
A zero-iteration failure is confirmed when ALL of the following are true:
[ ] Iteration count = 0
[ ] Tool usage count = 0
[ ] No conversation log beyond initial instruction
[ ] Error/self-report indicates failure before execution began
Failure Mode Classification
| Indicator | Failure Type | Investigation Level |
|---|---|---|
| 0 iterations, 0 tools | Pre-execution | System-level |
| 1+ iterations, error mid-task | Execution | Agent-level |
| 1+ iterations, wrong output | Reasoning | Agent-level |
Investigation Steps
Step 1: Confirm Zero-Iteration Status
def is_zero_iteration_failure(execution_result):
"""Check if failure occurred before any agent iterations."""
return (
execution_result.get('iterations', 0) == 0 and
execution_result.get('tool_calls', []) == [] and
execution_result.get('artifacts', []) == []
)
Step 2: Extract Error Context
Examine any error message or self-report for clues:
- Initialization errors: Environment setup, dependency missing, config invalid
- Prompt parsing errors: Malformed instruction, missing required fields
- Resource errors: Memory limits, timeout before start, permission denied
Step 3: Route to Appropriate Investigation
IF zero-iteration failure detected:
→ Escalate to SYSTEM investigation
→ Do NOT attempt agent-level debugging
→ Check: environment, dependencies, prompt format, resource limits
ELSE:
→ Proceed with standard agent failure analysis
Step 4: Document the Failure Mode
Record the failure with appropriate categorization:
failure_analysis:
type: zero-iteration
severity: high
investigation_level: system
agent_debugging_appropriate: false
recommended_actions:
- Check execution environment health
- Verify prompt/input formatting
- Review system logs for initialization errors
- Validate resource availability
Common Causes and Resolutions
| Cause | Symptoms | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Environment crash | Immediate error, no context | Restart environment, check dependencies |
| Prompt parse failure | Error mentions instruction format | Validate input schema, fix formatting |
| Resource exhaustion | Timeout or memory error before start | Increase limits, optimize initialization |
| Permission denied | Access error on startup | Check file/system permissions |
Escalation Criteria
Immediately flag for system-level review when:
- Zero-iteration failures occur repeatedly (>2 in same session)
- Error messages indicate infrastructure issues
- Multiple agents fail with same zero-iteration pattern
Example Analysis
EXECUTION SUMMARY:
- Iterations: 0
- Tools Used: None
- Artifacts: None
- Status: Failed
- Error: "Agent initialization failed: missing required config"
ANALYSIS:
✓ Zero-iteration failure detected
✓ Pre-execution failure mode confirmed
→ Action: Escalate to system investigation
→ Do NOT debug agent reasoning (no reasoning occurred)
→ Check: config loading, environment variables, initialization sequence
Anti-Patterns to Avoid
❌ Don't attempt to debug agent reasoning when 0 iterations occurred ❌ Don't assume the task instructions were unclear (agent never saw them) ❌ Don't retry with modified prompts before checking system health ❌ Don't categorize as "agent performance issue"
Integration with Failure Tracking
When logging failures, Tag zero-iteration failures distinctly:
{
"failure_id": "xyz123",
"failure_mode": "pre_execution",
"iteration_count": 0,
"requires_system_review": true,
"agent_actionable": false
}