# Routing Agent Work > Select an agent CLI, model, and reasoning effort for delegated work. Use when an orchestrator, parent agent, or user must assign implementation, research, review, synthesis, multimodal, long-context, high-volume extraction, or prose lanes across Claude, Codex, Grok, or OpenCode. Do not use for orchestration mechanics, live model discovery, provider setup, general model comparisons, single-agent work with no delegation choice, or a lane whose worker, model, and effort are already fixed. - Skill: `kalepail/routing-agent-work` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 4 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add kalepail/routing-agent-work` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/kalepail/routing-agent-work/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Product & Planning - Author: kalepail (https://skillmd.com/u/kalepail) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/kalepail/routing-agent-work --- # Route Agent Work Route only when the selection can change the result. Continue with the current agent when no delegation choice exists. The caller owns orchestration mechanics. Orchestration hosts include Herdr, Orca, Conductor, and Solo. Worker CLIs are Claude, Codex, Grok, and OpenCode. ## Define the lane Write one bounded contract before selecting a model: - primary output and completion check; - allowed files, tools, and state changes; - required evidence or tests; - context the worker needs; - report destination. Split work only when lanes can progress independently, isolate risk, or provide independent review. Do not create lanes to increase agent count. ## Select the route Read [references/fleet.md](references/fleet.md) before choosing a model, effort, fallback, or reviewer. Apply these decision axes in order: 1. **Lane fit**: match the model to the primary output. 2. **Failure cost**: use a stronger route or independent review when errors are expensive. 3. **Constraints**: check context length, modality, privacy, tool use, and available providers. 4. **Cost and latency**: use them as tie-breakers between routes that can meet the quality bar. Use only the fixed fleet. Try listed fallbacks in order. If every listed route is unavailable, mark the lane `Unrouted`. When the caller pins only the worker CLI, choose a fleet route on that CLI. Mark the lane `Unrouted` when none fits. An `Unrouted` lane does not launch. Return it to the caller for an explicit constraint change or fleet update. Before launch, confirm only the selected configured identifier and effort control through host status or a targeted CLI check. If the identifier fails, try the next fallback. If only the effort value fails, use a supported value that meets the lane requirement and model floor. If none fits, try the next fallback. Do not enumerate or score unrelated models. Before rejecting a new or recently updated OpenCode identifier, refresh its model catalog once: ```bash opencode models --refresh ``` Then use `opencode models ` to check only the selected provider. Treat an identifier absent after refresh as unavailable, then use the listed fallback. Skip the refresh when host status already confirms the identifier. ## Set effort Set the model and effort explicitly for each worker and nested worker. Never rely on an unverified default. - Use `medium` for bounded, clear, low-risk work. - Use `high` for meaningful implementation, research, review, and synthesis. - Use `xhigh` for hard planning, debugging, synthesis, and adversarial review. - Use `max` or `ultra` for the hardest quality-first work with a clear stopping condition. - Never use an effort below `medium`. Apply each model's range and floor from the fleet reference. Use only supported effort values. Omit an unsupported flag only when the configured route confirms the required mode. ## Shape the delegation tree Use one direct worker for one bounded lane. Use a sub-orchestrator when a lane contains several independent sublanes. One worker layer plus one nested layer is usually sufficient. This is guidance, not a universal limit. Ask a sub-orchestrator to load `routing-agent-work` only when it must choose child routes and can load the skill. Otherwise, pass each child route in its brief. Each child reports only to its direct parent. The parent watches completion signals. It requests more context only when the compact report cannot support a decision. ## Add independent review Add review when the failure cost justifies it. Give the reviewer a fresh context with the specification and artifact first. Prefer a capable reviewer from a different model family. Treat model diversity as a clue, not proof of independence. Require reproducible evidence. Ask for tests, paths, commands, or cited sources instead of an unsupported verdict. ## Handle prose Treat prose as a separate lane only when prose is a meaningful deliverable. Keep the existing worker when it can write the required text well. Use ASD-STE100 for comments, documentation, reviews, pull request text, and user-facing explanations. Opus 5 is the quality-first default for technical prose. ## Return a route card Return one compact card for each lane: ```text Lane: Worker CLI: Model: Effort: Reason: Verified: Fallback: Reviewer: Report contract: ``` The worker returns the result, evidence paths, completed checks, unresolved risks, and blockers. It does not return a full transcript.