TonkaToyXL Workflow Graduation
Purpose
Turn repeated or high-value agent work into durable operating assets. This is the “don’t rediscover it next time” skill.
Use it when:
- A workflow has been done twice or will clearly recur.
- A bug/fix/config issue repeats.
- A user says “make this reusable,” “do this properly,” “remember the process,” or “follow your recommendation.”
- A task produced a useful pattern, checklist, prompt, source set, command, or acceptance gate.
- A workflow belongs to a named lane such as content pipelines, config repair, research briefs, or agent/tool setup.
Do not use it for true one-offs with no future value.
Graduation Decision
Classify the work into the smallest durable artifact that will prevent future rediscovery:
| Pattern | Graduate into |
|---|---|
| Stable multi-step workflow | Skill (~/.agents/skills/<name>/SKILL.md) |
| Small command sequence | Script or launcher |
| Repeated checklist | SOP/checklist markdown |
| Durable preference/context | Memory note / Obsidian / Gemini Memory |
| Bug or trap | Mistake note + guardrail |
| Future improvement | Backlog item with trigger + acceptance criteria |
Prefer the least complex artifact that will actually be used.
Required Workflow
Capture the trigger
- What happened?
- What phrase/task should trigger this next time?
- Which lane does it belong to?
Extract the reusable shape
- Inputs needed
- Steps that worked
- Tools/sources used
- Verification gate
- Output contract
- Known caveats
Choose the artifact
- Skill for cross-session behavior
- SOP/checklist for guidance
- Script for deterministic commands
- Memory for durable preferences/facts
- Backlog if not implemented now
Install or update it
- Put active skills under
~/.agents/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.mdor your agent skills directory. - Put workspace SOPs/backlogs under your agent workspace memory folder.
- Do not edit generated foundation blocks directly unless the user explicitly asks.
- Put active skills under
Verify
- YAML frontmatter parses.
- Trigger description is clear enough for future skill selection.
- Artifact path exists.
- If a script was added, run a dry-run/help/syntax check.
- If a workflow was added, include an acceptance gate.
Report briefly
- What was made
- Where it lives
- How it will trigger next time
- Any remaining backlog
Backlog Item Template
### <title>
- **Lane:** <agent / content / client / personal ops>
- **Trigger:** <when this should apply>
- **Problem:** <what keeps getting rediscovered or repeated>
- **Durable asset:** <skill / script / SOP / memory / guardrail>
- **Acceptance gate:** <how future agent verifies it worked>
- **Status:** queued | in-progress | shipped | retired
Quality Bar
A graduated workflow is only “done” if a future session can execute it without asking the user to re-explain the context.
Good assets are:
- Short enough to be read quickly.
- Specific enough to prevent mistakes.
- Source-backed when claims matter.
- Paired with a verification gate.
- Updated when reality changes.
Anti-Patterns
Avoid:
- Huge generic skills that trigger on everything.
- Saving secrets or private tokens.
- Backlogs with no trigger or acceptance gate.
- Writing “remember to…” without creating a durable file/tool.
- Making a skill when a 10-line checklist would do.