# 2526 Arl Touchpoints 7bcf2e12

> Human Touchpoint Model

- Skill: `tools-only/2526-arl-touchpoints-7bcf2e12` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 3 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tools-only/2526-arl-touchpoints-7bcf2e12`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tools-only/2526-arl-touchpoints-7bcf2e12/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: tools-only (https://skillmd.com/u/tools-only)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tools-only/2526-arl-touchpoints-7bcf2e12

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# Human Touchpoint Model

ARL-derived escalation decision model. Not every stage transition requires human approval. The harness uses constraint analysis to escalate only when the agent cannot safely proceed.

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## Escalation Format

When escalating, present:

1. **What stage** produced the escalation
2. **What triggered** it (specific constraint, risk factor, or loop limit)
3. **What the agent knows** (bound constraints, available context)
4. **What the agent does not know** (unbound constraints, missing information)
5. **Decision options** — concrete choices the human can make to unblock

**Never** present vague "please review" requests.

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## Pre-Scheduled Gates

**Gate 1 — After S1 Discovery, before S2 Planning:**

- Triggered when: unbound constraints, domain knowledge gaps
- Skipped when: all constraints bound, sufficient context

**Gate 2 — After S4 Task Decomposition, before S5 Execution:**

- Triggered when: high complexity, novel architecture
- Skipped when: routine patterns, existing codebase precedent

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## Dynamic Escalation Points

- **NEEDS_WORK loop limit** — 3 iterations in S6 without resolution
- **NOT_CERTIFIED loop limit** — 2 iterations in S7 without resolution
- Agent failure, quality gate cascade failure, contradiction detected

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## Constraint Types

| Type | Meaning | Action |
|------|---------|--------|
| **Bound** | All information available, deterministic | Proceed autonomously |
| **Unbound** | Information missing, ambiguous, or requires external knowledge | Escalate |
| **Mixed** | Some bound, some unbound | Isolate unbound; proceed with bound if possible |

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## Source

- [human-touchpoint-model.md](../../plugins/development-harness/skills/development-harness/references/human-touchpoint-model.md)