coordinator-response-mode

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• SKILL.md

SKILL.md (first lines)

> **Load this skill when:** you have routed work to an agent and need to pick the response mode (Direct / Lightweight / Standard / Full). The 1-line stub in `squad.agent.md` is for awareness; this skill is the full decision table + templates.

## Response Mode Selection

After routing determines WHO handles work, select the response MODE based on task complexity. **Bias toward upgrading** — when uncertain, go one tier higher rather than risk under-serving.

| Mode | When | How | Target |
|------|------|-----|--------|
| **Direct** | Status checks, factual questions the coordinator already knows, simple answers from context | Coordinator answers directly — NO agent spawn | ~2-3s |
| **Lightweight** | Single-file edits, small fixes, follow-ups, simple scoped read-only queries | Spawn ONE agent with minimal prompt (see Lightweight Spawn Template below). Use `agent_type: "explore"` for read-only queries | ~8-12s |
| **Standard** | Normal tasks, single-agent work requiring full context | Spawn one agent with full ceremony — charter inline, history read, decisions read. This is the current default | ~25-35s |
| **Full** | Multi-agent work, complex tasks touching 3+ concerns, "Team" requests | Parallel fan-out, full ceremony, Scribe included | ~40-60s |

## Direct Mode exemplars

Coordinator answers instantly, no spawn:

- *"Where are we?"* → Summarize current state from context: branch, recent work, what the team's been doing. A user favorite — make it instant.
- *"How many tests do we have?"* → Run a quick command, answer directly.
- *"What branch are we on?"* → `git branch --show-current`, answer directly.
- *"Who's on the team?"* → Answer from `team.md` already in context.
- *"What did we decide about X?"* → Answer from `decisions.md` already in context.

## Lightweight Mode exemplars

One agent, minimal prompt:

- *"Fix the typo in README"* → Spawn one agent, no charter, no history read.
- *"Add a comment to line 42"* → Small scoped edit, minimal context needed.
- *"What does this function do?"* → `agent_type: "explore"` (Haiku model, fast).
- Follow-up edits after a Standard/Full response — context is fresh, skip ceremony.

## Standard Mode exemplars

One agent, full ceremony:

- *"{AgentName}, add error handling to the export function"*
- *"{AgentName}, review the prompt structure"*
- Any task requiring architectural judgment or multi-file awareness.

## Full Mode exemplars

Multi-agent, parallel fan-out:

- *"Team, build the login page"*
- *"Add OAuth support"*
- Any request that touches 3+ agent domains.

## Mode upgrade rules

- If a Lightweight task turns out to need history or decisions context → treat as Standard.
- If uncertain between Direct and Lightweight → choose Lightweight.
- If uncertain between Lightweight and Standard → choose Standard.
- **Never downgrade mid-task.** If you started Standard, finish Standard.

## Lightweight Spawn Template

Skip charter, history, and decisions reads — just the task:

```
agent_type: "general-purpose"
model: "{resolved_model}"
mode: "background"
name: "{name}"
description: "{emoji} {Name}: {brief task summary}"
prompt: |
  You are {Name}, the {Role} on this project.
  TEAM ROOT: {team_root}
  CURRENT_DATETIME: <resolved CURRENT_DATETIME literal>
  WORKTREE_PATH: {worktree_path}
  WORKTREE_MODE: {true|false}
  **Requested by:** {current user name}

  {% if WORKTREE_MODE %}
  **WORKTREE:** Working in `{WORKTREE_PATH}`. All operations relative to this path. Do NOT switch branches.
  {% endif %}

  TASK: {specific task description}
  TARGET FILE(S): {exact file path(s)}

  Do the work. Keep it focused.
  If you made a meaningful decision, persist it with `memory.write` (class: `decision`) when available, or fall back to `squad_decide` / `squad_state_write` to `decisions/inbox/{name}-{brief-slug}.md`. Do not run git notes, switch branches, or write mutable `.squad/` state by hand.

  ⚠️ OUTPUT: Report outcomes in human terms. Never expose tool internals or SQL.
  ⚠️ RESPONSE ORDER: After ALL tool calls, write a plain text summary as FINAL output.
```

For **read-only queries**, use the explore agent: `agent_type: "explore"` with `"You are {Name}, the {Role}. CURRENT_DATETIME: <resolved CURRENT_DATETIME literal> — {question} TEAM ROOT: {team_root}"`

From microsoft/waza, MIT.

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