orchestration

Multi-agent workflow orchestration with state tracking, checkpointing, and cross-pollinated pipelines. Use when coordinating parallel agent pipelines, managing sync barriers, or tracking complex workflow execution state across sessions.

16 stars

Best use case

orchestration is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.

Multi-agent workflow orchestration with state tracking, checkpointing, and cross-pollinated pipelines. Use when coordinating parallel agent pipelines, managing sync barriers, or tracking complex workflow execution state across sessions.

Teams using orchestration should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.

When to use this skill

  • You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.

When not to use this skill

  • You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
  • You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.

Installation

Claude Code / Cursor / Codex

$curl -o ~/.claude/skills/orchestration/SKILL.md --create-dirs "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/geekatron/jerry/main/skills/orchestration/SKILL.md"

Manual Installation

  1. Download SKILL.md from GitHub
  2. Place it in .claude/skills/orchestration/SKILL.md inside your project
  3. Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill

How orchestration Compares

Feature / AgentorchestrationStandard Approach
Platform SupportNot specifiedLimited / Varies
Context Awareness High Baseline
Installation ComplexityUnknownN/A

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this skill do?

Multi-agent workflow orchestration with state tracking, checkpointing, and cross-pollinated pipelines. Use when coordinating parallel agent pipelines, managing sync barriers, or tracking complex workflow execution state across sessions.

Where can I find the source code?

You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.

SKILL.md Source

# Orchestration Skill

> **Version:** 2.2.0
> **Framework:** Jerry Orchestration (ORCH)
> **Constitutional Compliance:** Jerry Constitution v1.0
> **Industry References:** [Anthropic Agent Skills](https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/equipping-agents-for-the-real-world-with-agent-skills), [Microsoft AI Agent Patterns](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/architecture/ai-ml/guide/ai-agent-design-patterns), [LangGraph](https://langchain-ai.github.io/langgraph/), [CrewAI Flows](https://docs.crewai.com/concepts/flows)

---

## Document Audience (Triple-Lens)

This SKILL.md serves multiple audiences:

| Level | Audience | Sections to Focus On |
|-------|----------|---------------------|
| **L0 (ELI5)** | Project stakeholders, new users | Purpose, When to Use, [Routing Disambiguation](#routing-disambiguation), Core Artifacts |
| **L1 (Engineer)** | Developers executing workflows | Quick Start, State Schema |
| **L2 (Architect)** | Workflow designers | Workflow Patterns, Adversarial Quality Mode, Constitutional Compliance |

---

## Purpose

The Orchestration skill provides a structured framework for managing **multi-agent workflows** that require:

- **Parallel Pipeline Execution** - Multiple agent pipelines running concurrently
- **Sync Barriers** - Cross-pollination points between pipelines
- **State Tracking** - Persistent execution state across sessions
- **Checkpointing** - Recovery points for long-running workflows
- **Progress Visibility** - Clear dashboards and metrics

### Key Capabilities

- **Cross-Pollinated Pipelines** - Bidirectional agent pipelines with barrier synchronization
- **State Management** - YAML-based machine-readable state (SSOT)
- **Checkpoint Recovery** - Resume workflows from any checkpoint
- **Execution Queues** - Priority-ordered agent execution with dependencies
- **Metrics Tracking** - Progress percentages, success rates, timing

---

## When to Use This Skill

Activate when:

- Coordinating **3+ agents** in a structured workflow
- Running **parallel pipelines** that need synchronization
- Workflow spans **multiple sessions** and needs state persistence
- Need **checkpointing** for long-running processes
- Require **visibility** into complex workflow progress

NEVER invoke this skill when:
- Task requires a single agent only -- Consequence: Orchestration overhead (barrier sync, quality gates, ORCHESTRATION.yaml state tracking) applied to single-step task wastes significant context budget on unnecessary coordination infrastructure; use `/problem-solving` instead
- Flow is simple and sequential without parallel pipelines -- Consequence: Three artifacts created (ORCHESTRATION_PLAN.md, ORCHESTRATION_WORKTRACKER.md, ORCHESTRATION.yaml) for a workflow that needs none; artifact overhead exceeds task complexity; use direct agent invocation
- No cross-session state persistence is needed -- Consequence: YAML state management and checkpointing infrastructure adds complexity without value for ephemeral single-session work

See [Routing Disambiguation](#routing-disambiguation) for full exclusion conditions with consequences.

---

## Core Artifacts

Every orchestrated workflow creates three artifacts:

| Artifact | Format | Purpose | Audience |
|----------|--------|---------|----------|
| `ORCHESTRATION_PLAN.md` | Markdown | Strategic context, workflow diagram | Humans |
| `ORCHESTRATION_WORKTRACKER.md` | Markdown | Tactical execution documentation | Humans |
| `ORCHESTRATION.yaml` | YAML | Machine-readable state (SSOT) | Claude/Automation |

**Location:** `projects/{project_id}/`

---

## Available Agents

| Agent | Role | Output |
|-------|------|--------|
| `orch-planner` | Creates orchestration plan with workflow diagram | `ORCHESTRATION_PLAN.md` |
| `orch-tracker` | Updates execution state after agent completion | `ORCHESTRATION.yaml`, `ORCHESTRATION_WORKTRACKER.md` |
| `orch-synthesizer` | Creates final workflow synthesis | `synthesis/workflow-synthesis.md` |

### Important: P-003 Compliance

These agents are **workers invoked by the main context**. They do NOT spawn other agents.

```
MAIN CONTEXT (Claude) ← Orchestrator
    │
    ├──► orch-planner      (creates plan)
    ├──► ps-d-001          (Phase work)
    ├──► nse-f-001         (Phase work)
    ├──► orch-tracker      (updates state)
    └──► orch-synthesizer  (final synthesis)

Each is a WORKER. None spawn other agents.
```

---

## Workflow Patterns

### Pattern 1: Cross-Pollinated Pipeline

Two or more pipelines running in parallel with synchronization barriers.

```
Pipeline A                    Pipeline B
    │                              │
    ▼                              ▼
┌─────────┐                  ┌─────────┐
│ Phase 1 │                  │ Phase 1 │
└────┬────┘                  └────┬────┘
     │                            │
     └──────────┬─────────────────┘
                ▼
        ╔═══════════════╗
        ║   BARRIER 1   ║  ← Cross-pollination
        ╚═══════════════╝
                │
     ┌──────────┴─────────────────┐
     │                            │
     ▼                            ▼
┌─────────┐                  ┌─────────┐
│ Phase 2 │                  │ Phase 2 │
└─────────┘                  └─────────┘
```

### Pattern 2: Sequential with Checkpoints

Single pipeline with checkpoints for recovery.

```
┌─────────┐     ┌─────────┐     ┌─────────┐
│ Phase 1 │────►│ Phase 2 │────►│ Phase 3 │
└─────────┘     └─────────┘     └─────────┘
     │               │               │
     ▼               ▼               ▼
   CP-001          CP-002          CP-003
```

### Pattern 3: Fan-Out/Fan-In

Parallel execution with synthesis.

```
              ┌─────────┐
              │  Start  │
              └────┬────┘
        ┌──────────┼──────────┐
        ▼          ▼          ▼
   ┌────────┐ ┌────────┐ ┌────────┐
   │Agent A │ │Agent B │ │Agent C │
   └────┬───┘ └────┬───┘ └────┬───┘
        └──────────┼──────────┘
                   ▼
            ┌────────────┐
            │ Synthesize │
            └────────────┘
```

---

## Quick Start

### Step 1: Create Orchestration Artifacts

```
# Copy templates to your project
cp skills/orchestration/templates/ORCHESTRATION_PLAN.template.md \
   projects/{PROJECT}/ORCHESTRATION_PLAN.md

cp skills/orchestration/templates/ORCHESTRATION_WORKTRACKER.template.md \
   projects/{PROJECT}/ORCHESTRATION_WORKTRACKER.md

cp skills/orchestration/templates/ORCHESTRATION.template.yaml \
   projects/{PROJECT}/ORCHESTRATION.yaml
```

Or use the `orch-planner` agent:

```
"Create an orchestration plan for a cross-pollinated pipeline
 using problem-solving and nasa-systems-engineering skills"
```

The planner will automatically:
1. Generate a workflow ID (or use your specified ID)
2. Resolve pipeline aliases from skill defaults
3. Create dynamic path structure

### Step 2: Update State After Each Agent

After each agent completes, update the state. Reference artifacts using the dynamic path scheme:

```
"Update ORCHESTRATION.yaml: agent-a-001 complete,
 artifact at orchestration/{workflow_id}/{pipeline_alias}/phase-1/research.md"
```

The orch-tracker agent will resolve placeholders to actual paths.

### Step 3: Track Progress

Check workflow status:

```
"Show orchestration status for PROJ-002"
```

---

## State Schema

### ORCHESTRATION.yaml Structure

```yaml
workflow:
  id: string                    # Unique workflow identifier
  name: string                  # Human-readable name
  project_id: string            # Project identifier
  status: ACTIVE|PAUSED|COMPLETE|FAILED

pipelines:
  {pipeline_id}:
    current_phase: number
    phases:
      - id: number
        name: string
        status: PENDING|IN_PROGRESS|COMPLETE|BLOCKED
        agents:
          - id: string
            status: PENDING|IN_PROGRESS|COMPLETE|FAILED
            artifact: string    # Path to output artifact

barriers:
  - id: string
    status: PENDING|COMPLETE
    artifacts:
      a_to_b: {path, status}   # {pipeline_a_alias}-to-{pipeline_b_alias}
      b_to_a: {path, status}   # {pipeline_b_alias}-to-{pipeline_a_alias}

execution_queue:
  current_group: number
  groups:
    - id: number
      execution_mode: PARALLEL|SEQUENTIAL
      agents: [agent_ids]

checkpoints:
  latest_id: string
  entries:
    - id: string
      timestamp: ISO-8601
      trigger: PHASE_COMPLETE|BARRIER_COMPLETE|MANUAL
      recovery_point: string

metrics:
  phases_complete: number
  phases_total: number
  agents_executed: number
  agents_total: number
```

See `docs/STATE_SCHEMA.md` for complete schema documentation.

---

## Workflow Configuration

### Workflow Identification

Every orchestration workflow requires a unique identifier for:
- Artifact organization under `orchestration/{workflow_id}/`
- Cross-session resumption
- State file correlation

**Workflow ID Strategies:**

| Strategy | Format | Example | When to Use |
|----------|--------|---------|-------------|
| User-Specified | Any valid identifier | `my-custom-workflow` | User has specific naming convention |
| Auto-Generated | `{purpose}-{YYYYMMDD}-{NNN}` | `sao-crosspoll-20260110-001` | Default when no user preference |

**Configuration in ORCHESTRATION.yaml:**

```yaml
workflow:
  id: "sao-crosspoll-20260110-001"
  id_source: "auto"        # "user" | "auto"
  id_format: "semantic-date-seq"
```

**ID Generation Rules:**
1. User-specified IDs take priority when provided
2. Auto-generated IDs use semantic-date-sequence format
3. IDs must be valid filesystem path components (no spaces, special characters)
4. IDs are immutable once workflow is created

### Pipeline Alias Configuration

Each pipeline in a workflow has a **short alias** used in artifact paths. This provides flexibility while maintaining human-readable paths.

**Alias Resolution Priority:**

| Priority | Source | Example | Description |
|----------|--------|---------|-------------|
| 1 (Highest) | Workflow Override | `alpha` | Explicit override in ORCHESTRATION.yaml |
| 2 | Skill Default | `ps` | Registered default from skill definition |
| 3 (Fallback) | Auto-Derived | `problem-solving` | Derived from skill name |

**Configuration in ORCHESTRATION.yaml:**

```yaml
pipelines:
  pipeline_a:
    short_alias: "ps"                    # Used in paths
    skill_source: "problem-solving"       # Originating skill

  pipeline_b:
    short_alias: "nse"
    skill_source: "nasa-systems-engineering"
```

**Skill Default Registration:**

Skills can register a default pipeline alias. When creating new workflows, check if the skill provides a default:

```yaml
# In skill definition (future capability)
skill:
  name: "problem-solving"
  default_pipeline_alias: "ps"
```

**User Override:**

Users can override aliases when creating a workflow:

```
"Create an orchestration plan using problem-solving (alias: alpha)
 and nasa-se (alias: beta) pipelines"
```

### Dynamic Path Scheme

All artifact paths are dynamically constructed using workflow and pipeline identifiers. **No hardcoded pipeline names** (like `ps-pipeline` or `nse-pipeline`) should appear in templates or agents.

**Path Templates:**

| Component | Path Pattern |
|-----------|--------------|
| Base Path | `orchestration/{workflow_id}/` |
| Pipeline Artifacts | `orchestration/{workflow_id}/{pipeline_alias}/{phase_id}/{agent_id}/` |
| Cross-Pollination | `orchestration/{workflow_id}/cross-pollination/{barrier_id}/{source}-to-{target}/` |

**Agent-Level Isolation (AC-012-004):**

Each agent writes to its own subdirectory to prevent file collisions during parallel (fan-out) execution:

```
orchestration/{workflow_id}/{pipeline_alias}/phase-{N}/{agent_id}/
```

**Defense in Depth - Unique Filenames:**

For mission-critical workflows, artifacts SHOULD use unique filenames that include the agent ID, providing two layers of protection:

```
orchestration/{workflow_id}/{pipeline_alias}/phase-{N}/{agent_id}/{agent_id}-{artifact_type}.md
```

This ensures:
- **Primary protection:** Directory isolation (each agent has own directory)
- **Secondary protection:** Unique filenames (safe even if flattened)
- **Full provenance:** Agent ID in both path AND filename
- **Safe synthesis:** Can merge to single directory without collision

**Example Path Resolution:**

Given:
- `workflow_id`: `sao-crosspoll-20260110-001`
- `pipeline_a.short_alias`: `ps`
- `pipeline_b.short_alias`: `nse`
- `agent_id`: `agent-a-001`

Resolved paths (with defense in depth):
```
orchestration/sao-crosspoll-20260110-001/ps/phase-1/agent-a-001/agent-a-001-research.md
orchestration/sao-crosspoll-20260110-001/nse/phase-1/agent-b-001/agent-b-001-analysis.md
orchestration/sao-crosspoll-20260110-001/cross-pollination/barrier-1/ps-to-nse/handoff.md
```

**Important:** Templates use placeholders like `{WORKFLOW_ID}`, `{PIPELINE_A_ALIAS}`, etc. Agents MUST resolve these at runtime using the workflow configuration.

---

## Tool Invocation Examples

Each orchestration workflow uses tools for state management. Here are concrete examples:

### Workflow Planning (orch-planner)

```
1. Find existing orchestration artifacts:
   Glob(pattern="projects/${JERRY_PROJECT}/orchestration/**/*.yaml")
   → Returns list of existing workflow state files

2. Read project context for workflow design:
   Read(file_path="projects/${JERRY_PROJECT}/PLAN.md")
   → Load project plan to understand workflow scope

3. Create orchestration plan (MANDATORY per P-002):
   Write(
       file_path="projects/${JERRY_PROJECT}/orchestration/sao-crosspoll-20260112-001/ORCHESTRATION_PLAN.md",
       content="# Orchestration Plan: Cross-Pollinated Pipeline\n\n## Workflow Diagram\n```\nPipeline A             Pipeline B\n..."
   )
   → Persist strategic plan - transient planning VIOLATES P-002
```

### State Tracking (orch-tracker)

```
1. Read current workflow state (SSOT):
   Read(file_path="projects/${JERRY_PROJECT}/orchestration/sao-crosspoll-20260112-001/ORCHESTRATION.yaml")
   → Load machine-readable state as single source of truth

2. Search for agent completion artifacts:
   Glob(pattern="projects/${JERRY_PROJECT}/orchestration/**/phase-*/**/*.md")
   → Find all agent output artifacts for status reconciliation

3. Update workflow state (MANDATORY per P-002):
   Write(
       file_path="projects/${JERRY_PROJECT}/orchestration/sao-crosspoll-20260112-001/ORCHESTRATION.yaml",
       content="workflow:\n  id: 'sao-crosspoll-20260112-001'\n  status: ACTIVE\n..."
   )
   → Persist state changes - in-memory-only state VIOLATES P-002
```

### Workflow Synthesis (orch-synthesizer)

```
1. Find all barrier artifacts:
   Glob(pattern="projects/${JERRY_PROJECT}/orchestration/**/barriers/*.md")
   → Collect cross-pollination artifacts for synthesis

2. Read pipeline outputs:
   Read(file_path="projects/${JERRY_PROJECT}/orchestration/sao-crosspoll-20260112-001/ps/phase-2/agent-a-002/analysis.md")
   → Load agent outputs for pattern extraction

3. Create final synthesis (MANDATORY per P-002):
   Write(
       file_path="projects/${JERRY_PROJECT}/orchestration/sao-crosspoll-20260112-001/synthesis/final-synthesis.md",
       content="# Workflow Synthesis\n\n## L0: Executive Summary\n..."
   )
   → Persist synthesis - transient findings VIOLATES P-002
```

---

## Adversarial Quality Mode

> Adversarial quality enforcement is embedded by default into every orchestrated workflow.
> Constants referenced from `.context/rules/quality-enforcement.md` (SSOT).

### Phase Gate Definitions

Every phase transition in an orchestrated workflow passes through a quality gate. The gate enforces a minimum quality threshold before work proceeds to the next phase.

| Gate Element | Value | Source |
|-------------|-------|--------|
| Quality threshold | >= 0.92 weighted composite | H-13 (quality-enforcement SSOT) |
| Minimum iterations | 3 (creator -> critic -> revision) | H-14 (quality-enforcement SSOT) |
| Scoring mechanism | S-014 (LLM-as-Judge) with dimension rubrics | quality-enforcement SSOT |
| Self-review | REQUIRED before presenting any deliverable | H-15 (quality-enforcement SSOT) |

**Scoring Dimensions** (per quality-enforcement SSOT):

| Dimension | Weight |
|-----------|--------|
| Completeness | 0.20 |
| Internal Consistency | 0.20 |
| Methodological Rigor | 0.20 |
| Evidence Quality | 0.15 |
| Actionability | 0.15 |
| Traceability | 0.10 |

**Gate Outcomes:**
- **PASS** (>= 0.92): Phase proceeds to next stage or barrier
- **REVISE** (< 0.92): Creator receives critic feedback, revision cycle continues
- **ESCALATE**: After 3 failed iterations, escalate to human review (per AE-006)

### Creator-Critic-Revision Cycle at Sync Barriers

At every sync barrier, the orchestrator enforces a creator-critic-revision cycle on cross-pollination artifacts before they flow to the next phase.

```
Phase N Output (Creator)
     │
     ▼
┌─────────────────────────────┐
│  BARRIER QUALITY GATE       │
│                             │
│  1. Creator produces        │
│     deliverable             │
│                             │
│  2. Critic scores with      │
│     S-014 (LLM-as-Judge)    │
│     + S-002 (Devil's        │
│     Advocate) + S-007       │
│     (Constitutional)        │
│                             │
│  3. If score < 0.92:        │
│     → Revision with S-003   │
│       (Steelman) + feedback │
│     → Return to step 2      │
│                             │
│  4. If score >= 0.92:       │
│     → PASS gate             │
│     → Cross-pollinate       │
│                             │
│  5. Circuit breaker:        │
│     max 3 iterations        │
│     → Escalate if all fail  │
└─────────────────────────────┘
     │
     ▼
Phase N+1 Input
```

### Cross-Pollination with Adversarial Critique

Cross-pollination artifacts exchanged at barriers are subject to adversarial review before delivery to the receiving pipeline. This prevents low-quality or assumption-laden findings from propagating across pipelines.

| Direction | Strategy Applied | Purpose |
|-----------|-----------------|---------|
| A-to-B handoff | S-003 (Steelman) + S-002 (Devil's Advocate) | Strengthen claims before sharing; challenge hidden assumptions |
| B-to-A handoff | S-003 (Steelman) + S-002 (Devil's Advocate) | Same adversarial rigor in reverse direction |
| Both directions | S-007 (Constitutional AI Critique) | Verify compliance with Jerry Constitution and rules |

### Quality Gates in Non-Barrier Patterns

Quality gates are not limited to cross-pollinated pipelines with sync barriers. They apply at every phase transition regardless of workflow pattern.

| Pattern | Quality Gate Location | Trigger |
|---------|----------------------|---------|
| Sequential Chain | Between each phase | Phase N output reviewed before Phase N+1 starts |
| Fan-Out | At fan-out origin | Source deliverable reviewed before parallel dispatch |
| Fan-In | At convergence point | Each incoming deliverable reviewed before synthesis |
| Cross-Pollinated | At sync barriers | Both directions reviewed before cross-pollination |
| Divergent-Convergent | At convergence (diamond merge) | All divergent outputs reviewed before merge |
| Review Gate | The gate itself IS the quality gate | Formal review (SRR/PDR/CDR) constitutes the gate |
| Generator-Critic | Each iteration IS a quality cycle | Loop exit requires score >= 0.92 |

For patterns without explicit barriers, the orchestrator enforces the creator-critic-revision cycle at phase boundaries. The same threshold (>= 0.92, H-13) and minimum iterations (3, H-14) apply.

### Strategy Selection for Orchestration Contexts

The orchestrator selects adversarial strategies based on criticality level (per quality-enforcement SSOT). The orch-planner MUST embed the appropriate strategy set when generating workflow plans.

| Criticality | Quality Layer | Strategies (REQUIRED) | Strategies (OPTIONAL) |
|-------------|--------------|----------------------|----------------------|
| C1 (Routine) | L0-L1 | S-010 (Self-Refine) | S-003, S-014 |
| C2 (Standard) | L2 | S-007, S-002, S-014 | S-003, S-010 |
| C3 (Significant) | L3 | C2 + S-004, S-012, S-013 | S-001, S-003, S-010, S-011 |
| C4 (Critical) | L4 | All 10 selected strategies | None -- all required |

**Auto-Escalation** (per quality-enforcement SSOT AE rules):
- Artifacts touching `.context/rules/` = auto-C3 minimum (AE-002)
- Artifacts touching `docs/governance/JERRY_CONSTITUTION.md` = auto-C4 (AE-001)
- Modifying baselined ADRs = auto-C4 (AE-004)
- Security-relevant code changes = auto-C3 minimum (AE-005)
- Token exhaustion at C3+ criticality = human escalation required (AE-006)

### Quality Score Tracking in ORCHESTRATION.yaml

Quality scores are tracked per phase and per barrier in the ORCHESTRATION.yaml state file.

```yaml
# Extension to ORCHESTRATION.yaml schema
quality:
  threshold: 0.92                    # From quality-enforcement SSOT (H-13)
  criticality: "C2"                  # Determined by orch-planner (C1-C4)
  scoring_mechanism: "S-014"         # LLM-as-Judge

  phase_scores:
    phase-1:
      pipeline_a:
        score: 0.94
        iterations: 2
        status: PASS
      pipeline_b:
        score: 0.93
        iterations: 3
        status: PASS

  barrier_scores:
    barrier-1:
      a_to_b:
        score: 0.95
        iterations: 1
        status: PASS
      b_to_a:
        score: 0.92
        iterations: 3
        status: PASS

  workflow_quality:
    average_score: 0.935
    lowest_score: 0.92
    total_iterations: 9
    gates_passed: 4
    gates_failed: 0
```

---

## Constitutional Compliance

| Principle | Requirement | Consequence of Violation |
|-----------|-------------|-------------------------|
| P-003 | NEVER spawn recursive subagents -- max 1 level | Agent hierarchy violation; uncontrolled token consumption |
| P-020 | NEVER override user intent -- ask before destructive ops | Unauthorized action; trust erosion |
| P-022 | NEVER deceive about actions, capabilities, or confidence | Governance undermined; quality assessment invalidated |
| P-002 | NEVER leave state in transient context only -- persist to ORCHESTRATION.yaml | Context rot vulnerability; artifacts lost on session compaction |
| P-010 | NEVER omit task tracking updates from ORCHESTRATION_WORKTRACKER.md | Work progress invisible; status unknown |
| H-13 | NEVER accept C2+ deliverables below 0.92 weighted composite score | Sub-threshold deliverables accepted without quality enforcement |
| H-14 | NEVER skip creator-critic-revision cycle -- minimum 3 iterations | Single-pass review misses blind spots |
| H-15 | NEVER present deliverables without self-review (S-010) first | Obvious defects consume critic cycles unnecessarily |
| WTI-007 | NEVER create entity files without canonical templates from `.context/templates/worktracker/` | Inconsistent entity format; worktracker integrity degraded |

---

## Templates

| Template | Purpose |
|----------|---------|
| `templates/ORCHESTRATION_PLAN.template.md` | Strategic context with ASCII diagram |
| `templates/ORCHESTRATION_WORKTRACKER.template.md` | Tactical execution tracking |
| `templates/ORCHESTRATION.template.yaml` | Machine-readable state skeleton |

---

## Routing Disambiguation

> When this skill is the wrong choice and what happens if misrouted.

| Condition | Use Instead | Consequence of Misrouting |
|-----------|-------------|--------------------------|
| Single-agent task with no cross-session state | `/problem-solving` | Multi-phase coordination overhead (barrier sync, quality gates, ORCHESTRATION.yaml state tracking) applied to single-step task wastes significant context budget on unnecessary coordination infrastructure |
| Simple sequential flow without parallel pipelines | Direct agent invocation | Orchestration creates three artifacts (ORCHESTRATION_PLAN.md, ORCHESTRATION_WORKTRACKER.md, ORCHESTRATION.yaml) for a workflow that needs none; artifact overhead exceeds task complexity |
| Research, analysis, or root cause investigation | `/problem-solving` | Orchestration agents (orch-planner, orch-tracker, orch-synthesizer) coordinate workflows but have no research or analytical methodology |
| Requirements engineering or V&V activities | `/nasa-se` | Orchestration manages workflow state, not requirements traceability; NPR-compliant artifacts not generated |
| Adversarial quality review or scoring | `/adversary` | Orchestration has no quality scoring rubric or adversarial strategy templates; orch-synthesizer produces workflow synthesis, not quality assessment |
| Transcript parsing or meeting note extraction | `/transcript` | Orchestration has no VTT/SRT parser; transcript-specific agents not available |

---

## Agent Details

For detailed agent specifications, see:

- `skills/orchestration/agents/orch-planner.md`
- `skills/orchestration/agents/orch-tracker.md`
- `skills/orchestration/agents/orch-synthesizer.md`

---

## Playbook

For workflow examples and step-by-step guides, see:

- `skills/orchestration/PLAYBOOK.md`

---

## References

1. Anthropic. (2025). *Equipping agents for the real world with Agent Skills*. https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/equipping-agents-for-the-real-world-with-agent-skills
2. Microsoft. (2025). *AI Agent Orchestration Patterns*. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/architecture/ai-ml/guide/ai-agent-design-patterns
3. LangChain. (2025). *LangGraph Documentation*. https://langchain-ai.github.io/langgraph/
4. CrewAI. (2025). *Flows Documentation*. https://docs.crewai.com/concepts/flows

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*Skill Version: 2.2.0*
*Constitutional Compliance: Jerry Constitution v1.0*
*Enhancement: EN-709 Adversarial Quality Mode integration (phase gates, creator-critic-revision, quality scoring)*
*Created: 2026-01-10*
*Last Updated: 2026-02-14*

Related Skills

ux-lean-ux

16
from geekatron/jerry

Lean UX hypothesis-driven design sub-skill for the /user-experience parent skill. Facilitates Build-Measure-Learn cycles using Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden's Lean UX methodology (3rd ed. 2021). Produces hypothesis backlogs, assumption maps, MVP experiment designs, and validated learning logs. Invoke when teams need hypothesis-driven iteration, assumption mapping, experiment design, or validated learning documentation. Invoked by ux-orchestrator during Wave 2 lifecycle-stage routing or when user intent is "testing hypotheses" during the "During design" stage. Triggers: lean UX, hypothesis, assumption mapping, build-measure-learn, MVP experiment, validated learning, experiment design, hypothesis backlog.

ux-kano-model

16
from geekatron/jerry

Kano model feature classification and prioritization sub-skill for the /user-experience parent skill. Classifies product features into Must-be (M), Performance (O), Attractive (A), Indifferent (I), and Reverse (R) categories using the functional/dysfunctional questionnaire pair methodology (Kano et al., 1984). Computes Customer Satisfaction (CS) coefficients (Better/Worse) for priority matrix visualization. Produces feature classification reports, priority matrices, and survey design templates. Sample size awareness: 5-8 respondents yields directional classification only (MEDIUM confidence); 20+ respondents required for statistical classification (Berger et al., 1993). Invoked by ux-orchestrator during Wave 4 lifecycle-stage routing or when user intent is "Need to prioritize features" at any lifecycle stage. Triggers: Kano, must-be, attractive, one-dimensional, performance feature, satisfaction, feature classification, delighter, feature prioritization, CS coefficient.

ux-jtbd

16
from geekatron/jerry

Jobs-to-Be-Done research and analysis sub-skill for the /user-experience parent skill. Conducts JTBD job statement synthesis, switch interview analysis (Moesta/Spiek four forces), outcome-driven innovation (Ulwick ODI), and job mapping for tiny teams (1-5 people). Invoked by ux-orchestrator when users need to understand user motivations, map jobs to be done, identify switch triggers, or produce job maps with outcome expectations. Sub-skill of /user-experience; routed via ux-orchestrator lifecycle-stage triage. Triggers: JTBD, jobs to be done, switch interview, job mapping, user motivation, outcome, hiring criteria, user jobs, switch forces.

ux-inclusive-design

16
from geekatron/jerry

Inclusive design and WCAG 2.2 accessibility evaluation sub-skill for the /user-experience parent skill. Performs WCAG 2.2 compliance audits across Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust principles (conformance levels A, AA, AAA) and applies Microsoft Inclusive Design methodology including Persona Spectrum analysis (permanent, temporary, situational disabilities). Produces accessibility audit reports and persona spectrum analyses. Invoke when teams need accessibility compliance evaluation, WCAG conformance auditing, screen reader compatibility assessment, color contrast analysis, cognitive load evaluation, or inclusive design review. Invoked by ux-orchestrator during Wave 3 lifecycle-stage routing or when user intent is "Check accessibility" at any lifecycle stage. Triggers: accessibility, WCAG, ARIA, screen reader, contrast, cognitive load, inclusive, a11y, inclusive design, WCAG 2.2, persona spectrum.

ux-heuristic-eval

16
from geekatron/jerry

Nielsen heuristic evaluation sub-skill for the /user-experience parent skill. Evaluates interfaces against Nielsen's 10 usability heuristics, produces severity-rated findings on a 0-4 scale (Cosmetic to Catastrophic), and generates remediation recommendations with effort estimates. Invoke when teams need structured usability evaluation, interface review, heuristic audit, or severity-rated UX findings. Invoked by ux-orchestrator during Wave 1 lifecycle-stage routing or CRISIS mode triage. Triggers: heuristic evaluation, usability audit, Nielsen heuristics, interface review, severity rating, usability inspection, UX evaluation.

ux-heart-metrics

16
from geekatron/jerry

HEART Metrics framework sub-skill for the /user-experience parent skill. Applies Google's HEART framework (Happiness, Engagement, Adoption, Retention, Task Success) using the Goals-Signals-Metrics (GSM) process to define measurable UX metrics for products and features. Invoked by ux-orchestrator when users need to measure UX health, define UX metrics, establish measurement baselines, or produce dashboard-ready metric specifications. Sub-skill of /user-experience; routed via ux-orchestrator lifecycle-stage triage. Triggers: HEART, metrics, happiness, engagement, adoption, retention, task success, GSM, measurement, UX metrics, dashboard, goals signals metrics.

ux-design-sprint

16
from geekatron/jerry

AJ&Smart Design Sprint 2.0 facilitation sub-skill for the /user-experience parent skill. Facilitates a structured four-day rapid prototyping and validation process compressed from the Google Ventures five-day Design Sprint (Knapp, Zeratsky & Kowitz, 2016; Courtney, 2019). Produces sprint artifacts including challenge maps, solution sketches, storyboards, realistic prototypes, and structured user interview findings with synthesis confidence gates. Invoke when teams need to rapidly validate a product concept, solve a critical design challenge through structured prototyping, test ideas with real users before committing to development, or explore solution directions when they do not know what to build. Triggers: design sprint, GV sprint, rapid prototyping, sprint week, map sketch decide test, 4-day sprint, design sprint 2.0, AJ Smart sprint, validate prototype, test with users, sprint facilitation.

ux-behavior-design

16
from geekatron/jerry

Fogg Behavior Model B=MAP bottleneck diagnosis sub-skill for the /user-experience parent skill. Diagnoses why users fail to take desired actions by analyzing the three B=MAP factors (Motivation, Ability, Prompt) and identifying which factor falls below the action threshold. Produces bottleneck diagnoses, factor-level assessments, and intervention recommendations with synthesis confidence gates. Invoke when teams need to understand why users are not completing a specific action, diagnose behavioral bottlenecks, design behavior change interventions, or analyze post-launch user inaction patterns. Invoked by ux-orchestrator during Wave 4 lifecycle-stage routing or when user intent is "Users not completing action" during the "After launch" stage. Triggers: behavior design, B=MAP, Fogg model, behavior bottleneck, motivation analysis, ability analysis, prompt design, why users don't, user inaction, behavior diagnosis, tiny habits, action threshold.

ux-atomic-design

16
from geekatron/jerry

Atomic Design component taxonomy sub-skill for the /user-experience parent skill. Implements Brad Frost's 5-level component hierarchy (Atoms, Molecules, Organisms, Templates, Pages) for design system architecture. Produces component inventories, design token audits, composition rules, and Storybook coverage reports. Invoke when teams need component taxonomy construction, design system architecture, Storybook integration, design token consistency analysis, or component reuse auditing. Invoked by ux-orchestrator during Wave 3 lifecycle-stage routing or when user intent is "Building component system" during the "During design" stage. Triggers: atomic design, component taxonomy, design tokens, Storybook, atoms molecules organisms, design system, component inventory, component library.

ux-ai-first-design

16
from geekatron/jerry

AI-first interaction design sub-skill (CONDITIONAL) for the /user-experience parent skill. Provides trust-calibrated AI interaction design guidance using Yang et al.'s trust-risk and error-risk classification framework. Produces interaction pattern recommendations, trust calibration assessments, feedback loop designs, and progressive disclosure strategies for AI-powered features. CONDITIONAL: requires WSM >= 7.80 AND enabler research (FEAT-020) complete; otherwise routes to /ux-heuristic-eval with PAIR protocol. Invoke when teams need to design AI-powered interactions, calibrate user trust in AI outputs, classify AI error risks, design human-AI handoff patterns, or audit existing AI interfaces for trust and safety. Triggers: AI-first design, AI interaction, trust calibration, AI UX, conversational UX, AI interface, LLM interface, agentic UX, human-AI interaction, AI transparency, AI error handling, AI onboarding, progressive AI disclosure, trust-risk, error-risk.

user-experience

16
from geekatron/jerry

Parent orchestrator for AI-augmented UX methodology targeting tiny teams (1-5 people). Routes to 10 sub-skills by product lifecycle stage through criteria-gated waves. Invoke when team needs structured UX evaluation, user research, design systems, UX metrics, behavior diagnosis, feature prioritization, design sprints, or AI interaction design. Each sub-skill implements a proven UX framework with synthesis hypothesis confidence gates and MCP design tool integration. Triggers: UX, user experience, usability, heuristic evaluation, JTBD, lean UX, HEART metrics, atomic design, inclusive design, behavior design, Kano model, design sprint, AI-first design, UX audit, accessibility, design system, user research.

use-case

16
from geekatron/jerry

Guided use case authoring and decomposition using Cockburn's 12-step writing process and Jacobson UC 2.0 progressive narrative levels. Creates structured use case artifacts with YAML frontmatter validated against use-case-realization-v1.schema.json. Decomposes use cases into implementation-ready slices with INVEST criteria verification and produces realization interaction sequences for downstream /test-spec and /contract-design consumption. Invoke when writing, creating, authoring, elaborating, slicing, decomposing, or realizing use cases.