steer

name	steer
description	Steer a experimentalist agent — review progress and redirect a running experiment

Steer

Review what a experimentalist agent is doing and redirect it. Like an alchemist adjusting the flame under the athanor.

Arguments

The user provides an experiment name and optionally a steering direction.

Steps

1. Check status: Call mcp__distillate__manage_session with action="status" to see if the experimentalist agent is running

2. Review progress: Call mcp__distillate__get_project_details to see recent runs, metrics, and trajectory

3. Read the experimentalist agent's mind: If session history exists (Glob ~/.claude/projects/*<name>*/*.jsonl), read the most recent session to understand:

   • What the agent is currently trying
   • What it learned from recent runs
   • Whether it's stuck in a loop or making progress

4. Gather intelligence (if user hasn't specified direction):

   • Check if goals are being approached or stalled
   • Call mcp__distillate__suggest_from_literature for paper-inspired ideas
   • Look at dead ends from prior sessions to avoid repeating them

5. Write steering instructions: Call mcp__distillate__steer_experiment with specific, actionable guidance:

   • Reference what the agent has already tried (to avoid repetition)
   • Suggest concrete next steps with parameter values
   • Set priority: what to try first vs. fallback options

6. Confirm: Report the steering instructions and whether the experimentalist agent picked them up (the agent reads .distillate/steering.md via the post_bash hook)