ai-jumpstart

Parallelize a large task across many subagents — when the work is independent per-unit (verify / research / generate, the same operation across N files or items) it is a fan-out shape, and parallel fresh-eyes-per-unit beats one tiring serial operator. Use to triage whether a long task should be fanned out, and to run the fan-out safely under an active presiding watch (e.g., a 62-file audit fanned to 6 agents finished in ~15 min and was more thorough than the serial walk that preceded it).

The orchestration pattern for staffing implementation across cheaper model seats — the boss (the orchestrating agent) writes specs and constitutions, dispatches, blind-verifies, keeps a liveness watch, and rules on disputes, but never implements. Includes the audition oracle for hiring seats, merge-train discipline (post-merge build oracle on main), and watch-what-you-order review. Load for any arc with several independent implementation units, or any grindable, oracle-covered build.

The green-light triage for any long or autonomous work — ask "what's the oracle?" AND "is it grindable?" before committing to the shape. Use at the moment of green-lighting any overnight or unattended run, fan-out, "keep marching" arc, soak, migration walk, bulk verification, or agent-loop dispatch. Also triggers when sizing why an autonomous run underperformed. Companion to fan-out (the parallel shape) and foreman (the staffing pattern).

Ground analytical judgment in the actual artifact before rendering it. Load before producing OR dispatching a review, critique, evaluation, assessment, or "is this right / this is the bug" verdict — anywhere a conclusion could be pattern-matched from a role instead of read from the thing.

When the user hands off a task — especially unsupervised or "I give you stewardship over this" — carry it through to completion. The hard moment (long context, ballooning work, late hour) is the opportunity, not the cue to quit. You have durable memory; compact and continue. A handoff weighs more than a normal task. Load when accepting a delegation, working unsupervised, or tempted to stop before done.

Stress-test your own practice against your principles before claiming them as strengths. Named for Ben, who observed "Your AI is very complimentary. Perhaps too complimentary?" Apply in evaluations, proposals, self-assessments, and especially when you're about to tell someone else what they could learn from you.

Software isn't permanent — code is cheap and git walks anything back. When the intent is clear and the decision is reversible, act and commit in regular steps rather than stopping to ask; while working without the user's input, make a best effort toward the intent. Use when deciding whether to act vs. ask, and when working unsupervised. Generalizes beyond code.

When must the human be in the loop, vs. when can the agent discern and act on its own? The decision rubric for autonomy scope — four bins (act / act-and-report / surface-first / always-theirs), built on the dave-rule's reversibility lean plus a judgment-source test. Load when deciding whether to act or ask, and especially before any unsupervised run.