| name | cohort-method |
| description | Run multi-agent cohort reviews, creative panels, UX swarms, and cross-QC passes (e.g. "10 agents / 5 cohorts"). Spawns parallel persona or scoped agents, synthesizes consensus, and soft-merges findings into actionable next ships without reshuffling live work. Use when the user asks for a cohort review, creative panel, UX swarm, taste panel, multi-agent QC, or phrases like "spin up N agents" / "N agents / M cohorts". |
| license | MIT |
| compatibility | Works on any agent platform that can spawn parallel subagents or simulate personas in parallel turns. Prefer one consistent high-taste model for taste/UX panels. |
| metadata | {"author":"Travis Curnutte","version":"1.0.0","tags":["multi-agent","cohorts","ux-swarm","creative-panel","soft-merge","qc"]} |
Cohort Method
A battle-tested pattern for getting better creative, UX, and QC decisions out of AI agents by running parallel cohorts (persona groups or scoped workers), then synthesizing and soft-merging into the next ship — not dumping raw opinions.
When to use
- User says: "spin up 10 agents", "10 agents / 5 cohorts", "cohort review", "UX swarm", "creative panel", "taste panel", "QC with N agents"
- Need multi-perspective feedback before shipping design/video/UX/copy
- Need parallel scoped builders that must not stomp each other
- Need peer QC where agents check each other's work
Modes (pick one)
| Mode | Agents | Structure | Outcome |
|---|
| Creative panel | 8–12 | Same brief, divergent taste lenses | Consensus motif / direction → implement |
| UX swarm | 5 cohorts (often 1–2 agents each) | Distinct personas review the same artifact | Soft-merge table → next ship slots |
| Build cohort | N | Exclusive file/lane ownership | Parallel implementation, parent integrates |
| Cross-QC | N | Each agent reviews peers' claims/work | Confirm / dispute / must-fix list |
Default shorthand "10 / 5" = 10 agents grouped into 5 cohorts of 2.
Operating procedure
Copy and track:
Cohort run:
- [ ] 1. Frame the question + artifact under review
- [ ] 2. Choose mode + N agents / M cohorts
- [ ] 3. Assign personas OR exclusive scopes
- [ ] 4. Spawn all agents in one parallel wave
- [ ] 5. Collect returns; do not ship raw dumps
- [ ] 6. Write synthesis (verdict + soft-merges)
- [ ] 7. Soft-merge into next slots; protect live work
- [ ] 8. Execute or hand off locked ships
1. Frame
State in one short brief:
- Artifact: URL, path, video, screenshot, PR, live app
- Intent: what "good" means this round
- Constraints: brand, runtime, concurrency cap, "do not reshuffle live slot X"
- Decision needed: motif choice, ship slots, merge thesis, bug list
2. Size the wave
| Goal | Recommended |
|---|
| Fast taste check | 5 cohorts × 1 agent |
| Standard creative / QC | 10 agents / 5 cohorts |
| Heavy build | ≤3 concurrent lanes (exclusive ownership) |
| Peer QC after panel | +3–10 cross-reviewers |
Prefer one strong taste model for creative/UX/QC cohorts when the platform allows model selection. Do not mix random models across a taste panel unless the user asks for model diversity.
3. Assign personas or scopes
Persona cohorts (UX / taste): each gets a vivid role, a primary fear, and a success metric. See references/personas.md.
Scoped builders: each owns exclusive paths or lanes (e.g. Graphics / Map / Backbone). No overlapping writes.
Cross-QC: give reviewers the consensus claims + file paths; ask Confirm / Dispute / Blind spots.
4. Spawn in parallel
- Launch the full wave together (one message / one batch).
- Each prompt: role, artifact, constraints, required return format, what NOT to do.
- Keep prompts self-contained — subagents do not share parent chat history.
5–6. Synthesize (mandatory)
Parent agent writes a short synthesis:
- Verdict — one thesis (keep / merge / kill / ship slots)
- Cohort table — persona → top asks (not essays)
- Soft-merge map — consensus → next slots / lanes
- Do not — live work to protect, vetoes, anti-patterns
Templates: references/playbook.md.
7. Soft-merge rules
Soft-merge = map findings into upcoming work without reshuffling in-flight ships.
- Never displace a live builder mid-pass unless the user orders a hard stop.
- If a sibling already consumed the next slot number, remap (e.g. draft L81 → lock as L83).
- Cap concurrent builders (default ≤3) after the review wave.
- Overflow goes to a horizon slot — do not inflate the current wave.
- Re-read git status / slate / live tasks before spawning post-swarm builders.
Details: references/soft-merges.md.
Required return formats
Persona / taste agent
## Cohort: <persona name>
### First 30s / first look
### Top 3 frictions (ranked)
### Top 1 delight to protect
### Ship / don't ship asks (≤5 bullets)
### One-line verdict
Creative panel agent
## Lens: <name>
### Motif / direction pitch (≤5 sentences)
### What to kill
### What to steal from status quo
### Concrete implementables (≤5)
### Vote: adopt / hybrid / reject
Cross-QC agent
## XR<n> peer review
### Confirm
### Dispute (with evidence)
### Blind spots
### Must-fix before ship
Parent synthesis
# Cohort synthesis — <topic>
## Verdict
## Cohort table
## Soft-merge map → next slots
## Do not
## Bottom line
Anti-patterns
- Shipping raw agent dumps without a parent synthesis
- Reshuffling live slots because one cohort shouted loudest
- Overlapping file ownership in a build cohort
- Mixing models randomly on a taste panel
- Asking 10 agents to "make it better" with no shared brief or return format
- Treating black/broken proof shots as art taste (fix the gate, then re-review)
Platform notes
Adapters for Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, and generic chat: references/platform-adapters.md.
Examples: examples/.
