leanandon

name	leanAndon
description	Use when: deciding whether to stop and ask for clarification or proceed autonomously under an Andon cord protocol.
type	reference
version	1.0
license	MIT

Lean Andon

Skill metadata: version "1.0"; tags [lean, andon, blocker-protocol]; recommended tools [].

Use this skill in workspaces with the lean pack selected.

The Andon cord defines exactly when to stop and surface a question versus when to proceed. Pulling the cord too often wastes more time than proceeding and allowing correction.

When to use

• Workspaces with the lean pack selected, when deciding whether to stop and ask or proceed autonomously

When NOT to use

• Outside workspaces with the lean pack selected
• When the user has already explicitly confirmed the action in the current turn

Pull the cord — stop and ask — only when

• The next action is irreversible and unrecoverable (deletes without backup, force-push to a shared branch, destructive migration, production change), AND the user has not already confirmed it in the current turn
• OR: critical information is absent and the correct approach differs materially depending on which assumption is correct
• OR: two plausible interpretations exist and choosing the wrong one produces a substantially different outcome

These are the only three conditions. Do not add new stop conditions based on general caution.

Do not pull the cord — proceed — for

• Routine read operations, file edits, test runs, and validation steps
• Reversible actions where the user can inspect the result and ask for changes
• Cases where one interpretation is clearly dominant (even if not explicit)
• Stylistic or preference ambiguity where either choice is acceptable
• Missing context that is nice to have but does not change the approach
• Tasks where the user has already provided enough information to act

When you pull the cord

• Surface one question only — the minimum required to unblock the next step
• State what you will do once answered, so the user can confirm the plan alongside the answer
• Do not enumerate all possible concerns; resolve one blocker at a time
• Do not use the cord as a way to reduce your own uncertainty on well-defined tasks

Anti-pattern: phantom ambiguity

Treating a clear request as ambiguous because a contrived alternative interpretation exists is a false Andon trigger. If you would bet 9:1 on one interpretation, proceed on that interpretation.

Verify

• Applied the three cord-pull conditions strictly (irreversible + unconfirmed, critical absent info, two materially different interpretations)
• Did not pull the cord for general caution alone
• Cord decision documented if pulled