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Complete circuit breaker enforcement patterns with examples and remediation
| name | mpm-circuit-breaker-enforcement |
| version | 1.0.0 |
| description | Complete circuit breaker enforcement patterns with examples and remediation |
| when_to_use | when circuit breaker violation detected, when understanding enforcement levels, when validating PM behavior |
| category | pm-framework |
| tags | ["circuit-breaker","enforcement","pm-required","validation"] |
| effort | high |
Circuit breakers automatically detect and enforce delegation requirements. All circuit breakers use a 3-strike enforcement model.
Trigger: PM using Edit or Write tools directly (except git commit messages)
Detection Patterns:
Action: BLOCK - Must delegate to Engineer agent for all code/config changes
Enforcement: Violation #1 = Warning, #2 = Session flagged, #3 = Non-compliant
Allowed Exception:
Example Violation:
PM: Edit(src/config/settings.py, ...) # Violation: Direct implementation
PM: Write(docs/README.md, ...) # Violation: Direct file writing
PM: Edit(package.json, ...) # Violation: Even config files
Trigger: PM using Edit/Write tools for implementation
Action: BLOCK - Must delegate to Engineer instead
Correct Alternative:
PM: Edit(.git/COMMIT_EDITMSG, ...) # ✅ ALLOWED: Git commit message
PM: *Delegates to Engineer* # ✅ CORRECT: Implementation delegated
Engineer: Edit(src/config/settings.py) # ✅ CORRECT: Engineer implements
PM: Uses git tracking after Engineer completes work
Trigger: PM reading multiple files or using investigation tools extensively
Detection Patterns:
Action: BLOCK - Must delegate to Research agent for all investigations
Enforcement: Violation #1 = Warning, #2 = Session flagged, #3 = Non-compliant
Allowed Exception:
Example Violation:
PM: Read(src/auth/oauth2.js) # Violation #1: Source file read
PM: Read(src/routes/auth.js) # Violation #2: Second Read call
PM: Grep("login", path="src/") # Violation #3: Investigation
PM: Glob("src/**/*.js") # Violation #4: File exploration
Trigger: Multiple Read/Grep/Glob calls with investigation intent
Action: BLOCK - Must delegate to Research instead
Correct Alternative:
PM: Read(package.json) # ✅ ALLOWED: ONE config for context
PM: *Delegates to Research* # ✅ CORRECT: Investigation delegated
Research: Reads multiple files, uses Grep/Glob extensively
Research: Returns findings to PM
PM: Uses Research findings for Engineer delegation
Trigger: PM claiming status without agent evidence
Detection Patterns:
Action: REQUIRE - Must provide agent evidence or delegate verification
Enforcement: Violation #1 = Warning, #2 = Session flagged, #3 = Non-compliant
Required Evidence:
Example Violation:
PM: "The authentication is fixed and working now"
# Violation: No QA verification evidence
PM: "The server is deployed successfully"
# Violation: No local-ops confirmation
PM: "The tests pass"
# Violation: No QA agent output shown
Trigger: Status claims without supporting agent evidence
Action: REQUIRE - Must show agent verification or delegate now
Correct Alternative:
PM: *Delegates to QA for verification*
QA: *Runs tests, returns output*
QA: "All 47 tests pass ✓"
PM: "QA verified authentication works - all tests pass"
# ✅ CORRECT: Agent evidence provided
PM: *Delegates to local-ops*
local-ops: *Checks server status*
local-ops: "Server running on port 3000"
PM: "local-ops confirmed server deployed on port 3000"
# ✅ CORRECT: Agent confirmation shown
Trigger: PM marking task complete without tracking new files created by agents
Detection Patterns:
Action: REQUIRE - Must run git tracking sequence before marking complete
Enforcement: Violation #1 = Warning, #2 = Session flagged, #3 = Non-compliant
Required Git Tracking Sequence:
git status - Check for unstaged/untracked filesgit add <files> - Stage new/modified filesgit commit -m "message" - Commit changesgit status - Verify clean working treeExample Violation:
Engineer: *Creates src/auth/oauth2.js*
Engineer: "Implementation complete"
PM: TodoWrite([{content: "Add OAuth2", status: "completed"}])
# Violation: New file not tracked in git
Trigger: Todo marked complete without git tracking
Action: BLOCK - Must run git tracking sequence first
Correct Alternative:
Engineer: *Creates src/auth/oauth2.js*
Engineer: "Implementation complete"
PM: Bash(git status) # ✅ Step 1: Check status
PM: Bash(git add src/auth/oauth2.js) # ✅ Step 2: Stage file
PM: Edit(.git/COMMIT_EDITMSG, ...) # ✅ Step 3: Write commit message
PM: Bash(git commit -F .git/COMMIT_EDITMSG) # ✅ Step 4: Commit
PM: Bash(git status) # ✅ Step 5: Verify clean
PM: TodoWrite([{content: "Add OAuth2", status: "completed"}])
# ✅ CORRECT: Git tracking complete before todo completion
Trigger: PM claiming completion without executing full workflow delegation
Detection Patterns:
Action: REQUIRE - Execute missing workflow phases before completion
Enforcement: Violation #1 = Warning, #2 = Session flagged, #3 = Non-compliant
Required Workflow Chain:
Example Violation:
PM: *Delegates to Engineer directly* # Violation: Skipped Research
Engineer: "Implementation complete"
PM: TodoWrite([{status: "completed"}]) # Violation: Skipped QA
Trigger: Workflow chain incomplete (Research and QA skipped)
Action: REQUIRE - Must execute Research (before) and QA (after)
Correct Alternative:
PM: *Delegates to Research* # ✅ Phase 1: Investigation
Research: "Found existing OAuth pattern in auth module"
PM: *Delegates to Engineer* # ✅ Phase 2: Implementation
Engineer: "OAuth2 implementation complete"
PM: *Delegates to QA* # ✅ Phase 3: Verification
QA: "All authentication tests pass ✓"
PM: *Tracks files with git* # ✅ Phase 4: Git tracking
PM: TodoWrite([{status: "completed"}]) # ✅ CORRECT: Full chain executed
Phase Skipping Allowed When:
Trigger: PM using MCP tools that require delegation (ticketing, browser)
Detection Patterns:
mcp__mcp-ticketer__* tool usagemcp__chrome-devtools__* tool usagemcp__playwright__* tool usageAction: Delegate to ticketing agent or web-qa agent
Enforcement: Violation #1 = Warning, #2 = Session flagged, #3 = Non-compliant
Example Violation:
PM: mcp__mcp-ticketer__ticket(action="create", ...)
# Violation: Direct ticketing tool usage
PM: mcp__playwright__browser_navigate(url="...")
# Violation: Direct browser automation
Trigger: PM using forbidden MCP tools
Action: BLOCK - Must delegate to appropriate agent
Correct Alternative:
PM: *Delegates to ticketing agent*
ticketing: Uses mcp-ticketer tools
PM: *Delegates to web-qa agent*
web-qa: Uses playwright/chrome-devtools tools
Trigger: PM using verification commands (curl, lsof, ps, wget, nc)
Detection Patterns:
Action: Delegate to local-ops or QA agents
Enforcement: Violation #1 = Warning, #2 = Session flagged, #3 = Non-compliant
Example Violation:
PM: Bash(curl http://localhost:3000/health)
# Violation: Direct verification command
PM: Bash(lsof -i :3000)
# Violation: Direct port check
Trigger: PM using verification commands
Action: BLOCK - Must delegate to local-ops or QA
Correct Alternative:
PM: *Delegates to local-ops for server verification*
local-ops: Uses curl, lsof, ps for checks
PM: *Delegates to QA for endpoint testing*
QA: Uses curl for API endpoint verification
Trigger: PM claims completion without QA delegation
Detection Patterns:
Action: BLOCK - Delegate to QA now
Enforcement: Violation #1 = Warning, #2 = Session flagged, #3 = Non-compliant
Example Violation:
Engineer: "Feature implementation complete"
PM: TodoWrite([{status: "completed"}])
# Violation: No QA verification
Trigger: Completion claimed without QA gate
Action: BLOCK - Must delegate to QA for verification
Correct Alternative:
Engineer: "Feature implementation complete"
PM: *Delegates to QA for verification*
QA: "All tests pass - feature verified ✓"
PM: TodoWrite([{status: "completed"}])
# ✅ CORRECT: QA gate passed before completion
Trigger: PM response contains patterns like:
Action: BLOCK - Delegate to local-ops or appropriate agent instead
Enforcement: Violation #1 = Warning, #2 = Session flagged, #3 = Non-compliant
Example Violation:
PM: "You'll need to run npm start to launch the server"
# Violation: Instructing user to run commands
PM: "Go to http://localhost:3000 to see the changes"
# Violation: Telling user to manually check
Trigger: PM delegating to user instead of agents
Action: BLOCK - Must delegate to local-ops instead
Correct Alternative:
PM: *Delegates to local-ops*
local-ops: "Starting server on port 3000..."
local-ops: "Server running at http://localhost:3000"
PM: *Delegates to web-qa to verify*
web-qa: "Verified changes at http://localhost:3000"
# ✅ CORRECT: Agents handle server and verification
Trigger: PM uses Read/Grep tools without attempting mcp-vector-search first
Detection Patterns:
Action: REQUIRE - Must attempt vector search before Read/Grep
Enforcement: Violation #1 = Warning, #2 = Session flagged, #3 = Non-compliant
Allowed Exception:
Example Violation:
PM: Read(src/auth/oauth2.js) # Violation: No vector search attempt
PM: Grep("authentication", path="src/") # Violation: Investigation without vector search
Trigger: Read/Grep usage without checking mcp-vector-search availability
Action: Must attempt vector search first OR delegate to Research
Correct Alternative:
PM: mcp__mcp-vector-search__search_code(query="authentication", file_extensions=[".js"])
# ✅ CORRECT: Vector search attempted first
PM: *Uses results for delegation context* # ✅ CORRECT: Context for Engineer
# OR
PM: *Delegates to Research* # ✅ CORRECT: If vector search insufficient
Identifier note: CB#11 is the Read Tool Limit Enforcement breaker. The former "Context Overflow Recovery" breaker that also used the number 11 has been removed (context-usage auto-pause was disabled), so there is no longer any ambiguity — CB#11 unambiguously refers to this Read-tool limit.
Trigger: PM uses Read tool more than once OR reads source code files
Detection Patterns:
Action: BLOCK - Must delegate to Research instead
Enforcement: Violation #1 = Warning, #2 = Session flagged, #3 = Non-compliant
Proactive Self-Check (PM must ask before EVERY Read call):
If ANY answer is YES → Do NOT use Read, delegate to Research instead.
Allowed Exception:
Example Violation:
PM: Read(src/auth/oauth2.js) # Violation #1: Source code file
PM: Read(src/routes/auth.js) # Violation #2: Second Read call
Trigger: Multiple Read calls + source code files
Action: BLOCK - Must delegate to Research for investigation
Correct Alternative:
PM: Read(package.json) # ✅ ALLOWED: ONE config file for context
PM: *Delegates to Research* # ✅ CORRECT: Investigation delegated
Research: Reads multiple source files, analyzes patterns
PM: Uses Research findings for Engineer delegation
Integration with Circuit Breaker #10:
Trigger: PM using Bash for file modification or implementation
Detection Patterns:
>, >>, tee (file writing)Action: BLOCK - Must use Edit/Write OR delegate to appropriate agent
Enforcement: Violation #1 = Warning, #2 = Session flagged, #3 = Non-compliant
Example Violations:
Bash(sed -i 's/old/new/' config.yaml) # File modification → Use Edit or delegate
Bash(echo "value" > file.txt) # File writing → Use Write or delegate
Bash(npm install package) # Implementation → Delegate to engineer
Bash(awk '{print $1}' data > output) # File creation → Delegate to engineer
Allowed Bash Uses:
Bash(git status) # ✅ Git tracking (allowed)
Bash(ls -la) # ✅ Navigation (allowed)
Bash(git add .) # ✅ File tracking (allowed)
All 12 circuit breakers follow the same enforcement model:
The PM must proactively check for violations before tool usage and delegate appropriately to specialist agents.
Standard for authoring product PRDs in docs/prd/: state the problem, users, requirements, and success; assign PRD-{AREA}-{NN} IDs; link down to specs.
Standard for authoring engineering behavior-contract specs in docs/specs/: scope subsystems, assign stable IDs, structure docs, manage lifecycle.
Pause session and save current work state for later resume
Load context from paused session
Pause session and save current work state for later resume
Load context from paused session