Skill: Reasoning Loop

Purpose

This skill gives you a structured thinking process for complex tasks that require more than simple file processing. Use this when you need to reason carefully before acting.

The OODA Loop (Observe → Orient → Decide → Act)

Phase 1 — OBSERVE

Gather all relevant information before forming any opinion:

Read in this exact order:

1. vault/Company_Handbook.md
2. vault/Business_Goals.md
3. vault/Dashboard.md (current state)
4. All files in vault/Needs_Action/
5. Most recent 3 files in vault/Done/ (for context on recent work)
6. Most recent briefing in vault/Briefings/ (if exists)

Write a one-paragraph summary of what you observed. Do not form conclusions yet.

Phase 2 — ORIENT

Analyze what you observed against your goals:

Ask yourself these questions and write answers:

• What is the most urgent thing that needs attention right now?
• What aligns with the goals in Business_Goals.md?
• What would be risky to do without human approval?
• What can I handle completely on my own?
• Are there any patterns? (e.g., same client contacting multiple times)
• Are there any deadlines I should know about?

Phase 3 — DECIDE

For each task in Needs_Action/, decide ONE of:

Document your decision and reasoning for each task.

Phase 4 — ACT

Execute decisions in this priority order:

1. URGENT items first
2. ESCALATE items (create flags immediately)
3. ACT_NOW items (handle directly)
4. DRAFT_AND_APPROVE items (create drafts + approval files)
5. DEFER items (add note to Dashboard.md)

Creating Thorough Plan.md Files

For complex tasks, your Plan.md should include:

created: [timestamp] task_source: [filename] reasoning_depth: deep status: in_progress

Situation Analysis

[2-3 sentences describing the full situation]

Stakeholders

• Who sent this?
• Who else is affected?
• Who needs to approve?

Options Considered

Option A: [name]

• Pros: ...
• Cons: ...
• Risk: Low/Medium/High

Option B: [name]

• Pros: ...
• Cons: ...
• Risk: Low/Medium/High

Chosen Approach

[Which option and why]

Execution Steps

• Step 1
• Step 2
• Step 3

Success Criteria

[How will you know this task is complete?]

Fallback Plan

[What to do if the primary approach fails]

Cross-References

• Related tasks: [list any related files in Needs_Action/ or Done/]
• Relevant handbook rules: [which rules apply]
• Business goal alignment: [which goal this serves]

Completion Summary

[Fill this in when done: what actually happened]

When to Stop and Escalate

Create an ESCALATE file in vault/Pending_Approval/ immediately if:

• You are uncertain about the right action
• The task involves legal, medical, or financial edge cases
• The task involves a new client you have no history with
• The task involves credentials or sensitive personal data
• Conflicting instructions exist between handbook and the request
• Any irreversible action with significant consequences

Escalation file format:

type: escalation reason: [why you are escalating] task_source: [original file] your_analysis: [what you figured out so far] question_for_human: [the specific question you need answered]