Delegation Routing

This skill enacts the Algorithms-Before-Tokens axiom from MANIFESTO.md: a static routing table replaces per-session re-derivation of which agent handles which domain, eliminating redundant token burn and preventing scope drift into direct execution.

Beliefs & Context

• Governing axiom: Axiom 2 — Algorithms Before Tokens — deterministic lookup over interactive re-derivation
• GitHub issue: #79 — Skills as Decision Codifiers
• Agents that use this skill: Executive Orchestrator, Executive Researcher, Executive Planner
• Foundation docs:
  • AGENTS.md — guiding constraints; Minimal Posture, Programmatic-First, delegation-first
  • executive-orchestrator.agent.md — canonical Delegation Decision Gate (lines 137–165)

Workflow

Step 1 — Identify the task domain from the incoming work item or phase description.

Step 2 — Consult the routing table:

Step 3 — Verify it is not on the "Act directly" list. An agent may act directly only for:

• Reading files to confirm a deliverable exists
• Running git status, git log --oneline, gh pr view, gh issue view
• Writing scratchpad entries and workplan status updates
• Orchestrator: Running git add/commit/push after a subagent returns (terminal operations)
• Running prune_scratchpad.py or the pre-compact sequence

If the work does not appear in the "Act directly" list, delegate it.

Step 4 — Form a narrow delegation prompt. Outbound prompts must be task-scoped, not bulk session context. Inbound returns must be ≤ 2,000 tokens (Focus-on-Descent / Compression-on-Ascent — see AGENTS.md § Agent Communication).

Completion Criteria

An agent has applied this skill correctly when:

• The task domain matches exactly one row in the routing table, or is confirmed to be on the "Act directly" list.
• No substantive domain work was performed directly when a specialist agent exists for it.
• The outbound delegation prompt is narrow and task-scoped.
• Phases are delegated one at a time — no batching.