Bring a checkable brief before anyone fans out into code

Description and use

Teams using multiple agents often start without a clear, checkable brief, leading to late conflicts and cleanup. Introducing a checkable brief (output, constraints, checks) at the start reduces these issues.

Problem

Multi‑agent runs often start with vague goals, leading to late disagreement and cleanup during review.

Outcome

Teams experience fewer late disagreements and cleaner reviews by following a brief‑first workflow.

Workflow

• Write a checkable brief first (output + constraints + checks)
• Discuss trade‑offs on one shared project before dividing tasks
• Keep independent verification separate from the draft
• Require an explicit human gate before anything updates the project main branch

Evidence

Before anyone fans out into code: name the output, the constraints, and the checks.

Source

Too many multi‑agent runs start with a vague goal and five slightly different contexts. Disagreement shows up late — after the draft exists — and review becomes cleanup.

Source

What works better for me: Write a checkable brief first (output + constraints + checks)

Source