memory-continuity/skills/execution-agent-dispatch/CHECKLIST.md

Execution-Agent Dispatch Checklist

Use this checklist before main claims delegated work is underway.

A. Before dispatch

• The task is worth delegating (not a tiny one-shot edit main should just do directly)
• The correct worker is chosen
• Scope is explicit
• Out-of-scope boundaries are explicit
• Deliverable is explicit
• Constraints are explicit
• Milestone 1 and ETA are explicit
• Escalation conditions are explicit

B. Immediately after dispatch

• Record task state as dispatching
• Do not call it in_progress yet
• Do not tell Tao that execution is underway unless evidence already exists

C. Evidence gate for in_progress

At least one of these must exist before main upgrades the task to in_progress:

• Worker session has a visible non-empty reply
• Worker reported accepted with real execution context
• Worker reported a milestone
• A branch / commit / PR exists
• A file / artifact / runtime log exists

If none of the above exists, the task is still dispatching.

D. Launch-failure rule

• If no first evidence appears within 10 minutes, mark the task blocked
• Use blocked reason: launch failure
• Tell Tao plainly that the worker never produced execution evidence

E. Allowed Tao-visible updates

Main should proactively update Tao only when one of these is true:

• Worker truly started (with evidence)
• Milestone reached
• Blocked / failed
• Completed
• Main is switching workers / phases in a way Tao should know

If none is true, do not send a long "in progress" page.

F. Worker reply minimums

A worker reply should include:

• status
• summary
• evidence
• risk
• next

A worker reply without evidence is not enough to justify in_progress.

G. Completion gate

Before main says the task is done:

• Deliverable exists
• Basic verification happened when relevant
• Caveats/blockers are disclosed
• Tao has been updated