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name: orchestration description: Provides the "how-to" for workflow execution orchestration. Defines methods for planning multi-phase workflows, implementing them through agent delegation, managing artifacts, and tracking progress. Pure concepts - no command triggers.

Workflow Orchestration

Knowledge base for orchestrating multi-phase workflow executions with standardized folder structures, progress tracking, and agent delegation.

Core Concepts

This skill embodies five key orchestration principles:

1. Planning - HOW to create execution plans with phase breakdown and artifact definition
2. Implementation - HOW to execute plans through agent delegation
3. Delegation - HOW to maintain focused context through strategic agent handoffs
4. Artifacts - HOW to standardize outputs that flow between phases
5. Progress Tracking - HOW to maintain execution state and resumability

Progressive Disclosure

A core architectural principle that emerges from delegation: pass file paths, not content. This enables agents to load context when needed, maintaining high signal-to-noise ratio. Instead of inlining everything upfront, each agent reads only the files it needs for its specific task.

Orchestration Philosophy

Skills provide the "HOW" - This skill contains pure knowledge about workflow orchestration concepts. It does not define when or why these concepts are triggered.

Commands provide the "DO" - External commands invoke this skill to execute planning or implementation tasks.

Standard Execution Folder

All workflows follow this structure:

Copy/research/{workflow-name}/{YYYY-MM-DD_HH:MM}/
├── data/              # Input files (optional)
├── artifacts/         # Phase outputs
│   ├── 01-*.md
│   ├── 02a-*.md
│   ├── 02b-*.md
│   └── 03-*.md
├── PLAN.md           # Initial plan
├── TODO.md           # Progress tracking
└── RESEARCH.md       # Final output

See Artifacts for naming conventions and Progress Tracking for folder structure details.

Two-Phase Orchestration

Planning Phase

Purpose: Create a structured execution plan

Inputs:

• Task description or workflow definition
• User requirements and context

Process: See Planning

Outputs:

• Execution folder structure
• PLAN.md with phase breakdown
• Expected artifact definitions

Implementation Phase

Purpose: Execute the plan through agent delegation

Inputs:

• PLAN.md from execution folder
• data/ (optional, created in planning phase) Process: See Implementation

Outputs:

• Phase artifacts in execution folder
• Updated TODO.md tracking progress
• Final RESEARCH.md with synthesized findings

Tools and Resources

Scripts

• scripts/create_execution_folder.py - Creates timestamped execution folders

Templates

• assets/TODO.md.template - Progress tracking template
• assets/PLAN.md.template - Workflow plan template