/task-decomposition

name: task-decomposition
description: Breaking complex user goals into subtasks that agents can handle.

Task Decomposition

Users come with goals, not subtasks. Task decomposition is how a multi-agent system breaks a complex user goal into pieces that individual agents can handle — and then reassembles the results into something coherent.

Decomposition Strategies

• **Sequential decomposition**: Break the goal into ordered steps. Step 1 must complete before Step 2 starts.
• **Parallel decomposition**: Break the goal into independent parts that can be worked on simultaneously.
• **Hierarchical decomposition**: Break the goal into sub-goals, then break each sub-goal into tasks.
• **Conditional decomposition**: The next step depends on the result of the current step. Different results lead to different paths.
• **Iterative decomposition**: Start with a rough version, then refine through multiple passes.

Designing Decomposition Rules

For each type of user goal the system handles:

• **What's the entry point?** How does the system receive the goal?
• **What are the subtasks?** List all possible subtasks for this goal type.
• **What are the dependencies?** Which subtasks depend on others' outputs?
• **What's the critical path?** Which sequence of subtasks determines the minimum completion time?
• **What can be parallelised?** Which subtasks can run simultaneously?
• **What's the reassembly logic?** How do subtask results combine into the final output?

Granularity

How finely to decompose matters:

• **Too coarse**: Single agents get tasks that are too complex, leading to lower quality
• **Too fine**: Overhead from handoffs exceeds the benefit of specialisation
• **Just right**: Each subtask matches one agent's sweet spot in terms of scope and complexity

Handling Ambiguity

User goals are often ambiguous. The system needs to:

• **Clarify before decomposing**: Ask the user to specify when the goal is unclear
• **Decompose tentatively**: Start with a plan and adjust as information emerges
• **Recompose when needed**: If decomposition was wrong, restructure without starting over

Design Artefacts

• Task decomposition trees for each goal type
• Dependency maps showing subtask relationships
• Parallelisation specifications
• Reassembly logic definitions
• Ambiguity handling protocols