/utility-pm-workflow-orchestrator

name: utility-pm-workflow-orchestrator
description: Run an ordered sequence of pm-skills against one input, pausing for go/no-go and stopping on a failed or empty step. Accepts a saved prioritized action plan (Mode A) or an ad-hoc named chain (Mode B; the chain command routes here). Explicit invocation only; run --dry-run first while the native path is EXPERIMENTAL. To author a durable workflow instead, use utility-pm-workflow-builder.
license: Apache-2.0
metadata:
  classification: utility
  version: "1.2.0"
  updated: 2026-06-10
  category: workflow
  frameworks: [triple-diamond]
  author: product-on-purpose

<!-- PM-Skills | https://github.com/product-on-purpose/pm-skills | Apache 2.0 -->

PM Workflow Orchestrator (Dispatch Skill)

Cross-client dispatch wrapper for the `pm-workflow-orchestrator` sub-agent. Detects the runtime; dispatches to the native sub-agent on Claude Code; reads `agents/pm-workflow-orchestrator.md` and walks the run loop inline on non-Claude clients via the "reference + execute inline" pattern. The orchestrator runs an ordered sequence of pm-skills from a saved prioritized-action-plan (Mode A) or a user-named chain (Mode B), pausing for go/no-go by default and stopping on a failed or empty step.

> **Status summary (updated v2.26.0):** smoke-tested on the native Claude Code path; EXPERIMENTAL elsewhere. > - **Claude Code (native): Mode B chains SMOKE-TESTED PASS (2026-06-10, installed plugin).** The live run confirmed the engine invokes downstream skills via the `Skill` tool and that they execute INLINE in the engine's context (the Skill tool injects the target SKILL.md into the caller's context; no sub-agent is spawned), with real artifacts produced and the checkpoint pause honored. Mode A native runs and a single continuous interactive engine instance across multiple checkpoints have not yet been exercised; details and caveats in the compatibility matrix's v2.26.0 smoke-gate record. > - **All non-Claude clients (Codex CLI, Cursor, Windsurf, Copilot CLI, Gemini CLI):** EXPERIMENTAL until a dedicated maintainer-gate test exercises a real multi-artifact inline WRITE run. The orchestrator writes up to three full PM artifacts and may thread state; this is strictly harder than the conductor's inline path and has never been live-validated off Claude Code. > > On ANY client, run `--dry-run` FIRST as the readiness check (it exercises parsing, checkpointing, stop-on-fail, and the tool-capability pre-flight without invoking consequential skills). See the [Sub-Agent Compatibility Matrix](../../docs/reference/sub-agent-compatibility.md) for the canonical safe-usage matrix.

When to Use

• You produced a `foundation-prioritized-action-plan` and want to run its runnable Section 7 prompts in order, pausing for go/no-go (Mode A).
• You want to run an ad-hoc, user-named chain of pm-skills against shared context (Mode B), for example `deliver-prd` then `deliver-user-stories`. On Claude Code, the /chain command is the terse front door for this mode.
• You want a generic runner for a dynamic chain that is NOT a pre-curated `workflow-*` command.

Run modes (orthogonal to client):

• **CHECKPOINTED (default):** pause after each OK step for approve / edit / skip / redo.
• **GUARDED AUTO (`--auto`, opt-in):** run without pausing on clean steps; still stop on failed, pause on empty, and stay checkpointed for Complex / Chaotic plans unless `--force-auto`.

`--thread` declares a linear dependency so each step receives the prior step's confirmed artifact; see the Mode B Chain Expression Contract in `references/PARSE-CONTRACT.md`.

When NOT to Use

• You want a fixed, curated, named chain that an author maintains by hand (for example a full Foundation Sprint or Customer Discovery) -> use the existing `workflow-*` command (`workflow-foundation-sprint`, `workflow-customer-discovery`, ...). The orchestrator does NOT supersede those and surfaces a workflow step as MANUAL rather than nesting it.
• You only need to PRODUCE a prioritized action plan (not run it) -> use `foundation-prioritized-action-plan` (which can then offer to hand its plan here).
• You only need to review one artifact -> use `utility-pm-critic`.
• You want to run library-maintenance machinery as if it were PM work -> the orchestrator refuses Tier-3 maintenance skills.
• You want to AUTHOR a reusable workflow rather than run a chain right now -> use `utility-pm-workflow-builder`. That skill produces a durable, named workflow; this one runs an ephemeral chain and persists no definition.

Instructions

**Runtime detection step.** Determine which AI client is invoking this skill. Run mode (checkpointed vs auto) comes from the user's flags and is independent of the client.

If you are running in Claude Code with the pm-skills plugin installed

Invoke `@agent-pm-skills:pm-workflow-orchestrator` with the user's input plus any flags from `$ARGUMENTS` (`--auto`, `--force-auto`, `--dry-run`). The native sub-agent parses the input, builds the step list, and delegates each step via the `Skill` tool to the real downstream skill, running its own per-step loop with confirmation pauses. Relay the engine's per-step output blocks and the terminal output to the user.

This path is EXPERIMENTAL at v2.24.0 (see Status summary). Instruct the user to run `--dry-run` first.

If you are running in any other AI client

Codex CLI, Cursor, Windsurf, Copilot CLI, Gemini CLI, or any client without native pm-skills plugin sub-agent support:

1. **Tool-capability pre-flight (FIRST action, before parsing or step 1).** Verify the client can (a) write a file under `_pm-skills/plan-orchestrator/<run>/` and (b) run any Bash a downstream skill needs.

• If file write is unavailable: degrade explicitly to CHAT-ONLY mode (warn that multi-step reliability drops and context budget rises because full artifacts must stay in-window) for short runs, or refuse a long run with a clear message. Do not fail mid-chain.
• If Bash is unavailable for