/design-orchestration

name: design-orchestration
description: Orchestrates design workflows by routing work through brainstorming, multi-agent review, and execution readiness in the correct order.
risk: unknown
source: community
date_added: '2026-02-27'

Design Orchestration (Meta-Skill)

Purpose

Ensure that **ideas become designs**, **designs are reviewed**, and **only validated designs reach implementation**.

This skill does not generate designs. It **controls the flow between other skills**.

---

Operating Model

This is a **routing and enforcement skill**, not a creative one.

It decides:

• which skill must run next
• whether escalation is required
• whether execution is permitted

---

Controlled Skills

This meta-skill coordinates the following:

• `brainstorming` — design generation
• `multi-agent-brainstorming` — design validation
• downstream implementation or planning skills

---

Entry Conditions

Invoke this skill when:

• a user proposes a new feature, system, or change
• a design decision carries meaningful risk
• correctness matters more than speed

---

Routing Logic

Step 1 — Brainstorming (Mandatory)

If no validated design exists:

• Invoke `brainstorming`
• Require:
• Understanding Lock
• Initial Design
• Decision Log started

You may NOT proceed without these artifacts.

---

Step 2 — Risk Assessment

After brainstorming completes, classify the design as:

• **Low risk**
• **Moderate risk**
• **High risk**

Use factors such as:

• user impact
• irreversibility
• operational cost
• complexity
• uncertainty
• novelty

---

Step 3 — Conditional Escalation

• **Low risk**

→ Proceed to implementation planning

• **Moderate risk**

→ Recommend `multi-agent-brainstorming`

• **High risk**

→ REQUIRE `multi-agent-brainstorming`

Skipping escalation when required is prohibited.

---

Step 4 — Multi-Agent Review (If Invoked)

If `multi-agent-brainstorming` is run:

Require:

• completed Understanding Lock
• current Design
• Decision Log

Do NOT allow:

• new ideation
• scope expansion
• reopening problem definition

Only critique, revision, and decision resolution are allowed.

---

Step 5 — Execution Readiness Check

Before allowing implementation:

Confirm:

• design is approved (single-agent or multi-agent)
• Decision Log is complete
• major assumptions are documented
• known risks are acknowledged

If any condition fails:

• block execution
• return to the appropriate skill

---

Enforcement Rules

• Do NOT allow implementation without a validated design
• Do NOT allow skipping required review
• Do NOT allow silent escalation or de-escalation
• Do NOT merge design and implementation phases

---

Exit Conditions

This meta-skill exits ONLY when:

• the next step is explicitly identified, AND
• all required prior steps are complete

Possible exits:

• “Proceed to implementation planning”
• “Run multi-agent-brainstorming”
• “Return to brainstorming for clarification”
• "If a reviewed design reports a final disposition of APPROVED, REVISE, or REJECT, you MUST route the workflow accordingly and state the chosen next step explicitly."

---

Design Philosophy

This skill exists to:

• slow down the right decisions
• speed up the right execution
• prevent costly mistakes

Good systems fail early. Bad systems fail in production.

This meta-skill exists to enforce the former.

When to Use

This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.

Limitations

• Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
• Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
• Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.