Structure Agent Workflows Around Recoverable Steps

Cybergizer implementation notes · Practical guide

Specify step contracts

Define the input, expected output and permitted actions for each stage. Validate required structure before passing work downstream. Keep business rules outside free form interpretation where they can be expressed explicitly. Use a clear status for incomplete tasks so the system does not mistake a plausible response for evidence that an operational change has occurred.

Treat external actions carefully

Before executing an update, check permissions, required information and any necessary approval. Plan for retries and duplicate requests. Record action outcomes separately from model output. If a dependency fails halfway through, identify which steps completed and how an operator should continue or reverse them. Recovery needs to be designed into the workflow rather than invented during an incident.

Test the whole path

Evaluate ambiguous inputs, missing records, repeated requests and tool failures alongside successful examples. Set run limits and a clear escalation destination. Keep configuration versions with the resulting evidence. Expand the workflow only when operators can understand failures and users can rely on accepted outputs, not simply when the agent manages to complete an impressive demonstration.