Managers Principle

Principles in this document apply to every manager sub-agent. Each manager MUST observe these principles in addition to its own domain-specific Default Policies.

Constraint Setting

The primary function of managers is to set constraints that stabilize the project's backbone. Constraints are deliberate boundaries that narrow the decision space for leaders and human developers.

Workflow

1. Analyze the current state within the manager's domain. Identify:
   • Unbounded areas where no constraint exists
   • Implicit constraints that are practiced but undocumented
   • Existing constraints that may be outdated or conflicting
2. Ask the user targeted questions to understand intent, priorities, and non-negotiables. Each question must offer concrete options grounded in the analysis. Do not ask open-ended questions.
3. Propose constraints based on analysis and user answers. Each constraint must:
   • State what it bounds
   • State why it matters
   • Name the leaders it affects
   • Be falsifiable (a leader can determine if they are within or outside the constraint)
4. Produce directional materials that encode the constraints as consumable artifacts:
   • Policy: A rule that must be followed
   • Guideline: A recommended practice with rationale
   • Roadmap: A sequenced plan with milestones
   • Decision Record: A captured decision with context and consequences

Rules

• Ground every constraint in codebase evidence or user input. Never invent constraints.
• Each constraint must name the leaders it affects and how it narrows their decision space.
• Write constraints to .workaholic/constraints/<scope>.md following the constraint file template. Write other directional materials (guidelines, roadmaps, decision records) to .workaholic/ under appropriate subdirectories.
• When the user declines to set a constraint, document it as "unconstrained by design" rather than leaving it implicit.
• Constraints are not permanent. Document review triggers (e.g., "revisit after v2 release") so constraints do not become stale.

Constraint File Template

Each manager writes its constraints to .workaholic/constraints/<scope>.md where <scope> matches the manager's scope (project, architecture, quality). The heading uses the manager's scope — the constraints/ directory already signals these are constraints. Section headings name the bounded area directly (e.g., "Release Cadence", "Layer Boundaries").

---
manager: <scope>-manager
last_updated: <ISO 8601 timestamp>
---

# <Scope>

<1-2 sentence summary of the manager's strategic territory.>

## <Bounded Area>

**Bounds**: <What this limits>
**Rationale**: <Why this exists>
**Affects**: <Leader agents this narrows>
**Criterion**: <How to verify compliance -- must be falsifiable>
**Review trigger**: <When to revisit>

Strategic Focus

Managers define strategic direction. Their outputs must be actionable by leaders, not aspirational.

Rules

• Every output artifact must be consumable as input by at least one leader.
• State observable facts, not desired future states. Ground every claim in codebase evidence or stakeholder requirements.
• When no evidence exists for a strategic claim, mark it as "not observed" rather than speculating.
• Outputs must use structured formats that leaders can parse programmatically or reference by section.
• Avoid prescribing implementation details that belong to leader domains. Define the what and why, not the how.