Principlev1
Before removing an agent, audit what consumes its outputs,
Before removing an agent, audit what consumes its outputs, what constraints it enforces, and what failures it masks — then explicitly reassign, accept, or reroute each dependency before removal.
Why This Is a Principle
This derives from The behavior of a system arises from its structure, not from (system behavior arises from structure), Open-Loop Cognitive Cost (Zeigarnik) (unresolved commitments consume working memory), and Mental Models Are Singular by Default (people don't spontaneously generate alternative models). It prescribes a dependency audit protocol that follows from components being interconnected in ways not immediately visible. It's highly actionable and applies to any agent removal.