Decouple independent sub-behaviors into separate agents…
When agent sub-behaviors can execute independently without logical dependency, separate them into distinct agents with independent triggers rather than coupling them into sequences, because coupled agents produce cascading failures.
When This Fires
- When designing multi-step behavioral routines (morning, evening, work startup)
- When one missed step in a routine causes you to abandon the entire sequence
- During agent architecture review when assessing failure modes
- When a routine "never works" because any disruption cascades through all steps
Common Failure Mode
Designing monolithic routines: "My morning routine is: wake at 6, meditate 20 min, cold shower, journal, exercise, review goals, start work." This 7-step coupled sequence has a reliability equal to the product of each step's individual reliability. If each step fires at 90%, the whole sequence fires at 0.9^7 = 48%. Decoupled, each step maintains its 90% independently, and 6 of 7 firing is the expected outcome rather than a "broken routine."
The Protocol
(1) For any multi-step behavioral sequence, list each sub-behavior. (2) For each pair, ask: "Does the second genuinely require the first's output?" (3) If yes → keep coupled. The dependency is real (can't review notes you haven't written). (4) If no → decouple. Give each sub-behavior its own trigger: a time, an event, a location change, or a prior completion that isn't part of the sequence. (5) Test: skip one agent deliberately. Do the others still fire? If not → there's hidden coupling you missed. Find independent triggers for each. (6) Accept that decoupled agents may execute in different orders on different days. This is a feature, not a bug — it means they're genuinely independent.