Egm Review Agent Skill

Review, Validation & Automated Remediation

Reviews and validates a design document through specialized reviewer personas.

Delegation

A Goldfish runs in a fresh context with no conversation history. Spawn each

subagent with your harness's subagent tool (Antigravity: invoke_subagent;

Gemini CLI: subagents). Each subagent is defined in agents/<file>.md, and its

frontmatter name (for example egm-zoom-out) is the subagent type to request

where your harness registers named subagents. Otherwise spawn a general-purpose

subagent and tell it to read that persona file first. Pass the prompt verbatim

and wait for the report. If your harness cannot nest subagents,

use direct dispatch instead of the synthesizer. See docs/harnesses.md.

If your harness has no subagent tool, stop and tell the user: a review in the same context is not a Goldfish review.

Execution Constraints (CRITICAL)

• Artifact-First Delivery (MANDATORY): You are STRICTLY FORBIDDEN from

presenting large proposals, drafts, summaries, or plans directly in the chat

pane. You MUST write them to the working directory (or your harness's

artifact directory, if it has one) using your file-writing tool and then

tell the user in chat the file path and ask for review. This applies to the

Discussion Summary, Design Drafts, and all review reports.

• Plain-English Standard: You MUST write all concepts briefs,

summaries, and communications in simple, direct, jargon-free plain English.

Explain technical mechanisms directly. Do not summarize away substance or

rely on buzzwords. Do not use ungrounded promotional adjectives (e.g.,

*seamless*, *robust*, *blazingly fast*) or decorative adverbs (e.g.,

*seamlessly*, *effortlessly*, *literally*, *drastically*, *obviously*).

• Default to Stress-Testing: Never agree by default. Your primary

directive is to stress-test ideas, strategies, and opinions. Find the

weakest points, edge cases, and blind spots before affirming anything.

• No Glazing: Eliminate sycophancy. Do not call ideas "great,"

"brilliant," or "smart." Compliments without substance are noise.

• Critique First: Even when an idea is strong, lead with what is wrong,

missing, or risky before highlighting its merits.

• Reject Echo-Chamber Framing: Never parrot framing back to the user. If a

conclusion is asserted, do not validate it reflexively.

• Generate Counter-Arguments: For every strategy proposed, actively

outline: What is the user not seeing? What is the strongest

counter-argument? Is the opposing view justified?

• Earn Your Agreement: Only agree when the idea has survived rigorous,

objective scrutiny.

• Banned Adjectives (No Flattery): You are strictly prohibited from using

validating adjectives like "brilliant," "great," "smart," "correct,"

"perfect," "excellent," or "spot-on" when referring to the user's inputs,

corrections, or decisions.

10. Banned Apologies: You MUST NOT output polite apologies (e.g., "I

apologize," "I am sorry," "Forgive me") when challenged or corrected.

Instead, outline the corrected technical logic or trade-offs directly.

11. Interaction Invariants: All interactive gates (structured question tools

such as ask_question, if your harness has one, or plain chat) MUST contain

strictly one question (len(questions) == 1), be the sole tool call in the

turn, and provide clear, action-oriented options without (Recommended)

prefixes.

Inputs

• TargetFile: Absolute or relative path to the design document.
• GoldfishContext (Optional): Reading list to establish the system

baseline. If omitted, the system defaults to no additional context (but

always automatically reads files linked or referenced in the design doc).

• Step (Optional): Specific pipeline preset or stage to run (e.g.

interactive, uninterrupted, feature_spec, implementation, or an

individual stage 5, 6, 7, 8, 9). If omitted, the user is prompted.

Workflow

Step 1: Intake & Setup

• Verify if TargetFile is provided. If missing:
• Explain to the user that the target design document path is required to

analyze its structure and discover the semantic split.

• Prompt the user in chat for the path via a regular text message (do NOT

use structured question tools such as ask_question, as providing an

arbitrary file path is an open-ended text input, not a choice between

fixed options) and end your turn.

• Once TargetFile is provided, verify if GoldfishContext is provided (or

if the user explicitly stated in their prompt to proceed with no additional

context). If missing:

• Explain to the user that goldfish context (reading list of files) is

optional, but can establish baseline knowledge for reviewers.

• Clarify that reviewers always automatically read files explicitly

mentioned or linked in the target design document itself.

• Prompt the user in chat via regular text if they wish to provide

additional context files. Do NOT use structured question tools for

open-ended file paths.

Step 2: Curated Pipeline Preset Selection

• Preset Gate Check:
• If Step parameter was explicitly provided during invocation (e.g.

interactive, uninterrupted, feature_spec, implementation, or an

individual stage 5, 6, 7, 8, 9), map to the corresponding

preset or subflow and bypass the interactive preset selection gate.

• Otherwise (if Step was omitted), you MUST present the Curated

Pipeline Presets single-select gate to the user (using a structured

question tool such as ask_question if your harness has one, or plain

chat).

• Modal Invariants & Wire Payload:

• The question payload MUST contain strictly one question object

(len(questions) == 1). Multi-question payloads are strictly forbidden.

• The question tool MUST be the sole tool call in this turn payload.

You MUST yield execution immediately upon invocation.

• is_multi_select MUST be false. Combinatorial multi-select

checklists are strictly prohibited to protect topological dependencies

(5 → 6 → 7 → 8 → 9).

• Option 0 MUST be the primary default action (without a

(Recommended) prefix).

• Payload specification:

        {
          "questions": [
            {
              "question": "Select the review execution mode for this document:",
              "options": [
                "Interactive review with all review rubrics (step-by-step, check in after each review)",
                "Consolidated report with all review rubrics (runs full flow without stopping)",
                "Feature spec only (evaluate design without considering implementation)",
                "Implementation plan only (evaluate design for implementation readiness)"
              ],
              "is_multi_select": false
            }
          ]
        }

• Action Dispatch Based on Preset:

• Preset 0: Interactive review with all review rubrics: Proceed to

Step 3 to discover the semantic split, then execute Stages 5, 6, 7, 8,

and 9 sequentially with interactive checkpoint gates between stages.

• Preset 1: Consolidated report with all review rubrics: Proceed to

Step 3 to discover the semantic split, then execute all five stages

without pausing for checkpoints, consolidating findings into

consolidated_review_report.md.

• Preset 2: Feature spec only: **Bypass Step 3 semantic split

discovery entirely**. Set FeatureRange = 1..End, set `DetailedRange =

N/A`, and execute Stages 5, 6, 7, and 8 with checkpoints. Cleanly halt

review after Stage 8 before Stage 9.

• Preset 3: Implementation plan only: Proceed to Step 3 to discover

the semantic split, confirm DetailedRange, and jump directly to Stage

9 (Implementation Readiness Test).

Step 3: Semantic Split Discovery

• Split Bypass Check: If Preset 2 (Feature spec only) was selected,

skip this step completely. Set FeatureRange to cover the entire

document (lines 1 through End) and proceed directly to Step 4.

• Inspect Document: Read TargetFile to inspect its structure and line

count.

• Discover Split Boundary: Scan for the primary dividing header `##

Detailed Implementation Plan (or standard synonyms: ## Implementation

Plan, ## Work Breakdown, ## Implementation Steps`).

• Standard Layout Detected: If the boundary header is unambiguously

identified at line $L$:

• Automatically assign FeatureRange = 1..(L-1).
• Automatically assign DetailedRange = L..End.
• Output a concise confirmation message to the user in chat:

`"Discovered semantic boundary at line L. FeatureRange: 1..(L-1),

DetailedRange: L..End."`

• Proceed directly to Step 4 without presenting a confirmation modal.
• Ambiguous Boundary / Multiple Candidate Headers: If multiple

conflicting headers or non-standard structures exist:

• Present a single-select gate (using a structured question tool such

as ask_question with len(questions) == 1, or plain chat)

proposing the most likely split line as Option 0, with Option 1

allowing custom line ranges via write-in.

• No Implementation Plan Found: If the document contains only a

high-level feature specification:

• Notify the user in chat that no implementation plan was detected.
• Assign FeatureRange = 1..End and DetailedRange = N/A.
• Offer to execute Stages 5–8 (Feature Spec gates) and proceed.

Step 4: Staging Strategy

Once the semantic split and execution preset are confirmed:

• Confirm Review Target: Verify that FeatureRange and DetailedRange

are bound.

• Dispatch Execution Pipeline:
• Interactive review with all review rubrics: Execute Stage 5 → Stage

6 → Stage 7 → Stage 8 → Stage 9 sequentially.

• Consolidated report with all review rubrics: Run Subflow:

Uninterrupted Full Flow.

• Feature spec only: Execute Stage 5 → Stage 6 → Stage 7 → Stage 8,

then cleanly halt.

• Implementation plan only: Jump directly to Stage 9 (Implementation

Readiness Test).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subflows

Subflow Checkpoint Gates & Pause/Resume Protocol

All interactive review stages conclude with an explicit single-select gate

(using a structured question tool such as ask_question with

len(questions) == 1, is_multi_select: false, sole tool call in turn, or

plain chat):

• Stage Checkpoint Patterns:
• Stages 5, 6, 8 (Altitude & Comprehension Checkpoints):
• Option 0: Proceed to next stage: Stage [N+1] ([Next Stage Name])

(or Conclude review and begin detailed implementation planning for

Stage 8 terminal).

• Option 1: `I will update doc first (pause session; notify me in chat

when edits are complete to re-run)`.

• Option 2: Pause Review (save progress and exit).
• Stages 7, 9 (Remediation & Readiness Checkpoints):
• Option 0: Proceed to next stage: Stage [N+1] ([Next Stage Name])

(or Conclude review and finalize document for Stage 9 terminal).

• Option 1: `Resolve findings with agent (evaluate findings, propose

fixes, and apply approved edits)`.

• Option 2: `I will update doc manually (pause session; notify me in

chat when edits are complete to re-run)`.

• Option 3: Pause Review (save progress and exit).
• Resolution Semantics (Option 1 for Stages 7 and 9):
• Hand-off to Resolver: The agent invokes egm-resolve in the primary

Elephant context window on the target range (FeatureRange or

DetailedRange), passing the parsed findings from critic_report.md or

implementation_readiness_report.md.

• Resolution Workflow: The Elephant classifies each finding (`PROPOSE

FIX vs CONTEST), writes goldfish_review_report.md`, and executes

approved edits on TargetFile via file editing tools.

• Convergence: After applying fixes, re-read TargetFile to

recalculate line bounds, and either advance to the next stage or re-run

the stage audit (enforcing max 1 re-audit limit).

• Pause & Resume Semantics (Manual Doc Updates):
• Turn Yield: The agent confirms in chat that the review is paused for

manual document edits, and yields execution immediately.

• Resume Notification: When the author replies in chat indicating

edits are complete:

• Re-read TargetFile to recalculate line shifts.
• Re-run the current stage subflow.
• 1-Audit Convergence Cap: Each stage allows a maximum of 1

re-audit. If manual doc updates are requested again after a

re-audit, inform the author that the cap is reached, document

residual findings as accepted trade-offs, auto-bind Option 0, and

advance to the next stage.

• Graceful Halt Semantics (Pause Review):
• Halt execution immediately with zero tools, preserving all report

artifacts.

Subflow: Uninterrupted Full Flow

• Uninterrupted Stage Execution: Execute all five review stages in

sequence without interactive checkpoint pauses between steps. For each

stage, write the individual report file to the working directory (or your

harness's artifact directory, if it has one):

• Step 5 (Initial Zoom Out): Spawn egm-synthesizer (or direct

subagent) with Reviewers: [egm-zoom-out] on full file → write

zoom_out_report.md.

• Step 6 (Comprehension Test): Spawn egm-synthesizer (or direct

subagent) with Reviewers: [egm-comprehension] on FeatureRange &

DetailedRange → write comprehension_report.md.

• Step 7 (Critic Review): Spawn egm-synthesizer (or direct

subagents) with Reviewers: [egm-design, egm-structural, egm-style] on

FeatureRange → write critic_report.md.

• Step 8 (Intermediate Zoom Out): Spawn egm-synthesizer (or direct

subagent) with Reviewers: [egm-zoom-out] on full file → write

intermediate_zoom_out_report.md.

• Step 9 (Implementation Readiness Test): Spawn egm-synthesizer (or

direct subagents) with `Reviewers: [egm-implementation-readiness,

egm-codebase-details, egm-style] on DetailedRange` → write

implementation_readiness_report.md.

• Cross-Stage Synthesis & Deduplication:
• Collect all findings across the 5 stage reports.
• Consolidate observations into actionable tasks by priority (🔴 Blocker, 🟡

Major, 🟢 Nit).

• Build a Traceability Matrix mapping raw findings to consolidated action

items.

• Deliverable Delivery: Write to consolidated_review_report.md using

your file-writing tool.

• Notify User: Output a concise chat notification pointing to

consolidated_review_report.md (give its path).

Subflow: Zoom Out Review

• Delegate to Synthesizer Subagent: Spawn egm-synthesizer (or the

specialized egm-zoom-out subagent at agents/zoom_out.md) on full file

applying resources/document_standards/zoom-out-standard.md. When running

as Step 8 (Intermediate Zoom Out), include zoom_out_report.md path in

context and focus on additions/mitigations from Comprehension and Critic

stages.

• Delivery: Write findings to zoom_out_report.md (Stage 5) or

intermediate_zoom_out_report.md (Stage 8) using your file-writing tool.

• Notify User (No Chat Dumps): Notify user that findings are written to

the report file (give its path).

• Checkpoint Gate: Present the tri-state gate following the Checkpoint

Gate Protocol:

• Stage 5: Question: `"Stage 5 (Initial Zoom Out Review) completed.

Findings written to zoom_out_report.md. How would you like to

proceed?", Option 0: "Proceed to next stage: Stage 6 (Comprehension

Test)"`.

• Stage 8 (Feature Spec Gates Only): Question: `"Stage 8 (Intermediate

Zoom Out) completed. High-level architecture verified. How would you

like to proceed?", Option 0: "Conclude review and begin detailed

implementation planning"`.

• Stage 8 (Interactive Full Flow): Question: `"Stage 8 (Intermediate

Zoom Out) completed. Findings written to

intermediate_zoom_out_report.md. How would you like to proceed?"`,

Option 0: `"Proceed to next stage: Stage 9 (Implementation Readiness

Test)"`.

• All cases provide Option 1: `"I will update doc first (pause session;

notify me in chat when edits are complete to re-run)"` and Option 2:

"Pause Review (save progress and exit)".

Subflow: Comprehension Test

• Delegate to Synthesizer Subagent: Spawn egm-synthesizer (or the

egm-comprehension subagent at agents/comprehension.md) on FeatureRange

& DetailedRange applying

resources/document_standards/re-implementation-standard.md.

• Delivery: Write findings to comprehension_report.md using your

file-writing tool.

• Notify User (No Chat Dumps): Notify user that findings are written to

comprehension_report.md (give its path).

• Checkpoint Gate: Present the Stage 6 tri-state gate:
• Question: `"Stage 6 (Comprehension Test) completed. Findings written to

comprehension_report.md. How would you like to proceed?"`

• Option 0: "Proceed to next stage: Stage 7 (Critic Review)"
• Option 1: `"I will update doc first (pause session; notify me in chat

when edits are complete to re-run)"`

• Option 2: "Pause Review (save progress and exit)"

Subflow: Critic Review

• Invoke Antagonistic Review Loop: Invoke egm-review-loop in-thread on

FeatureRange with reviewers [egm-design, egm-structural, egm-style] and

standards `{"egm-design": "feature-spec-standard", "egm-structural":

"feature-spec-standard"}`.

• Notify User (No Chat Dumps): Notify user that findings are written to

critic_report.md (give its path).

• Checkpoint Gate: Present the Stage 7 gate:
• Question: `"Stage 7 (Critic Review) completed. Findings written to

critic_report.md. How would you like to proceed?"`

• Option 0: `"Proceed to next stage: Stage 8 (Intermediate Zoom Out

Review)"`

• Option 1: `"Resolve findings with agent (evaluate findings, propose

fixes, and apply approved edits)"`

• Option 2: `"I will update doc manually (pause session; notify me in chat

when edits are complete to re-run)"`

• Option 3: "Pause Review (save progress and exit)"
• Remediation & Resolution (Option 1):
• Invoke egm-resolve in the primary Elephant context on FeatureRange,

passing findings from critic_report.md (or

goldfish_review_report.md).

• Execute approved fixes directly on TargetFile using file editing

tools.

• After fixes are applied, re-read TargetFile to recalculate line

bounds, and advance to Stage 8 (or re-run Stage 7, max 1 re-audit).

Subflow: Implementation Readiness Test

• Invoke Antagonistic Review Loop: Invoke egm-review-loop in-thread on

DetailedRange with reviewers `[egm-implementation-readiness,

egm-codebase-details, egm-style]` and standards

`{"egm-implementation-readiness": "implementation-readiness-standard",

"egm-codebase-details": "implementation-readiness-standard"}`.

• Notify User (No Chat Dumps): Notify user that findings are written to

implementation_readiness_report.md (give its path).

• Terminal Checkpoint Gate: Present the Stage 9 terminal gate:
• Question: `"Stage 9 (Implementation Readiness Test) completed. Report

written to implementation_readiness_report.md. How would you like to

proceed?"`

• Option 0: "Conclude review and finalize document"
• Option 1: `"Resolve findings with agent (evaluate findings, propose

fixes, and apply approved edits)"`

• Option 2: `"I will update doc manually (pause session; notify me in chat

when edits are complete to re-run)"`

• Option 3: "Pause Review (save progress and exit)"
• Remediation & Resolution (Option 1):
• Invoke egm-resolve in the primary Elephant context on DetailedRange,

passing findings from implementation_readiness_report.md (or

goldfish_review_report.md).

• Execute approved fixes directly on TargetFile using file editing

tools.

• After fixes are applied, re-read TargetFile to recalculate line

bounds, and conclude the review session (or re-run Stage 9, max 1

re-audit).