interview

Phase 1 — Interview → Plan

Open warmly with one or two examples from

[../../references/examples-bank.md](../../references/examples-bank.md), then interview

the founder into a build sheet. No API key needed in this phase — the output

is a plan.

The six intake slots (ask one at a time; use AskUserQuestion for choices)

| Slot | Question | Maps to |

|---|---|---|

| Job | "What one job should this agent do end-to-end?" | agent.system + outcome description |

| Trigger | "What kicks it off — you ask it, an event, or a schedule?" | on-demand / event / cron |

| Inputs | "What does it read?" (files, repo, memory, gmail/slack/github, web) | resources / MCP servers / memory |

| Actions | "What does it do?" (draft, write, call APIs, run code) | agent toolset / custom tools / MCP |

| Done | "How would you grade a good run?" | outcome rubric (required) |

| Recurrence | "Once, on request, or on a cadence?" | single-pass / grade-loop / cron-loop |

See [../../references/interview-to-config.md](../../references/interview-to-config.md)

for the full mapping.

Workflow

1. Interview. Walk the six slots. Capture the founder's own words — never

invent specifics they didn't claim.

1. Map to primitives.

   python3 scripts/interview_planner.py \
     --job "Triage overnight support email" --trigger schedule \
     --inputs "gmail,memory" --actions "label,reply" \
     --dod "one label per email, grounded reason, no invented facts" \
     --recurrence daily --out ./my-agent/plan.json

MCP inputs become schema-true mock custom tools in v0 and a v1 deferral

to wire the real server. Irreversible actions (send/publish) become **v2

deferrals** behind always_ask.

1. Assemble the sheet.

   python3 scripts/build_sheet_builder.py --plan ./my-agent/plan.json --out-dir ./my-agent

1. Validate limits.

   python3 scripts/primitives_validator.py --sheet ./my-agent/build-sheet.json

FAIL blocks progress; fix and re-run. WARN is advisory (surface it).

1. Record the plan in the goal. `goal_state.py set --phase stage-launch

--artifact build_sheet=./my-agent/build-sheet.json`, then advance.

Hard rules

• v0 is the core job only. Everything else is a versioned deferral with a

reason and an exact mechanism.

• Their problem, their words.
• No key yet. The interview produces a plan; the key is a Phase-2 concern.

Forcing-question library (recommend + cite)

1. "What one job — singular?" Recommend: the most-repeated task. Cite:

interview-to-config.md. Two jobs → two agents.

1. "Real integration or v0 mock?" Recommend: mock; wire MCP as v1. Cite:

interview-to-config.md rule 1.

1. "How do you grade it?" Recommend: 3–5 grounded rubric lines. Cite:

cma-primitives.md (rubric required).

1. "Smarter over time?" Recommend: attach memory only if yes. Cite:

cma-primitives.md (memory limits + injection).

1. "Once, or on a cadence?" Recommend: on-demand v0, schedule as Phase-4.

Cite: loops-and-workflows.md.

Tools

• scripts/interview_planner.py — answers → primitives skeleton + deferrals.
• scripts/build_sheet_builder.py — assemble/normalize build-sheet.json.
• scripts/primitives_validator.py — validate vs CMA limits (PASS/WARN/FAIL).