Goal Framing

What the source does

• FilesystemNone observedNo reads or writes in the source
• NetworkNone observedNo outbound calls in the source
• ShellNone observedNo commands run in the source
• DependenciesPinnedNothing floats
• SecretsNone foundNo keys in source

Five audit layers

Gates applied: no behavioural pass.

Audit 0.4.1 · source sha 177240a262fe · 18 Oct 2026Report an issue or request a re-scan

• PublisherGanyuanRan GitHub userOwner of the repository this skill is read from
• Source folderGanyuanRan/Aegis/skills/goal-framingThe exact folder we audited
• LicenceMITAs the repository states it
• Commit pinned for this verdict177240a262feA new audit runs when the source changes
• Repository statusNot archivedPushed today
• Sandboxed runNot runSkills are read, not executed; layer L4 is skipped

Its description: Use when the user explicitly sets an Aegis goal with /aegis-goal, Aegis goal:, or asks to define goal, success evidence, stop condition, or task boundaries before work.

---
name: goal-framing
description: "Use when the user explicitly sets an Aegis goal with /aegis-goal, Aegis goal:, or asks to define goal, success evidence, stop condition, or task boundaries before work."
---

# Aegis Goal Framing

Use this skill to create a thin goal frame before execution. It is opt-in and
boundary-setting only.

Do not use it for tiny edits, one-command checks, or ordinary fast-path Q&A
unless the user explicitly asks for `/aegis-goal` or `Aegis goal:`.

## Authority Boundary

Current owner:

- Method Pack task framing

Not owned here:

- authoritative `GateDecision`
- final evidence sufficiency
- final completion authority is not owned here
- host daemon / automatic stop enforcement

## Input Forms

Treat these as equivalent:

- `/aegis-goal <task description>`
- `Aegis goal: <task description>`
- "Define the goal / stop condition before we start"

Slash commands are optional host shortcuts. The natural-language form is the
portable fallback.

Example:

```text
Aegis goal: Fix the auth refresh bug without rewriting the auth system.
```

## Output

Produce the smallest useful frame, then continue into the routed workflow in
the same turn.

```text
TaskIntentDraft:
- Requested outcome:
- Goal:
- Success evidence:
- Stop condition:
- Non-goals:
- Constraints:
- Scope:
- Risk hints:
- Aegis Visibility:
- Route:
- Next:
```

Default behavior:

- Do not stop after `TaskIntentDraft`.
- Treat the frame as the start protocol for execution, not as the final answer.
- After the compact frame, immediately take the `Next` action for the selected
  route when the user asked to do the work.
- Keep the visible frame natural and short when the goal is clear; do not emit a
  large internal-looking card unless the user asked for a formal frame.
- Use `Aegis Visibility` to say why the goal frame constrains the route, stop
  condition, or non-goals. Do not add trace ceremony unless the user explicitly
  asks for auditability.

Frame-only behavior:

- Stop at the frame only when the user explicitly asks to only define the goal,
  only define the stop condition, not execute, not implement, not write a plan,
  or wait for confirmation before continuing.
- If required information is missing, state the missing input and stop with
  `blocked` rather than pretending to continue.

Stop condition must distinguish:

State set: `done`, `blocked`, `needs-verification`, `scope-exceeded`.

- `done`: success evidence is satisfied
- `blocked`: required dependency, permission, or information is missing
- `needs-verification`: implementation exists but evidence is insufficient
- `scope-exceeded`: continuing would exceed the goal or non-goals

## Routing

After framing:

- Low-risk single-owner work continues through the normal fast path or TDD
- Ambiguous product / architecture / contract work routes to `brainstorming`
- Approved requirements route to `writing-plans`
- Multi-step, compaction-prone, handoff, or subagent work routes to
  `long-task-continuation`
- Bug diagnosis routes to `systematic-debugging`

### Route Matrix

| Goal signal | Route |
| --- | --- |
| single-owner, low-risk, clear verification | fast path or `test-driven-development` |
| bug, failure, regression, unexpected behavior | `systematic-debugging` |
| ambiguous product, architecture, contract, cross-module behavior | `brainstorming` |
| approved spec, stable requirements, implementation slicing | `writing-plans` |
| multi-step, compaction-prone, handoff, subagent work | `long-task-continuation` |
| completion, release, handoff, "is this done?" | `verification-before-completion` |

Only create `docs/aegis/` records when the routed workflow needs persistent
evidence. Goal framing alone does not create project files.

## Subagent Context Packet

When delegating work, pass a compact packet instead of the full conversation:

```text
SubagentContextPacket:
- Task:
- Goal:
- Stop condition:
- Relevant baseline refs:
- Relevant files:
- Known facts:
- Unknowns:
- Non-goals:
- Expected output:
- Verification expected:
- Must-read excerpts:
- Unsafe assumptions:
```

The packet reduces repeated file reading, but it does not replace evidence.
Subagents should still read the smallest raw file/log/test excerpt needed to
verify critical facts.

Do not paste full chat transcripts, full session history, or unbounded logs into
the packet. If a fact matters, include a file ref, line/window hint, or compact
must-read excerpt.

## Drift Rule

If the goal changes mid-task, do not silently overwrite it. Record old goal,
new goal, changed scope, new risks, and route through `DriftCheckDraft` when a
long-task record exists.

Excerpt, first 4,645 characters of SKILL.md, verbatim from the audited commit. It is text from someone else’s repository, quoted so you can judge it before your agent reads it.

git clone https://github.com/GanyuanRan/Aegis
git -C Aegis checkout 177240a262fe

Works in

1. 2026-10-18
   ✓SAFE B 89 / 100

   first audit · source 177240a262fe

Questions about Goal Framing

• github.com/GanyuanRan/Aegis/tree/main/skills/goal-framing — the audited source at commit 177240a262fe and every finding aboveObserved · 18 Oct 2026

Spotted something wrong? Report a correction · Methodology