Team Lead Reference

---
name: team-lead-reference
description: "Team Lead delegation reference: complexity scoring, model tier routing, pre-delegation checks, the delegation envelope, dead-letter queue and disputes. Use when planning delegations, choosing a model tier, or handling a failed delegation."
---

# Team Lead Reference

## Delegation Sequence

1. **Score** task complexity (table below) → determines tier
2. **Route** to model tier via Cost-Aware Routing
3. **Deepen** plan if 3+ subtasks (Deepen-Plan Protocol)
4. **Check** pre-delegation policy (5-point checklist below)
5. **Delegate** using Compact Delegation Envelope
6. **Handle** output per Status Handling table
7. **Log** via **observability-logging** skill

For specialist agent registry, model assignments, see `.opencastle/agents/agent-registry.md`.

## Cost-Aware Model Routing

| Tier | Use For |
|------|---------|
| **Premium** | Orchestration, architecture, security review — the hardest reasoning |
| **Standard** | Feature work, schemas, UI, tests — the bulk of the work |
| **Economy** | Review passes, docs, copy — high volume, low ambiguity |

A tier names the kind of model, not a model: the assistant picks one it can reach.

**Selection:** Default to the agent's registry tier. Never Premium for boilerplate. 3+ parallel agents → prefer Standard/Economy. Per-task overrides below.

## Complexity-Based Task Scoring

| Factor | Low → High |
|--------|------------|
| **Files touched** | 1–2 → 3–5 → 6+ / cross-library |
| **Reasoning depth** | Boilerplate → pattern matching → architecture/security/tradeoffs |
| **Ambiguity** | Clear spec → some judgment → multiple valid approaches |
| **Risk** | Reversible → moderate impact → DB/auth/breaking |
| **Dependencies** | None → 1–2 upstream → complex chain |

| Score | Tier | Examples |
|-------|------|----------|
| 1–2 | Economy | Docs update, config tweak, rename, simple test |
| 3–5 | Standard | Component, CMS query, API route, migration |
| 8 | Premium | Architecture decision, security audit, complex refactor |
| 13 | Premium + Panel | DB migration with data transform, auth flow redesign |

**Overrides:** Blocker (blocking 2+ downstream) → upgrade one tier. Security-touching or architecture ambiguity → Premium. Pure docs/config → Economy. Registry default takes precedence unless complexity clearly warrants change.

## Deepen-Plan Protocol

| Plan Complexity | Action |
|----------------|--------|
| 1–2 subtasks, familiar | Skip — delegate directly |
| 3–5 subtasks, mixed | Quick deepen — single Researcher sub-agent |
| 6+ subtasks, unfamiliar | Full deepen — parallel Researcher sub-agents |

**Quick deepen:** Fire one Researcher for exact file paths + line ranges, patterns to follow (file:line examples), relevant lessons from `LESSONS-LEARNED.md`, risks/blockers per subtask, dependencies verified against exact imports.
**Full deepen:** Split by domain into parallel Researchers. See `.opencastle/agents/agent-registry.md` for scope examples.

Deepen is done when no field is still a guess — "some component" → exact path + line range, "follow existing style" → specific file:line.

## Agent Output Status Handling

| Status | Action |
|--------|--------|
| Complete | Fast review |
| Complete with concerns | Resolve before review |
| Needs context | Provide info; re-dispatch |
| Blocked | Upgrade model/escalate; never re-dispatch unchanged |

## Pre-Delegation Policy Checks

1. Tracker issue exists for this task
2. File partition clean (no overlap with parallel agents)
3. All dependency tasks Done
4. Delegation prompt has file paths + acceptance criteria
5. Self-improvement reminder included (`Read LESSONS-LEARNED.md first`)

**Feature work** adds: (6) Known issues reviewed, (7) Architecture docs read, (8) Existing code searched.
**High-risk work** adds: (9) Panel review planned, (10) Rollback path identified.

## Compact Delegation Envelope

```json
{
  "tracker": "TAS-XX",
  "agent": "Agent Name",
  "objective": "One sentence: what to do and why.",
  "files": ["path/to/file.ts", "path/to/other.ts"],
  "acceptance_criteria": ["AC 1", "AC 2"],
  "constraints": "Only modify listed files. Read LESSONS-LEARNED.md first.",
  "output_contract": "Return: files changed, lint/type/test pass/fail, discovered issues."
}
```

`tracker` required; `acceptance_criteria` verbatim from tracker; `files` = exact resolved paths (not globs); `output_contract` = agent's Base Output Contract. Maintain running delegation log in session checkpoint (see **session-checkpoints** skill).

## Context Source Tagging

Prefix each agent's output summary `### [Agent Name] TAS-XX Description`. Never merge outputs from different agents. Cite source agent when referencing prior output. Include Agent column in checkpoint "Completed Work" tables.

## Dead Letter Queue Format

Log to `.opencastle/AGENT-FAILURES.md` — create it on the first entry — when agent fails 2+ attempts, background output fails all gates, or unrecoverable error occurs. Panel 3x BLOCK → create dispute instead.

Entry (`DLQ-XXX: Short description`): **Date**, **Agent**, **Tracker Issue**, **Failure Type** (`verification-fail` / `tool-error` / `panel-block` / `timeout` / `scope-creep`), **Attempts**, **Task**, **Failure Details**, **Resolution**. Scan DLQ for pending retries at session start.

## Error Recovery

For common failure modes, recovery procedures, load **orchestration-protocols** skill.

## Dispute Protocol

Triggers: Panel 3× BLOCK, agent-reviewer disagreement, criteria contradictions, no convergence, needs human input.

Create in `.opencastle/DISPUTES.md` (create the file on the first dispute). Entry (`DSP-XXX: Short description`): **Date**, **Priority** (`critical`/`high`/`medium`/`low`), **Tracker Issue**, **Trigger** (`panel-3x-block` / `approach-conflict` / `criteria-conflict` / `architectural-ambiguity` / `external-dependency`), **Implementing Agent**, **Reviewing Agent(s)**, **Attempts**, **Status** (`pending`/`resolved`/`deferred`); then Context, Agent's Position, Reviewer's Position, Attempt History (# · type · verdict · key feedback), 2–3 Resolution Options with rationale and risk, Recommended Action, Artifacts.
1. Number (`DSP-XXX`), set priority, document both perspectives with file references
2. Build attempt history; present ≥2 options with rationale/risk
3. Link panel reports, DLQ entries, changed files
4. Log with **observability-logging** dispute command

**After resolution:** `resolved` → re-delegate with decision as constraint. `deferred` → follow-up issue.