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AGENT DESIGN

The right amount of AI.
For the work that matters.

One agent can use many tools and skills. A workflow can have several AI steps without a swarm. We choose the smallest system that meets your quality, speed and cost targets.

FIND A STARTING DESIGN

Tell us how
the work behaves.

This guide suggests a starting architecture. A real decision needs representative examples, access checks and measured comparisons.

  • GraphThe map of steps, branches and handoffs.
  • LoopRepeat a bounded step until the work is ready, blocked or over budget.
  • TeamSeparate agents coordinate distinct work. Add them for a reason.

A workflow with bounded AI steps

Keep the sequence explicit and check the result.

Educational starting point, not a technical assessment or guaranteed recommendation.

Five designs. Different jobs.

DesignGood starting point whenBusiness example
Rules and softwareKnown decisions and exact calculations.Copy approved records, calculate totals, enforce limits.
Workflow + bounded AIKnown route; variable input.Extract an invoice, check the math, route exceptions.
One agent + toolsOne adaptive case with shared context.Investigate a missing order and prepare a response.
Agent + verifierA concrete output benefits from an independent check.Review a proposal’s evidence and calculations.
Coordinated teamIndependent work or distinct context has measured value.Research acquisition workstreams and reconcile findings.

Department ownership does not require a separate agent for every department. Context separation does not establish security isolation; permissions must be enforced in the tools, storage and runtime.

A quote workflow with a review loopAn inquiry is drafted from approved sources, then checked. A valid draft goes to human review; approval completes the work, while requested changes loop back to drafting. A completed case records the outcome before the next request.Receive inquiryDraft with sourcesCheck the workHuman reviewApproved actionRecord outcomePassChanges redraftNext request

Example execution graph. Missing information pauses the case for clarification; checks and approvals determine which step can run next. Retries and revision loops have explicit limits.

LOOPS WITH LIMITS

Check the work.
Keep people in control.

Plan act observe

Use a tool, inspect the result and choose the next step. Stop at the budget or when help is needed.

Generate check repair

Test an output against rules and evidence. Bound retries; repeated failure becomes an exception.

Pause review resume

Save the case, ask the right person, then recheck facts before executing an approved action.

Measure improve release

Compare against a test set and the baseline. Deploy reviewed changes with a rollback path.

DON’T PAY FOR EMPTY COMPLEXITY

When one agent
makes more sense.

Short conversations. Sequential work. One shared case history. Tight latency or cost limits. A common customer voice.

Read the full guide
  • Less context copyingAvoid repeating or summarizing the same history at every handoff.
  • Fewer model startsReduce orchestration that adds latency without useful parallel work.
  • One controlled write pathAvoid conflicting updates and duplicate actions.
  • Easier improvementFewer prompts and interfaces can be easier to test, maintain and upgrade.

OUR ACCEPTANCE TEST

Count useful results.
Count all the costs.

Compare accepted completion, review effort, typical and slow-case latency, incorrect actions, source support and total cost per accepted result. Include failed attempts and rework. Expand a team only when it earns its place.

Try the cost comparisonAnthropic: workflows and agentsAnthropic: when to consolidate agents

BUILD YOUR WORKSPACE

Bring us the work.
We’ll build the system.

Start with one useful workflow. Prove the result. Expand what works.

Book a workflow review Find my first workflow

Free 30-minute call with Oliver. Scope, running costs and project price agreed before work starts.