Workbench goal mode

Workbench Goal Mode

Use this skill when an issue contains /goal, GOAL_MODE: yes, asks for full autonomous completion, or asks an agent to keep working until a concrete outcome is achieved.

Goal Mode is an execution wrapper, not a permission override. It keeps the objective alive across turns, reruns, local fixes, and partial evidence, while preserving existing approval, safety, and review gates.

Activation

Before changing files or live resources, post a compact lock:

GOAL_LOCK:
objective:
owner:
non_goals:
closeout_gates:
operator_call_conditions:

• objective is the user-visible outcome, not a task list.
• owner is one assigned agent or human owner.
• non_goals prevents the agent from expanding into adjacent work.
• closeout_gates names the evidence required before claiming done.
• operator_call_conditions names the few cases where human input is needed.

Execution Rules

1. Build a checklist from the locked goal, then execute it.
2. Do not stop after a local fix if the broader goal remains unverified.
3. When a command, build, test, or smoke fails, investigate and repair before asking for help.
4. Treat repeated identical failures as a mechanism problem: change the probe or report the exact blocker instead of retrying the same action.
5. Use fresh reruns when context is stale, repo state changed, auth changed, or the previous run was bound to the wrong repo/resource.
6. Preserve issue-level scope, approval gates, secrets boundaries, and runtime ownership. /goal does not permit destructive cleanup, force pushes, hidden live mutations, broad repo reads, or credential handling.

Required Closeout Gates

For code, ops, or workflow-changing tasks, address every relevant gate before claiming completion:

• build: documented build or closest real startup/build smoke.
• test: targeted tests plus the smallest meaningful regression check.
• help_smoke: CLI help, startup, UI load, or endpoint smoke when command/user surfaces changed.
• docs_report: docs, changelog, handoff, or explicit "not needed" rationale.
• git_status: clean state or intentionally explained dirty state.
• evidence: exact commands, files, links, screenshots, issue IDs, run IDs, or artifact paths.

If a gate does not apply, say why. A skipped gate without rationale is FLAG.

Operator Call Conditions

Call the operator only for true external blockers:

• missing credentials or approval that cannot be inferred from the issue;
• unavailable third-party service or remote host;
• destructive or irreversible operation approval;
• repo/resource access failure that cannot be fixed inside the assigned context;
• requirement conflict where continuing would change the user's goal.

The blocker report must include attempted fixes, exact evidence, and the smallest operator action needed.

Closeout Contract

Use this scaffold:

GOAL_LOCK:
WHAT_CHANGED:
VERIFICATION:
DOCS_REPORT:
GIT_STATUS:
RESIDUAL_RISK:
OPERATOR_NEEDED: yes/no
VERDICT: PASS | FLAG | BLOCK

PASS means the locked objective is achieved and every relevant closeout gate has evidence. FLAG means useful progress remains reviewable but a gate or risk is unresolved. BLOCK means the objective cannot be safely completed without an operator or upstream fix.