Improve task reliability through bounded intent and observable outcomes.
Practical procedure
- Keep a task narrow enough that acceptance criteria can be checked without another open-ended task. Split unrelated objectives before execution.
- Record source scope, permitted actions and meaningful time/tool bounds. Ask the worker to identify missing evidence instead of filling gaps with plausible details.
- Inspect state, result and evidence together. Preserve refusal and cancellation information in the application so the user can decide the next action.
Use a governed work order
A GoCux work order records an outcome, context and acceptance criteria. Use it for durable work that needs the optional Cloud Worker, rather than assuming that every chat turn starts a background job. Select the project and data classification when creating the request. Keep the returned work-order identity so progress, decisions and attachments remain tied to the same operation.
Contract example
Developer examples below describe routes on an authorized, configured GoCux control-plane base URL. They are request shapes or operation references, not claims that a particular public hostname exposes the API. Use the workspace for the corresponding human workflow; availability and permissions depend on the actual deployment.
POST /work-orders — example request body; supply an operation-specific Idempotency-Key
{
"goal": "Review the supplied project notes",
"body": "Use only the provided project context.",
"acceptance": [
"Identify claims with their supporting source",
"List unanswered questions separately"
],
"dataClassification": "public",
"projectId": "project-id",
"max_wall_seconds": 300,
"max_tool_calls": 20
}Inspect the result
A recorded or accepted work order is not proof of completed execution. Read its state, progress and attachments through the task views. Review the output against the acceptance criteria before using it. If a structured result was requested, inspect its validation state separately from the narrative answer.
What to keep explicit
Task quality improves when the request explains what counts as done. More tool calls or a longer runtime do not compensate for an ambiguous objective.
Handle incomplete and refused work
A missing worker or an unavailable dispatch ledger can refuse durable execution while normal chat remains independent. Reuse an operation key only for the same request. After a lost response, reconcile the original operation rather than blindly dispatching new work. A configured maxCost is recorded as context; the work-order schema does not claim it is an enforced monetary ceiling.
Continue with related guides
Bring this workflow into your workspace.
Set the scope. Review the evidence. Approve the steps that need it.