task-decomposition

Task Decomposition

Users come with goals, not subtasks. Task decomposition is how a multi-agent system breaks a complex user goal into pieces that individual agents can handle — and then reassembles the results into something coherent.

Decomposition Strategies

• Sequential decomposition: Break the goal into ordered steps. Step 1 must complete before Step 2 starts.
• Parallel decomposition: Break the goal into independent parts that can be worked on simultaneously.
• Hierarchical decomposition: Break the goal into sub-goals, then break each sub-goal into tasks.
• Conditional decomposition: The next step depends on the result of the current step. Different results lead to different paths.
• Iterative decomposition: Start with a rough version, then refine through multiple passes.

Designing Decomposition Rules

For each type of user goal the system handles:

• What's the entry point? How does the system receive the goal?
• What are the subtasks? List all possible subtasks for this goal type.
• What are the dependencies? Which subtasks depend on others' outputs?
• What's the critical path? Which sequence of subtasks determines the minimum completion time?
• What can be parallelised? Which subtasks can run simultaneously?
• What's the reassembly logic? How do subtask results combine into the final output?

Granularity

How finely to decompose matters:

• Too coarse: Single agents get tasks that are too complex, leading to lower quality
• Too fine: Overhead from handoffs exceeds the benefit of specialisation
• Just right: Each subtask matches one agent's sweet spot in terms of scope and complexity

Handling Ambiguity

User goals are often ambiguous. The system needs to:

• Clarify before decomposing: Ask the user to specify when the goal is unclear
• Decompose tentatively: Start with a plan and adjust as information emerges
• Recompose when needed: If decomposition was wrong, restructure without starting over

Design Artefacts

• Task decomposition trees for each goal type
• Dependency maps showing subtask relationships
• Parallelisation specifications
• Reassembly logic definitions
• Ambiguity handling protocols