Agent Steering

Universal patterns for AI coding agent configuration. Platform-agnostic principles, platform-specific deployment.

Overview

Agent Steering documents the patterns that transform any AI coding agent from a simple assistant into a cognitive partner. These patterns work across different environments—Kiro, Claude Code, Codex, Charm—because they address fundamental problems in agent configuration.

This skill provides:

• Steering hierarchy — Global → Workspace → Project context layering
• 3-phase spec process — Design → Requirements → Tasks structured development
• Context assembly — Progressive disclosure and explicit boundaries
• Slice architecture — Modular identity composition
• Covenant enforcement — Assumption-hostile configuration

The core insight: Agents fail through presumption. Explicit context management prevents presumptive behavior regardless of platform.

The Steering Hierarchy

Layer Model

Steering provides layered context that adapts to different scopes:

Global Steering (universal agent behavior)
    ↓ inherits
Workspace Steering (multi-project coordination)
    ↓ inherits
Project Steering (specific project context)
    ↓ overrides
Final Agent Context

| Layer | Scope | Purpose | Override Behavior | |-------|-------|---------|-------------------| | Global | All sessions | Universal patterns, identity, covenant | Foundation | | Workspace | Multi-project | Shared context across related projects | Extends global | | Project | Single project | Specific constraints, APIs, architecture | Overrides earlier |

Implementation Patterns

Global Steering (~/.kiro/steering/ or ~/.claude/):

markdown
# Global Agent Configuration

## Identity
You are [agent identity template]

## Covenant Principles
[Inherited from covenant-patterns skill]

## Universal Patterns
- Assumption-hostile design
- Explicit context management
- Work preservation by default

Workspace Steering (workspace-level config):

markdown
# Workspace: [Name]

## Shared Context
- Common APIs across projects
- Shared terminology
- Cross-project dependencies

## Workspace Conventions
- File organization patterns
- Testing requirements
- Documentation standards

Project Steering (project-specific):

markdown
# Project: [Name]

## Architecture
[Project-specific architecture]

## Constraints
[Project-specific constraints]

## APIs
[Project-specific interfaces]

Hierarchy Resolution

Later layers override earlier, but inheritance is preserved:

python
def resolve_steering(project_path):
    """Resolve steering hierarchy for project."""

    context = {}

    # 1. Global steering (foundation)
    global_steering = load_steering("~/.kiro/steering/")
    context.update(global_steering)

    # 2. Workspace steering (extends)
    workspace = find_workspace(project_path)
    if workspace:
        workspace_steering = load_steering(workspace / ".kiro/steering/")
        context.update(workspace_steering)  # Extends global

    # 3. Project steering (overrides)
    project_steering = load_steering(project_path / ".kiro/steering/")
    context.update(project_steering)  # Overrides earlier

    return context

The 3-Phase Spec Process

Phase Structure

Specs prevent scope creep through structured development:

Phase 1: Design
├── Architecture decisions
├── Approach selection
└── High-level structure
    ↓ locks design decisions
Phase 2: Requirements
├── Concrete specifications
├── Constraints definition
└── Interface contracts
    ↓ locks requirements
Phase 3: Tasks
├── Implementation breakdown
├── Execution order
└── Completion criteria

Phase Boundaries

Critical: Once a phase completes, its decisions are locked. Do not reopen Design decisions in Tasks phase (Decision Integrity principle).

Phase 1: Design

markdown
## Design: [Feature Name]

### Problem Statement
[What problem are we solving?]

### Approach
[How will we solve it?]

### Architecture
[High-level structure]

### Decisions
- [ ] Decision 1: [Choice made]
- [ ] Decision 2: [Choice made]

### Non-Goals
[What we're explicitly NOT doing]

Phase 2: Requirements

markdown
## Requirements: [Feature Name]

### Functional Requirements
- REQ-001: [Requirement]
- REQ-002: [Requirement]

### Constraints
- CON-001: [Constraint]

### Interfaces
- API: [Interface definition]

### Acceptance Criteria
- [ ] Criterion 1
- [ ] Criterion 2

Phase 3: Tasks

markdown
## Tasks: [Feature Name]

### Implementation Order
1. [ ] Task 1: [Description]
2. [ ] Task 2: [Description]
3. [ ] Task 3: [Description]

### Completion Criteria
- [ ] All tests passing
- [ ] Documentation updated
- [ ] Review completed

Spec Workflow

python
def execute_spec(spec_path):
    """Execute 3-phase spec workflow."""

    spec = load_spec(spec_path)

    # Phase 1: Design
    if spec.phase == "design":
        design = gather_design_decisions(spec)
        spec.lock_design(design)
        spec.advance_to("requirements")

    # Phase 2: Requirements
    elif spec.phase == "requirements":
        requirements = define_requirements(spec)
        spec.lock_requirements(requirements)
        spec.advance_to("tasks")

    # Phase 3: Tasks
    elif spec.phase == "tasks":
        for task in spec.tasks:
            execute_task(task)
            task.mark_complete()
        spec.mark_complete()

    return spec

Context Assembly

Progressive Disclosure

Context is assembled progressively, not dumped wholesale:

Turn 0: Minimal context (identity + task)
    ↓ agent requests more
Turn 1: Relevant context (task-specific files)
    ↓ agent requests more
Turn 2: Extended context (related systems)
    ↓ agent requests more
Turn N: Full context (only if needed)

Assembly Patterns

Explicit Boundaries:

markdown
<!-- Context boundary: Do not assume knowledge beyond this point -->

## Known Context
- File X exists at path Y
- API Z is available
- Dependency W is installed

## Unknown Context (must query)
- User preferences
- Runtime state
- External service status

Attention-Favored Positions:

python
def assemble_context(task, agent):
    """Assemble context with attention optimization."""

    sections = []

    # Critical information at START (high attention)
    sections.append(format_critical(task.constraints))

    # Background information in MIDDLE (lower attention)
    sections.append(format_background(task.context))

    # Key reminders at END (recency boost)
    sections.append(format_reminders(task.covenant_principles))

    return join_sections(sections)

Context Engineering Findings

From archived context skills—empirical patterns that apply to agent steering:

Token Allocation (from context-optimization):

• First 20% of context gets highest attention
• Last 10% gets recency boost
• Middle 70% is "attention valley"
• Place critical constraints at start AND end

Degradation Thresholds (from context-degradation): | Context Length | Performance | Recommendation | |---------------|-------------|----------------| | <50K tokens | Optimal | Full steering | | 50-100K tokens | Good | Selective steering | | 100-200K tokens | Degraded | Minimal steering | | >200K tokens | Unreliable | Retrieval-based |

Compression Strategies (from context-compression):

• Summarize completed work before context grows
• Use retrieval over replay for history
• Checkpoint state at decision boundaries

Slice Architecture

Modular Identity

Slice markers enable modular composition of agent identity:

markdown
<!-- slice:agent=kiro -->
Identity template for Kiro persona
Specific behaviors and constraints
<!-- /slice -->

<!-- slice:agent=claude -->
Identity template for Claude Code persona
Different emphasis, same underlying patterns
<!-- /slice -->

<!-- slice:agent=codex -->
Identity template for Codex persona
Documentation-focused adaptation
<!-- /slice -->

Slice Extraction

Workshop recipes extract slices for deployment:

yaml
# Recipe: Deploy Kiro steering
name: kiro-steering
sources:
  - slice: agent=kiro
    file: agents/agent-roles.md
  - file: agents/steering-global-operator.md
  - file: agents/steering-global-principles.md
target_locations:
  - path: ~/.kiro/steering/agent.md
template: |
  # Kiro Agent Configuration
  {content}

Platform Adaptation

Same patterns, different deployment:

| Pattern | Kiro | Claude Code | Codex | |---------|------|-------------|-------| | Steering | .kiro/steering/ | CLAUDE.md | Project docs | | Specs | Native spec system | Markdown files | Inline docs | | Identity | agent.md | Global config | System prompt | | Hooks | Native hooks | N/A | N/A | | MCP | Full support | Limited | N/A |

Covenant Integration

Principle Application

Agent steering embodies covenant principles:

Bespokedness:

• Configure for THIS operator's workflow
• No generic "best practices" that don't serve actual needs

Decision Integrity:

• Spec phases lock decisions
• No reopening Design in Tasks

Context Hygiene:

• Steering is layered, not monolithic
• Progressive disclosure, not context stuffing

Data Fidelity:

• Agent can't invent user preferences
• Must query or ask for unknown context

Fast-Fail:

• Check MCP servers at startup
• Validate steering files before session

Validation Pattern

python
def validate_steering(steering_config):
    """Validate steering against covenant."""

    violations = []

    # Context Hygiene: No monolithic config
    if steering_config.size > MAX_STEERING_SIZE:
        violations.append("Steering too large—split into layers")

    # Data Fidelity: No presumed preferences
    if steering_config.has_presumed_preferences():
        violations.append("Preferences must be explicit, not presumed")

    # Bespokedness: No generic patterns
    if steering_config.uses_generic_templates():
        violations.append("Steering should be operator-specific")

    if violations:
        raise SteeringValidationError(violations)

    return True

Platform-Specific Patterns

Kiro

Full feature support including hooks and MCP:

markdown
# Kiro Steering

## Hooks
- Persona switching on context
- Documentation consistency checking
- Covenant principle reminders

## MCP Integration
- Task management server
- Web fetch capabilities
- Custom tool servers

Claude Code

Markdown-based steering via CLAUDE.md:

markdown
# CLAUDE.md

## Identity
[Agent identity template]

## Project Context
[Project-specific constraints]

## Covenant
[Principle reminders]

Codex

Documentation-integrated steering:

markdown
# AGENTS.md (Codex)

## Agent Configuration
[Codex-specific patterns]

## Project Documentation
[Integrated with docs]

Quality Gates

Pre-Configuration

• ] Steering hierarchy defined (Global → Workspace → Project)
• ] Spec phases identified for current work
• ] Context boundaries explicit
• ] Covenant principles applicable to configuration

Post-Configuration

• ] Steering validates against covenant
• ] No presumed preferences or context
• ] Progressive disclosure enabled
• ] Decision boundaries respected

Related Skills

• covenant-patterns — Principles that steering enforces
• epistemic-rendering — Cognitive lenses for different agent modes
• recipe-assembly — Slice extraction for steering deployment
• multi-agent-coordination — Multi-agent steering patterns

"Agents fail through presumption. Explicit context prevents presumptive behavior." 🧭