Compendium · Compositions · Hat Orchestration

Hat Orchestration

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Featured 14 Atoms 762 Compositions 240

№ 1341

Four-Hat Overview

Scene STA do

Hats, not titles 4 roles · worn by moment

Four hats.
Worn — not held.

A hat is a role you wield at a specific moment. The same person can wear all four; an enterprise can spread them across four sub-teams. The work doesn't change — only who is wearing what.

Intent Architect Hat 1/4

Pillar DO

Responsibility: Owns the spec. Decides what we are building and why before any code is generated.
Worn: When a problem is framed but the artefact is not.

Composition Lead Hat 2/4

Pillar CO

Responsibility: Directs AI labour. Translates spec into prompts, harnesses, and verification gates.
Worn: When the spec is sealed and the build is live.

Flow Steward Hat 3/4

Pillar DE

Responsibility: Keeps convergence honest. Small batches, fast feedback, no merge backlog.
Worn: Between merge and customer reach.

Governor Hat 4/4

Pillar GO

Responsibility: Holds the boundaries. Signs, waives, or kills. Evidence-bound, not relationship-bound.
Worn: At every gate. Especially the ones that look routine.

№ 1342

Solo Developer Hat-Swap Timeline

Scene STA co

Solo · one carrier 8 hat-swaps in 9h

@author wears all four — in turn.

2026-05-21

Time on hat 8 moments

Intent Architect

2 / 8

Composition Lead

2 / 8

Flow Steward

2 / 8

Governor

2 / 8

08:30 IA · Intent Architect

Frame the day’s problem

→ SPEC-204 v0.1 draft
09:15 GV · Governor

Self-review the spec, check threats

→ Acceptance criteria sealed
09:45 CL · Composition Lead

Prompt the agent, set verification

→ PR #1182 opened, build green
11:00 FS · Flow Steward

Smoke test in staging, watch metrics

→ Convergence telemetry +0.4 ICS
13:30 CL · Composition Lead

Second loop — negative criteria

→ PR #1183 opened
15:00 GV · Governor

External eyes on the PR (peer ping)

→ Two-person rule waiver logged
16:30 FS · Flow Steward

Ship to canary, watch drift

→ Customer-reaching in 12 min
17:45 IA · Intent Architect

Capture lessons for tomorrow’s spec

→ AAR note appended

№ 1343

Small Team Hat Distribution

Scene STA co

Team size 3-10 Soft assignments

Every hat has a primary and a secondary.

No one carries a hat alone. No hat goes uncarried. Overlap is the safety net.

Role	IA	CL	FS	GV
@author-a	PRIMARY	SECOND	·	LEARN
@author-b	SECOND	PRIMARY	LEARN	·
@author-c	LEARN	SECOND	PRIMARY	·
@governor	·	·	SECOND	PRIMARY
@gatekeeper	LEARN	·	·	SECOND
@steward	·	LEARN	SECOND	LEARN
coverage	1P · 1S · 2L	1P · 2S · 1L	1P · 2S · 1L	1P · 1S · 2L

Primary — owns the hat in this moment Secondary — backup, can sub in Learning — apprenticing into the hat

№ 1344

Larger Team Hat Specialisation

Scene STA co

Team size 10+ 14 roles · 4 columns

Hats become careers. Duties stay rotational.

DO · spec ownership

Intent Architect

@author-pm-a primary
@author-pm-b primary
@author-staff primary
@author-domain primary

CO · agent direction

Composition Lead

@tech-lead-a primary
@tech-lead-b primary
@platform-eng primary
@ai-eng primary

DE · convergence

Flow Steward

@steward-a primary
@release-eng primary
@steward-b primary

GO · gates

Governor

@governor-prime primary
@gatekeeper-sec primary
@gatekeeper-rel primary

Weekly rotation — on-call hats 3-week cadence

Week	IA	CL	FS	GV
Wk 18	@author-pm-a	@tech-lead-a	@steward-a	@governor-prime
Wk 19	@author-pm-b	@tech-lead-b	@release-eng	@gatekeeper-sec
Wk 20	@author-staff	@platform-eng	@steward-b	@gatekeeper-rel

№ 1345

Enterprise Hat Orchestration

Scene STA go

Enterprise · 42 carriers 4 sub-teams · 1 protocol

Hats become org-charts. Arrows become contracts.

Sub-team · IA

Intent Architect

Carriers

Lead: @spec-guild-lead
Intake: Customer signal, OKRs
Output: Sealed specs → CL

Sub-team · CL

Composition Lead

Carriers

Lead: @platform-eng-lead
Intake: Sealed specs
Output: Built artefacts → FS

Sub-team · FS

Flow Steward

Carriers

Lead: @release-eng-lead
Intake: Built artefacts
Output: Customer-reaching → GV

Sub-team · GV

Governor

Carriers

Lead: @chief-governor
Intake: Evidence at every gate
Output: Sign / waive / kill → IA

IA CL

sealed spec + acceptance + threats
CL FS

green build + verification trace
FS GV

convergence telemetry + drift
GV IA

sign / waive / kill + lessons

№ 1346

Intent Architect Handbook

Scene STA do

DO · Intent Architect

Spec is the artefact. Everything else is a derivative.

Handbook · v1

Practices

What to do while wearing the hat

01 Write the spec before the code — every time.
02 Name the negative criteria (what it must NOT do).
03 Capture failure modes alongside acceptance.
04 Link upstream signal — issue, conversation, customer.
05 Version the spec — v0.1 draft, v1.0 sealed.

Signals

What tells you the hat is working

01 Spec compiles to ICS ≥ 60 without coaching.
02 AI agent does not need clarification on first run.
03 Acceptance criteria translate 1:1 to test cases.
04 Threats are enumerable, not vague.
05 Reviewers can quote the spec in their comments.

Gotchas

How the hat fails — watch for these

01 Writing implementation language ("call /api/x").
02 Skipping the failure-modes section "to save time".
03 Approving your own spec without external eyes.
04 Letting deadline pressure shrink acceptance count.
05 Treating "negative criteria" as optional.

№ 1347

Composition Lead Handbook

Scene STA co

CO · Composition Lead

Humans architect. AI labours. The hat directs.

Handbook · v1

Practices

What to do while wearing the hat

01 Read the sealed spec verbatim — no paraphrasing.
02 Pin model + tools + harness; record the trio.
03 Add verification gates before agent ever runs.
04 Capture prompt + output diff in the PR.
05 Re-prompt over editing — escalate only if both fail.

Signals

What tells you the hat is working

01 First-pass build green on ≥ 70% of specs.
02 Verification trace is reviewable, not opaque.
03 Agent edits track 1:1 to acceptance criteria.
04 Token spend trends down per shipped artefact.
05 Human edits to AI output stay under 10% lines.

Gotchas

How the hat fails — watch for these

01 Editing what should have been re-prompted.
02 "Just fix it in code" — invisibly drifting the spec.
03 Trusting a green build without verification trace.
04 Stacking prompts so context becomes incoherent.
05 Auto-merging when CL and IA hats are the same person.

№ 1348

Flow Steward Handbook

Scene STA de

DE · Flow Steward

Convergence is honest only when it's continuous.

Handbook · v1

Practices

What to do while wearing the hat

01 Ship in batches of one — never bundle to "save".
02 Watch convergence telemetry, not vanity metrics.
03 Roll forward when safe, roll back when drift trips.
04 Keep the canary cohort live and observable.
05 Surface flow blockers within an hour of detection.

Signals

What tells you the hat is working

01 Lead time from merge to customer < 30 min p95.
02 Drift detector trips < 5% of deploys.
03 No PR waits in queue longer than its build time.
04 AAR / GTR ratio trending toward green.
05 Rollback is a routine event, not a crisis.

Gotchas

How the hat fails — watch for these

01 Letting "release pressure" silence drift signals.
02 Bundling small batches into a "release train".
03 Treating canary as ceremony — no real cohort.
04 Hiding rollbacks to keep dashboards green.
05 Talking to GV only when something explodes.

№ 1349

Governor Handbook

Scene STA go

GO · Governor

Autonomy is the gift. The gate is the boundary.

Handbook · v1

Practices

What to do while wearing the hat

01 Cite evidence in every sign / waive / kill.
02 Time-box waivers — every waiver needs an expiry.
03 Refuse same-person sign-off — escalate or recuse.
04 Log decisions to the audit ledger immediately.
05 Review threats before acceptance, not after.

Signals

What tells you the hat is working

01 Waiver expiry rate < 5% (most converted, not lapsed).
02 Audit ledger queryable, no missing decisions.
03 Reviewers cite spec sections, not personal taste.
04 Kill events drop over time as upstream tightens.
05 Same-person sign-offs at zero for the quarter.

Gotchas

How the hat fails — watch for these

01 Signing because the relationship is warm.
02 Letting the same person hold CL and GV on a PR.
03 Vague waivers without an evidence pointer.
04 Permanent waivers ("temporary" for 9 months).
05 Allowing post-hoc retroactive sign-offs.

№ 1350

Hat Conflict Mitigation Matrix

Scene STA go

Two-hat collision risk 4x4 · with mitigations

When two hats land on one head — and what to do.

also wearing →	IA	CL	FS	GV
IA	·	LOW	LOW	HIGH External validation — never self-judge own spec.
CL	LOW	·	MED Insert verification trace before steward signs flow.	HIGH Temporal separation — different day for build vs sign.
FS	LOW	MED Surface drift telemetry to a second pair of eyes.	·	HIGH Evidence override — pressure cannot bend the gate.
GV	HIGH External validation — never self-judge own spec.	HIGH Temporal separation — different day for build vs sign.	HIGH Evidence override — pressure cannot bend the gate.	·

Low — pairing is normal, no mitigation needed Med — observable mitigation required High — structural mitigation required

№ 1351

Composition Lead × Governor Conflict

Scene STA go

CL × GV · high risk

If you built it, you can't be the one who signs it.

When build-hat and gate-hat are the same person on the same spec, the gate ceases to exist. Temporal separation makes it real again.

Broken · same-spec sign-off verdict · CORRUPT

@author wearing CL

Prompts agent, opens PR, build green.

10:47
→
@author wearing GV

Reviews own PR, signs it, merges.

10:48

Failure — the carrier evaluates their own work under one minute. No external evidence. Gate is decorative.

Mitigated · temporal separation verdict · SAFE

@author wearing CL

Build complete. Hat off. Walks away.

10:47 · day 1
+ 20 h elapsed
@peer-reviewer

External pair of eyes. Comments captured in ledger.

08:14 · day 2
→
@author wearing GV

Re-reads spec cold. Cites peer review. Signs.

08:42 · day 2

№ 1352

Intent Architect × Governor Conflict

Scene STA do

IA × GV · high risk

You can't judge your own intent.

The author always thinks the spec is clear. External validation is the only way to find out otherwise.

Broken · self-judgement verdict · CORRUPT

@author wearing IA

Drafts spec. Captures intent. Lists acceptance.
→
@author wearing GV

Reads own draft. Finds it clear. Seals it.

Failure — the author's tacit knowledge fills in the gaps the spec leaves. The agent will not.

Mitigated · external validation verdict · SAFE

@author wearing IA

Drafts. Submits for external validation.
→
@peer-validator

Restates each AC. Flags 2 hidden assumptions.
→
@author · IA again

Adds the 2 missing ACs. v1.1.
→
@governor

Seals on the validated, revised spec.

№ 1353

Flow Steward × Governor Under Pressure

Scene STA de

FS × GV · pressure-amplified

The same person, three pressures, three failures.

Evidence-bound governance has to survive the bad day, not the good one.

Routine SAFE

pressure

Scenario: Normal day. Drift trip on a canary cohort.
Decision: Rolls back. Files AAR.
Consequence: No customer reach. Evidence honoured.

Heated COMPROMISED

pressure

Scenario: Launch week. Same drift signal, harder schedule.
Decision: "Watch it for an hour" — sign with verbal waiver.
Consequence: Customers reach a flaky build. Tomorrow’s incident lurks.

Crisis CORRUPT

pressure

Scenario: Board demo at 09:00. Drift trips at 08:42.
Decision: Self-overrides. Says nothing. Ships.
Consequence: Demo passes. Customer learns of failure first.

№ 1354

Hat Coverage Sprint Heatmap

Scene STA co

Sprint heatmap 10 working days · 4 hats

Who held which hat — across the sprint.

Hat / Day	Mon d1	Tue d2	Wed d3	Thu d4	Fri d5	Mon d6	Tue d7	Wed d8	Thu d9	Fri d10
Intent Arch.	author-a	author-a	author-b	author-b	author-a	author-c	author-c	author-a	author-b	author-b
Comp. Lead	lead-a	lead-a	lead-a	lead-b	lead-b	lead-a	lead-a	lead-b	lead-a	lead-a
Flow Steward	steward-a	steward-a	steward-b	steward-b	steward-a	steward-b	steward-a	steward-a	steward-b	steward-a
Governor	governor	governor	governor	gatekeeper	governor	governor	gatekeeper	governor	governor	governor

№ 1355

Hat Handoff Protocol Card

Scene STA co

Handoff protocol v1 · 4 handoffs

A hat hands off an artefact, not a feeling.

IA CL

Payload

Sealed spec + threat model + acceptance criteria

Format

Markdown · YAML frontmatter (id, version, status: sealed)

Acceptance check

CL refuses if status ≠ sealed or threat section missing.
CL FS

Payload

Built artefact + verification trace + agent prompt log

Format

PR with passing CI + linked verification artefact

Acceptance check

FS refuses if any acceptance criterion lacks a passing test.
FS GV

Payload

Convergence telemetry + drift report + customer-reach signal

Format

Dashboard link + 7-day telemetry CSV + canary cohort proof

Acceptance check

GV refuses if drift > threshold or canary cohort < spec.
GV IA

Payload

Sign / waive / kill + lessons + spec deltas requested

Format

Audit ledger entry + signed AAR + delta list

Acceptance check

IA refuses next-cycle spec without prior cycle ledger entry.

№ 1356

Hat Accountability Ledger

Scene STA go

Hat Accountability Ledger SPEC-204 · lifecycle

12 entries

Timestamp	Hat	Carrier	Decision	Evidence ref
05-18 08:14	IA	@author-a	SPEC Drafted v0.1	SPEC-204@a8f1
05-18 11:02	IA	@peer-b	SPEC Validated, 2 ACs added	SPEC-204@c2e9
05-18 14:30	GV	@governor	SIGN Sealed v1.0	AUD-1001
05-19 09:01	CL	@lead-a	BUILD Agent prompt + harness pinned	PR-1182
05-19 11:47	CL	@lead-a	BUILD Build green, verification passed	PR-1182@v3
05-19 13:51	GV	@gatekeeper	WAIVE Two-person rule waiver · 24h	AUD-1002
05-19 14:08	FS	@steward-a	SHIP Canary cohort 5%	REL-447
05-19 14:42	FS	@steward-a	KILL Drift threshold · auto-revert	INC-1842
05-19 15:30	GV	@governor	SIGN Rollback exception authorised	AUD-1003
05-19 17:45	IA	@author-a	SPEC AAR captured, v1.1 delta filed	SPEC-204@d8
05-20 08:42	GV	@governor	SIGN v1.1 sealed for re-run	AUD-1004
05-20 14:18	FS	@steward-b	SHIP Customer reach · drift normal	REL-448

— Full detail →

—

// source

Alpha · Honest about it

The framework is real.
The community is forming now.

DoCoDeGo is in Alpha. The framework is documented, the practices are battle-tested at small scale, and the next release is being shaped in public.

If it produces anything, it should produce engineers and teams who think more clearly about what they are building and why.

Two doors in

Join the Discord

Discord is where specs are debated, the framework gets sharper, and decisions land in writing. The conversation is the artefact.

Hat Orchestration

The framework is real.The community is forming now.

The framework is real.
The community is forming now.