# Task Coordination Strategies

Decompose complex tasks, design dependency graphs, and coordinate multi-agent work with...

- Repository: https://github.com/wshobson/agents (42077 stars)
- Category: Design
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-10-30
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add wshobson/agents --skill task-coordination-strategies -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add wshobson/agents --skill task-coordination-strategies -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add wshobson/agents --skill task-coordination-strategies -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add wshobson/agents --skill task-coordination-strategies -g -a gemini-cli -y`
Claude Code plugin marketplace: `/plugin marketplace add wshobson/agents`

## Description

Decompose complex tasks, design dependency graphs, and coordinate multi-agent work with proper task descriptions and workload balancing. Use this skill when breaking down work for agent teams, managing task dependencies, or monitoring team progress.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Task Coordination Strategies

Strategies for decomposing complex tasks into parallelizable units, designing dependency graphs, writing effective task descriptions, and monitoring workload across agent teams.

## When to Use This Skill

- Breaking down a complex task for parallel execution
- Designing task dependency relationships (blockedBy/blocks)
- Writing task descriptions with clear acceptance criteria
- Monitoring and rebalancing workload across teammates
- Identifying the critical path in a multi-task workflow

## Task Decomposition Strategies

### By Layer

Split work by architectural layer:

- Frontend components
- Backend API endpoints
- Database migrations/models
- Test suites

**Best for**: Full-stack features, vertical slices

### By Component

Split work by functional component:

- Authentication module
- User profile module
- Notification module

**Best for**: Microservices, modular architectures

### By Concern

Split work by cross-cutting concern:

- Security review
- Performance review
- Architecture review

**Best for**: Code reviews, audits

### By File Ownership

Split work by file/directory boundaries:

- `src/components/`, Implementer 1
- `src/api/`, Implementer 2
- `src/utils/`, Implementer 3

**Best for**: Parallel implementation, conflict avoidance

## Dependency Graph Design

### Principles

1. **Minimize chain depth**, Prefer wide, shallow graphs over deep chains
2. **Identify the critical path**, The longest chain determines minimum completion time
3. **Use blockedBy sparingly**, Only add dependencies that are truly required
4. **Avoid circular dependencies**, Task A blocks B blocks A is a deadlock

### Patterns

**Independent (Best parallelism)**:

```
Task A ─┐
Task B ─┼─→ Integration
Task C ─┘
```

**Sequential (Necessary dependencies)**:

```
Task A → Task B → Task C
```

**Diamond (Mixed)**:

```
        ┌→ Task B ─┐
Task A ─┤          ├→ Task D
        └→ Task C ─┘
```

### Using blockedBy/blocks

The rest: https://github.com/wshobson/agents/blob/HEAD/plugins/agent-teams/skills/task-coordination-strategies/SKILL.md