Agent Roles
Who Does What in a Multi-Agent System
Clear roles prevent chaos. Define how agents specialize, how humans guide them, and where handoffs create leverage.
Strategist
Frames intent, defines constraints, and sets success metrics.
Planner
Breaks intent into steps, sequences tasks, and allocates tools.
Operator
Executes tasks, runs tools, and delivers outputs quickly.
Reviewer
Checks quality, risk, and alignment with human goals.
Archivist
Maintains memory, context, and reusable knowledge assets.
Role clarity prevents system drift
Multi-agent systems fail when ownership is vague. If the Strategist sets intent but the Planner changes scope, the Operator will execute the wrong work and the Reviewer will spend time correcting direction. Clear roles reduce the cost of alignment by naming who decides, who acts, and who validates.
Use roles to describe responsibility, not personality. The Planner can be deterministic and structured, while the Operator can be rapid and exploratory, but both should be evaluated by their outputs. When you document these outputs, you can swap agents or tools without rewriting the entire workflow.
A practical test: after each project, ask which role was overloaded or unclear. If the Reviewer is doing planning, or the Strategist is editing content, the system needs better separation. Adjusting roles early saves time and improves quality.
Document role ownership inside your playbooks so new team members and agents can follow the same map without retraining.