Make Bad Output Hard

AGENT-MAKE-BAD-OUTPUT-HARD

Summary

Turn recurring bad agent output into scripts, templates, lint, or checks that fail fast. Mechanical enforcement lowers review cost more reliably than repeated prompt reminders.

Rule

Make bad output mechanically hard.

Why

Repeated prompt reminders are weaker than a repo that rejects bad output mechanically. If agents keep producing stale generated files, unformatted docs, invalid rule IDs, or missing validation notes, add a script, template, lint, or check that makes the bad path fail fast.

Helps

  • Turns recurring review feedback into enforcement and lowers the cost of good output.

Limits

Do not add tools that are heavier than the failure they catch. Prefer simple checks before complex automation.

Agent Instruction

Make bad output mechanically hard because repeated prompt reminders are weaker than a repo that rejects
bad output mechanically.

Mechanisms

Supported by generators, lint rules, schema checks, preflight scripts, CI jobs, templates, and audit commands such as scripts/audit_guidance.py.

References