aoa-approval-gate-check

Intent

Use this skill to determine whether a task crosses an approval boundary and what should happen before any execution proceeds.

Trigger boundary

Use this skill when:

• a task may be destructive, operationally sensitive, or security-relevant
• the current authority level is unclear
• the agent needs to classify whether the next step is safe, explicit-only, or out of bounds

Do not use this skill when:

• the task is clearly low-risk and already bounded by an ordinary workflow
• no meaningful approval boundary exists in the current context
• the authority is already clear and the main need is choosing a preview path before execution; use aoa-dry-run-first
• the task is only about preparing a public-safe artifact for sharing; use aoa-sanitized-share

Inputs

• requested action
• touched surfaces
• known approval state
• risk signals
• possible fallback or inspect-only path

Outputs

• classification of the action: safe to proceed, explicit approval required, or do not execute
• note on whether explicit approval is needed
• bounded next-step recommendation
• report of unresolved authority assumptions

Procedure

1. identify the requested action and touched surfaces
2. assess whether the action could be destructive, sensitive, or authority-gated
3. classify the action as safe to proceed, explicit-approval required, or not appropriate to execute
4. prefer inspect-only or bounded alternatives when authority is insufficient
5. report the classification and the reason for it

Contracts

• unclear authority should not be silently interpreted as permission
• classification should be explicit and reviewable
• safer bounded alternatives should be preferred when possible
• the result should reduce accidental overreach

Risks and anti-patterns

• assuming approval because a task sounds routine
• collapsing several risk levels into a single vague warning
• using approval logic to avoid useful bounded analysis
• hiding destructive steps behind innocent labels

Verification

• confirm the touched surfaces were identified
• confirm the approval need was classified explicitly rather than as a vague warning
• confirm the next step fits the stated authority level
• confirm uncertainty was not masked as permission

Technique traceability

Manifest-backed techniques:

• AOA-T-PENDING-APPROVAL-GATE-CHECK from 8Dionysus/aoa-techniques at TBD using path TBD and sections: Intent, When to use, Inputs, Outputs, Core procedure, Contracts, Risks, Validation

Adaptation points

Future project overlays may add:

• local authority models
• local risk categories
• approval examples
• repository-specific explicit-only rules