Research log / RL-008

RL-008 Host-owned bounded checklists

Evidence grade BC

Field Value
Date 2026-09-12
Harness version 2026-09-12-checklists-9
Models configured local model (disposable test)
Evidence grade B (one before/after live pair) + C (10 regression tests)
Pre-registered no (backfilled 2026-09-13)
Source record PLANNING.md

Observation

Compound requests collapsed into a single action. Live, disposable database: "Save two separate notes: one containing alpha and one containing beta" wrote one combined note.

Hypotheses (reconstructed)

Intervention

src/agent/RunChecklist.ts: up to four actions; states owned by the host; the model proposes actions, never completion. Planning only for explicit compound phrasing ("two/three/four separate", "and then"). One continuation chance after a premature final reply. Cached duplicate calls cannot complete another item.

Method

Same request, same disposable setup, before and after. Ten regression tests (multi-action, early finals, duplicate replay, bounds, invalid plans, simple-call cost, approvals, failed state). scripts/check-checklist.mjs for rendering.

Results

Condition Notes written n
Without pre-planning 1 (combined) 1
With pre-planning 2 (distinct, each confirmed) 1

Threats to validity

n = 1; one phrasing; compound detection covers a narrow set of sentences.

Conclusion

H1 supported at grade B for the reproduced case only.

Follow-ups

Repeat across phrasings and models; measure planning-call cost.

Reproduce

npm test
npx electron scripts/check-checklist.mjs