Advanced Council Configurations

Reference guide for specialized Council configurations beyond the defaults.

Apply the evidence brief and synthesis checks in SKILL.md to every configuration. These are presentation and deliberation heuristics for simulated viewpoints, not validated measures of expertise or independent agent protocols.

Domain-Specific Councils

Startup Decisions

Members: Strategist, Pragmatist, Contrarian, Futurist, Empiricist Why this mix: Startups need vision (Futurist) grounded in reality (Pragmatist), challenged by skepticism (Contrarian), backed by data (Empiricist), with competitive awareness (Strategist). Key tension to watch: Futurist vs. Pragmatist — ambition vs. execution capacity.

Technical Architecture

Members: Architect, Minimalist, Empiricist, Outsider, Pragmatist Why this mix: Architecture needs structure (Architect) that's not over-engineered (Minimalist), validated by evidence (Empiricist), challenged by fresh eyes (Outsider), and actually buildable (Pragmatist). Key tension to watch: Architect vs. Minimalist — elegance vs. simplicity.

Hiring / People Decisions

Members: Empath, Strategist, Pragmatist, Ethicist, Historian Why this mix: People decisions need emotional intelligence (Empath), strategic fit (Strategist), practical constraints (Pragmatist), fairness (Ethicist), and pattern recognition (Historian). Key tension to watch: Empath vs. Strategist — caring for the person vs. optimizing for the team.

Creative Direction

Members: Creator, Outsider, Historian, Empiricist, Minimalist Why this mix: Creativity needs divergent thinking (Creator), fresh perspective (Outsider), awareness of what's been done (Historian), audience validation (Empiricist), and restraint (Minimalist). Key tension to watch: Creator vs. Historian — novelty vs. proven patterns.

Crisis Management

Members: Pragmatist, Strategist, Empath, Contrarian, Architect Why this mix: Crisis needs immediate action (Pragmatist), long-term thinking (Strategist), human awareness (Empath), challenge to groupthink (Contrarian), and systemic fix (Architect). Key tension to watch: Pragmatist vs. Architect — quick fix vs. root cause.

Ethical Dilemmas

Members: Ethicist, Contrarian, Empath, Historian, Futurist, Empiricist Why this mix (6 members): Examine values (Ethicist), assumptions (Contrarian), human impact (Empath), precedent (Historian), long-term consequences (Futurist), and evidence (Empiricist). Key tension to watch: Ethicist vs. Futurist — present obligations vs. projected future consequences. Do not treat speculative future benefits as verified facts.

Investment / Financial Decisions

Members: Empiricist, Strategist, Contrarian, Futurist, Pragmatist Why this mix: Money decisions need data (Empiricist), game theory (Strategist), skepticism of hype (Contrarian), trend awareness (Futurist), and execution reality (Pragmatist). Key tension to watch: Futurist vs. Empiricist — future potential vs. present evidence.

Custom Archetype Creation

Users can define custom archetypes for domain-specific councils. When a user defines a custom member, capture:

1. Name: What this archetype is called
2. Lens: The primary frame through which they see everything
3. Signature question: The one question they always ask
4. Blind spot: What they consistently miss
5. Checks: Which other lens or assumption this archetype usefully tests

Example custom archetype:

Name: The Regulator
Lens: Compliance and risk management
Signature question: "What could go wrong legally?"
Blind spot: Can kill innovation with caution
Checks: Whether Creator and Futurist proposals satisfy verified constraints

Scoring the Deliberation

After synthesis, the Council can optionally score the deliberation quality:

CQS Formula: (Diversity × 0.25) + (Tension × 0.30) + (Blind Spot × 0.25) + (Actionability × 0.20)

These scores and weights are optional editorial heuristics, not validated measures of accuracy, expertise, or decision quality. Do not convert CQS or archetype agreement into a probability of correctness.

For example, component ratings of 4, 3, 2, and 5 yield CQS = 3.40. The number is an editing aid, not a passing threshold. If no genuine tension or newly discovered blind spot exists, leave that component and the aggregate unscored instead of inventing one to complete the table. A high score never substitutes for the evidence checks.

Multi-Round Deliberation

For complex questions, enable "Rounds Mode":

Round 1: Initial positions (standard deliberation) Round 2: Each member tests a consequential assumption or unresolved claim from Round 1 against the evidence brief Round 3 (optional): Revise only where a specific new source, corrected inference, or changed constraint warrants it; state that basis Final Synthesis: Incorporates all rounds

Use one additional round by default when a substantive issue remains; stop after at most three total rounds unless the user requests more. Stop earlier when the next round would only restate positions. Preserve unresolved uncertainty instead of seeking unanimity. Extra rounds consume time and context; improved insight or accuracy is not guaranteed. If essential evidence is missing, the next useful step is to obtain it, not to repeat the debate.

Silent Council Mode

Sometimes the user doesn't need the full deliberation output — they just need the synthesis. In "Silent Council" mode:

1. Apply the same evidence and assumption checks
2. Output the Synthesis section with concise supporting reasons
3. If asked for detail, provide a concise summary of the perspectives, evidence, assumptions, and trade-offs.

This shortens the visible response. It does not establish reduced runtime or independent hidden deliberation; do not promise either.