Design 8: Multi-agent system

Overview

Several specialized model-driven components cooperate under a controlled coordinator. Each has a measurable task and narrow context.

Why this matters

Independent specialties can need separate data/tools or parallel execution.

An everyday example

Specialists submit reports to a case manager.

A technical example

Policy evidence worker and document-completeness worker return typed results.

How it works

1. Partition tasks
2. Apply scopes
3. Execute within shared budget
4. Validate reports
5. Resolve conflicts
6. Summarize.

Architecture and flow

Coordinator → scoped specialists → consistency check → final output.

The insurance assistant example

Prepare a staff claim review packet.

When to use it

Proven benefits from separate responsibilities.

When to avoid it

One competent model plus functions may be cheaper and clearer.

Interview answer

“I justify multiple agents with measured specialization benefits and explicit coordination, permissions, and budget contracts.”

Benefits, trade-offs, and production considerations

Limit delegation depth, propagate traces, avoid full-history sharing, and do not treat model agreement as factual verification.