Milestones and definitions of done

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AI agents: read the complete documentation index. Append .md to any docs URL for its Markdown version.

A milestone is a unit of work toward a goal. It has an objective and a definition of done. Chief's interface also calls milestones tasks. Agents execute these tasks through the relay; manager tasks are the separate requests that need you.

Review a proposal

Open Tasks in your project and read a Proposed card. Check the title and summary; open Details, when present, for the definition of done. Confirm the intended scope, agent and dependencies before approval.

Go approves a task that can start now.
Queue approves work that must wait for unfinished dependencies.
Revise asks Chief to change the proposal through chat.
No declines a proposal.
Approve all approves multiple proposals. Review their combined scope first.

A proposal waiting on an open manager task cannot start until that request is resolved or dismissed. A blocked dependency also needs attention. Read the waiting message rather than repeatedly approving.

Write a definition of done

A definition of done says what must be true for a task to be complete. Use observable results and required checks. For example:

Objective: clarify local setup in the README.
Done means:
1. The README lists the current install and startup commands from this repo.
2. It describes the required local services and where to open the app.
3. Every linked local file exists and relevant documentation checks pass.
Scope: documentation only; do not change deployment settings.

For non-code work, name the artifact and review criteria: for example, a written inbox-triage plan with explicit categories and questions for your approval. Chief's ability to access an inbox or calendar depends on the agent's own configured tools and permissions; setting a goal alone does not connect an account.

Ask for a revision when the completion criteria are vague, the work is too broad, or a missing decision should come first. Use manager tasks for decisions and manual actions.

Follow execution and review

Keep the relay running and the computer awake. Expand the active card and open View log when available to see agent output. When execution finishes, Chief reviews the result. Read the completed task in History, compare its summary with the definition of done, and inspect the resulting files or artifact.

Expected result: the task reaches Done with a result explaining the work. Activity records project events; Summaries provide a broader progress report.

Understand waiting and failed states

State	What to do
Proposed	Review and approve, revise, or decline the work.
Queued	Read the dependency list and wait for prerequisite work.
In progress	Keep the relay online and use the task log to follow work.
Blocked	Read the reported blocker and resolve the dependency or manager request.
Failed	Read the error, fix its cause, then use Retry or Revise as appropriate.
Done	Read the result and verify the definition of done.

Use Troubleshooting for recovery controls and their consequences. To let Chief approve eligible proposals itself, see Auto mode. To authorize the same bounded work for a future time or cadence, see Schedules.