Orchestration Contracts: Simple SLAs for Multi‑Agent Workflows

Core insight: when you compose multiple agents and people, explicit, minimal 'orchestration contracts' act as the connective tissue that preserves leverage, limits surprise, and speeds delegation. This episode teaches a compact, repeatable template you can draft in ten minutes and start using immediately. You’ll get three practical pillars—contract semantics (purpose, inputs, outputs), protection patterns (failure modes, throttles, escalation), and observability (signals, acceptance checks, and SLA indicators)—plus a one‑minute checklist to convert a brittle workflow into a contract. The result: faster, safer delegation of decision tasks; clearer accountability; and fewer late‑stage reversals. The episode ends with a concrete action: draft your first contract for a single agentic task using the five‑field template and run a 72‑hour shadow test. Focus: practical, minimal, and operationally decisive for busy executives.