Scope Discipline in Autonomous Work

Rule

Complete the stated objective before pursuing tangential improvements, no matter how tempting.

Context

During autonomous sessions when you discover improvements adjacent to your current task.

Detection

Observable signals of scope creep:

• "While fixing X, I noticed Y could be improved..."
• Editing files unrelated to the current task
• Session time expanding beyond the original objective
• Multiple unrelated changes in a single commit
• Journal entries covering 5+ unrelated topics

Pattern

1. Write down current objective before starting
2. When you notice something else:
   - File it as a task or issue (2 min)
   - Do NOT start working on it
3. Return to original objective
4. Only after completing objective: review discovered tasks
5. If time remains: pick ONE from the list

# Exception: If the tangential issue BLOCKS your current work,
# fix only the minimum needed to unblock, then return.

Outcome

Following this pattern leads to:

• Completed work: Objectives finish instead of half-done
• Clean commits: Each commit has a single purpose
• Task capture: Good ideas don't get lost (they become tasks)
• Predictable sessions: The operator knows what to expect from each run

Related

• Escalation vs Autonomy - When to proceed vs escalate
• Session Ending Protocol - Clean session handoff