Use this skill to triage a single newly opened, reopened, or `status/needs-triage`-labelled issue in microsoft/apm. Emit one synthesized comment with a triage decision, label set, milestone, and suggested next action.
Scanned 5/27/2026
Install via CLI
Skills Directoryopenskills install microsoft/apm---
name: apm-triage-panel
description: >-
Use this skill to triage a single newly opened, reopened, or
`status/needs-triage`-labelled issue in microsoft/apm. Emit one
synthesized comment with a triage decision, label set, milestone,
and suggested next action.
---
# APM Triage Panel -- Single-Issue Triage Orchestration
The panel is fixed at **3 mandatory specialist lenses + up to 3
conditional lenses + 1 arbiter lens = up to 6 active persona sections
in one triage comment** (3 mandatory + 3 conditional). You play each
lens in turn from inside a single agent loop (progressive-disclosure
skill model -- no sub-agent dispatch). Routing chooses *which* lenses
execute; it never changes which headings appear in the final comment.
This skill mirrors the `apm-review-panel` orchestration shape on
purpose. Same single-comment discipline, same completeness gate, same
persona-pass procedure -- only the personas, the rubric, and the
output template differ.
## Agent roster
| Agent | Persona | Always active? |
|-------|---------|----------------|
| [DevX UX Expert](../../agents/devx-ux-expert.agent.md) | User-Need Reviewer | Yes |
| [Supply Chain Security Expert](../../agents/supply-chain-security-expert.agent.md) | Risk-Surface Reviewer | Yes |
| [APM CEO](../../agents/apm-ceo.agent.md) | Triage Arbiter | Yes (always arbitrates) |
| [OSS Growth Hacker](../../agents/oss-growth-hacker.agent.md) | Contributor-Tone Reviewer | Conditional (see below) |
| [Python Architect](../../agents/python-architect.agent.md) | Architecture Reviewer | Conditional (see below) |
| [Doc Writer](../../agents/doc-writer.agent.md) | Documentation Reviewer | Conditional (see below) |
Skipped by default: CLI Logging Expert, Auth Expert. Triage operates
on issue intent, not on diffs -- those personas are invoked downstream
by `apm-review-panel` once a PR exists.
## Routing topology
```
devx-ux-expert supply-chain-security-expert
\_______________________/
|
| <-- python-architect (conditional; design /
| architecture / new primitive / new schema)
|
| <-- doc-writer (conditional; docs work or
| user-facing change that needs new doc pages)
v
apm-ceo <---- oss-growth-hacker
(final call / arbiter) (conditional; tunes tone
when author is new)
```
- **Specialists raise findings independently** -- no implicit consensus.
- **CEO arbitrates** the theme, milestone, priority, and tone of the
reply. CEO has the final call on the decision rubric.
- **Growth Hacker, Python Architect, and Doc Writer are side-channels**
to the CEO when activated. They never block a specialist finding;
they feed the CEO's arbitration:
- Growth Hacker tunes the comment's tone for first-time and
low-interaction contributors.
- Python Architect flags feasibility and cross-cutting impact, and
pushes the decision toward `status/needs-design` when warranted.
- Doc Writer flags whether docs work is implied and whether the
suggested comment wording is grounded in the user vocabulary used
in the README and guides.
## Conditional panelists
Three personas are conditional: OSS Growth Hacker, Python Architect,
and Doc Writer. Each follows the same shape: an explicit YES/NO
activation rule plus an inactive-reason fallback. Maximum lenses in a
single triage = 6 (3 mandatory + 3 conditional).
### OSS Growth Hacker
Activate `oss-growth-hacker` if either rule below matches.
1. **Fast-path author trigger.** Activate the Growth Hacker lens
immediately when the issue's author meets ANY of:
- GitHub `author_association` is `FIRST_TIME_CONTRIBUTOR`,
`FIRST_TIMER`, or `NONE` against `microsoft/apm`.
- Author has fewer than 3 prior interactions (issues + PRs +
comments) on `microsoft/apm`.
- Issue body explicitly says "first issue", "new to APM", or
similar.
2. **Fallback self-check.** If author signals are ambiguous, answer
this before activating the lens:
> Would the warmth, framing, or pointer-set in the reply meaningfully
> change if I knew this was someone's first interaction with the
> project? Answer YES or NO with one sentence.
> If unsure, answer YES.
Routing rule:
- **YES** -> take the OSS Growth Hacker lens (per the Persona pass
procedure) and capture its tone-tuning findings.
- **NO** -> record `OSS Growth Hacker inactive reason: <one sentence>`
in working notes; do not take the lens.
### Python Architect
Activate `python-architect` if either rule below matches.
1. **Fast-path label / scope trigger.** Activate the Architecture
Reviewer lens immediately when ANY of:
- The issue carries `type/architecture` (current or proposed) or
the `breaking-change` preserved label.
- The issue body proposes a new top-level CLI command, or a schema
change to `apm.yml`, `apm.lock.yaml`, or `apm-policy.yml`.
- The issue body contains keywords indicating cross-module or
cross-file work, a new module, a new pattern, a new contract, or
a new primitive design -- e.g. "refactor", "rearchitect", "new
module", "design", "abstraction", "schema change", "pluggable",
"introduce X pattern".
2. **Fallback self-check.** If the issue is ambiguous, answer this
before activating the lens:
> Does this issue, if accepted as written, require a cross-cutting
> design decision (interface, data model, migration boundary, or
> new primitive) before code can land safely? Answer YES or NO
> with one sentence. If unsure, answer YES.
Routing rule:
- **YES** -> take the Python Architect lens. Capture: feasibility of
the design as proposed, callouts of cross-cutting impact, and
whether the issue should land as `status/needs-design` instead of
`status/accepted`.
- **NO** -> record `Python Architect inactive reason: <one sentence>`
in working notes; do not take the lens.
### Doc Writer
Activate `doc-writer` if either rule below matches.
1. **Fast-path label / scope trigger.** Activate the Documentation
Reviewer lens immediately when ANY of:
- The issue is `type/docs` or carries `area/docs-site` (current or
proposed).
- The issue body proposes documentation, README, reference, guide,
or migration-note changes.
- The issue is a user-facing feature that will require new doc
pages -- e.g. a new CLI flag, a new primitive, a new authoring
concept.
2. **Fallback self-check.** If the issue is ambiguous, answer this
before activating the lens:
> Will an implementing PR for this issue need to add or change
> user-facing documentation in `docs/src/content/docs/` or in the
> README? Answer YES or NO with one sentence. If unsure, answer
> YES.
Routing rule:
- **YES** -> take the Doc Writer lens. Capture: whether docs work is
implied (and whether `area/docs-site` should be added as a
secondary `area/*` so the implementing PR is reminded), and whether
the proposed comment wording is clear and grounded in the user
vocabulary used in the README and guides.
- **NO** -> record `Doc Writer inactive reason: <one sentence>` in
working notes; do not take the lens.
## Triage decision rubric
The CEO arbiter picks exactly ONE outcome from this rubric:
- `accept` -- direction is clear and aligned with the README spine and
the roadmap. Assigns full label set + milestone if a current
candidate exists.
- `needs-design` -- direction is sound but the design must be settled
before code lands. Apply `status/needs-design` and name in the
comment exactly what must be designed (interface, data model,
migration, security boundary).
- `decline-with-reason` -- out of scope for APM as positioned by the
README spine. Suggest an alternative tool, a workaround, or the
upstream project. Always courteous, always concrete.
- `duplicate-of #N` -- propose the canonical issue. The orchestrator
must verify the link resolves before posting.
- `defer-later` -- accepted in principle but no current milestone.
Sits as `status/accepted` plus `theme/* + area/*` only; no
`priority/*`, no milestone.
- `auto-handle` -- automated noise such as a daily CLI-consistency
report PR or scheduled bot issue. Propose closing if the report has
zero unaddressed High findings; otherwise propose splitting into
individual issues with the right `area/*` labels and reference back
to the parent.
## Label-set construction rules
Triage produces a single proposed label set. The taxonomy:
- **Mega-themes** (one of):
`theme/portability`, `theme/security`, `theme/governance`.
- **Sub-themes** (`area/*`, one or more):
`area/multi-target`, `area/marketplace`, `area/package-authoring`,
`area/distribution`, `area/mcp-config`, `area/content-security`,
`area/lockfile`, `area/mcp-trust`, `area/audit-policy`,
`area/enterprise`, `area/cli`, `area/ci-cd`, `area/testing`,
`area/docs-site`.
- **Types** (exactly one):
`type/bug`, `type/feature`, `type/docs`, `type/refactor`,
`type/architecture`, `type/automation`, `type/release`,
`type/performance`.
- **Statuses** (exactly one):
`status/needs-triage`, `status/accepted`, `status/needs-design`,
`status/blocked`, `status/in-flight`.
- **Priorities** (optional):
`priority/high`, `priority/low`.
- **Preserved** (apply when relevant):
`breaking-change`, `good first issue`, `help wanted`,
`experimental`, `panel-review`, `dx`, `agentic-workflows`,
`dependencies`.
Construction rules:
- Exactly one `theme/<mega>` label is required UNLESS the issue is
pure infra (only `area/cli`, `area/ci-cd`, `area/testing`, or
`area/docs-site` apply, with no product surface implication). State
this explicitly in the per-lens notes when omitting the theme.
- Multi-theme labels are allowed; the **primary theme** is listed
first and drives the milestone.
- Exactly one `type/*` label.
- Exactly one `status/*` label. The default `status/needs-triage` is
always replaced by the triage outcome (`status/accepted`,
`status/needs-design`, `status/blocked`, etc.). Do not leave
`status/needs-triage` on a triaged issue.
- `priority/*` only on `accept` with a current milestone or next
minor. Never on `defer-later`, `needs-design`, or `decline-*`.
## Milestone assignment rules
- **Current patch milestone** (e.g., `0.9.x`) for bug fixes and small
DX work that fits a patch release.
- **Next minor** (e.g., `0.10.0`) for `type/feature` accepted with
`priority/high`.
- **No milestone (`null`)** for `defer-later` and `needs-design`.
The orchestrator looks up open milestones with:
```
gh api repos/microsoft/apm/milestones --jq '.[]|select(.state=="open")|.title'
```
The lowest-numbered open patch milestone is "current patch"; the
lowest-numbered open minor is "next minor". If neither exists, set
milestone to `null` and note it.
## Quality gates
A triage comment passes when:
- [ ] DevX UX Expert: real user surface identified, the request maps
(or fails to map) to a concrete README-anchored capability
- [ ] Supply Chain Security Expert: P/G/S risk surfaces assessed; if
the issue touches lockfile, marketplace, MCP config, signing,
or auth, `theme/security` or `theme/governance` is on the set
- [ ] APM CEO: theme, milestone, priority, decision, and reply tone
ratified
- [ ] OSS Growth Hacker lens taken or inactive reason recorded; if
taken, tone tuned for a new or low-interaction contributor and
the reply names a concrete next step they can take
- [ ] Python Architect lens taken or inactive reason recorded; if
taken, feasibility, cross-cutting impact, and any
`status/needs-design` recommendation are captured
- [ ] Doc Writer lens taken or inactive reason recorded; if taken,
docs implication is named and any `area/docs-site` secondary
label is proposed when the implementing PR will need new pages
## Notes
- This skill orchestrates a panel **in your own context** -- you are
the only agent. You load each persona's `.agent.md` reference file
on demand (progressive disclosure), assume that persona's lens to
produce its findings, then move to the next persona. Do NOT spawn
sub-agents (no `task` tool dispatch) -- the panel is a sequence of
reasoning passes inside one agent loop, not a multi-agent fan-out.
- Persona detail lives in the linked `.agent.md` files. Read each
one when you switch to that persona; do not pre-load all of them.
## Execution checklist
When this skill is activated for an issue, work through these steps
in order, in a single agent loop. Do not skip ahead and do not emit
any output before the final step.
1. Read the issue context (title, body, labels, author,
`author_association`, prior comments). The orchestrating workflow
already fetches this with `gh issue view --json` -- do not
re-fetch from inside the skill.
2. Resolve the **three conditional cases** -- OSS Growth Hacker,
Python Architect, Doc Writer -- using the rules in "Conditional
panelists" above. For each, record either an activation decision
or `<Persona> inactive reason: <one sentence>` in working notes.
3. For each mandatory persona (plus any conditional persona that
activated), follow the **Persona pass procedure** below, one
persona at a time. Do not try to play multiple personas in a
single pass.
4. Run the **pre-arbitration completeness gate**:
- Findings exist in working notes for the 2 mandatory specialists
(DevX UX Expert, Supply Chain Security Expert).
- For EACH of OSS Growth Hacker, Python Architect, and Doc Writer:
exactly one of `<Persona> findings` or `<Persona> inactive
reason` exists (neither = incomplete; both = inconsistent
routing).
- No persona section is missing or empty.
If any check fails, redo that persona's pass and repeat the gate.
Do not proceed to step 5 until the gate passes.
5. Take the **APM CEO** lens (load
`../../agents/apm-ceo.agent.md`) and arbitrate the collected
findings into a single decision: rubric outcome, primary theme,
`area/*` set, `type/*`, `status/*`, optional `priority/*`,
milestone, and reply tone. Still in your own context. CEO
arbitration may run only after the completeness gate has passed.
6. If the rubric outcome is `duplicate-of #N`, verify the candidate
issue exists and is open with `gh issue view N --json state,title`
before committing the link.
7. Now (and only now) load `assets/triage-template.md` and fill it
in with the collected findings, decision, label set, milestone,
and proposed comment body.
8. Emit the filled template as exactly ONE comment via the workflow's
`safe-outputs.add-comment` channel. For direct (non-workflow)
invocation, return the comment text and the structured
`triage-decision` JSON tail so an orchestrator can apply labels
and post the comment without parsing prose. This is the ONLY
output emission for the entire panel run -- no per-persona
comments, no progress comments.
### Persona pass procedure
For each persona, run this exact procedure in your own context:
1. Open the persona's `.agent.md` file (linked in the roster) and
read its scope, lens, anti-patterns, and required return shape.
2. From that persona's lens, review the issue title, body, labels,
author signals, and any prior comments against the scope declared
in the file.
3. Write the findings to working notes under
`<persona-name>: <findings>` (or, for an inactive conditional
persona, `<Persona> inactive reason: <one sentence>`).
4. Drop the persona lens before moving on. Do not emit any comment
from inside a persona pass; persona findings stay in working
notes until step 7 synthesizes them.
## Output contract
This contract is non-negotiable -- it is the difference between a
triage that lands as one cohesive comment and one that fragments into
per-persona noise.
- Produce **exactly one** comment per triage run.
- Use `assets/triage-template.md` as the comment body. Keep its
section headings exactly as written. Adapt the body of each
section to the issue. Do not invent new top-level sections or drop
existing ones.
- The trailing fenced ```json block named `triage-decision` is
REQUIRED. It is the machine-readable contract that downstream
automation uses to apply labels, set the milestone, and post the
reply without parsing prose.
- ASCII only inside the comment body and JSON tail. No emojis, no
Unicode dashes, no box-drawing characters. Use `[+] [!] [x] [i] [*] [>]`
if status symbols are needed.
- CEO arbitration may run only after the completeness gate passes.
- Never emit findings as separate comments, intermediate progress
comments, or "I will now invoke X" status comments.
- Load `assets/triage-template.md` **at synthesis time only** (step
7 above) -- not at activation, not while collecting findings.
## Anti-patterns
- **Over-labelling.** Do not exceed 6 labels per issue across
`theme/* + area/* + type/* + status/* + priority/* + preserved/*`.
If you find yourself reaching for 7+, prune the weakest `area/*`.
- **Milestone without status.** Never assign a milestone to an issue
whose status is not `status/accepted` or `status/in-flight`.
`needs-design` and `defer-later` are explicitly milestone-free.
- **Silent decline.** Do not auto-close or `decline-with-reason`
without a courteous reason linked to the README spine, the
manifesto, or the public roadmap. Every decline names where the
user can go instead.
- **Vague needs-design.** Never apply `status/needs-design` without
naming, in the suggested comment, exactly what must be designed
(interface, data model, migration, security boundary). "We need to
think about this" is not a design-needed reason.
- **Naked `status/needs-triage` carryover.** Triage replaces the
default `status/needs-triage` label. Leaving it on a triaged issue
is a routing bug.
- **Wildcard heuristics.** Do not activate the OSS Growth Hacker on
`*new*` or `*first*` keyword matches alone -- always cross-check
`author_association` and prior interactions on `microsoft/apm`.
Same discipline for Python Architect (do not fire on the bare word
"refactor" in unrelated context -- check the issue's actual scope)
and Doc Writer (do not fire purely on the word "docs" appearing in
passing -- the issue must propose or imply a doc-surface change).
## Gotchas
- **Roster invariant.** The frontmatter description, the roster
table, the conditional-panelist rule, the triage template, and the
quality gates MUST agree on the persona set. If you change one,
change all of them in the same edit.
- **No new persona required.** This skill deliberately reuses
`devx-ux-expert`, `supply-chain-security-expert`, `apm-ceo`,
`oss-growth-hacker`, `python-architect`, and `doc-writer`. Do not
create a `triage-*` persona; the README spine plus the label
taxonomy plus the existing CEO arbiter are sufficient grounding.
- **Bundle layout on the runner.** When this skill runs inside an
agentic workflow, the APM bundle is unpacked under
`.github/skills/apm-triage-panel/` first, with `.apm/skills/...`
as a fallback. The asset path is the same relative to the skill
root (`assets/triage-template.md`) in both layouts -- prefer the
`.github/...` path when present.
- **No multi-persona-in-one-pass.** Each persona has its own
`.agent.md` for a reason -- read it when you take that lens, write
the findings, then drop the lens before moving on.
- **Single-emission discipline is fragile under interruption.** If
you find yourself wanting to "post a quick partial decision and
then update it", don't. Buffer in working notes; emit once.
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!
