Bot Crews workflow

Product and technology direction

A product and technology decision record plus the smallest reversible prototype needed to resolve the next uncertainty.

Designed for: Founders and small product teams choosing what to test and how to build it

Download the setup plan Open the first Bot’s setup plan in Bot Lab

Before you begin

Gather the information the Bots need

The product goal, intended user, and current evidence
The current system and business constraints
Budget, time limit, risk limits, and acceptance checks

Run the first version one step at a time

Send one clear message to each Bot

Start in individual Bot chats. After you approve a result, paste it into the next Bot’s chat with the message shown below. This gives you a clear handoff and keeps the order predictable.

NOVA

Identify the product assumptions and the evidence needed for the next decision

Produces: A product hypothesis and evidence brief

Use the approved inputs I provide. Identify the product assumptions and the evidence needed for the next decision. Return this result: A product hypothesis and evidence brief. Ask me about missing information before you continue.

ARCHITECT

Compare practical technical directions for the approved product test

Produces: An architecture decision record with costs, risks, and approval points

Start with this result from NOVA: A product hypothesis and evidence brief. Compare practical technical directions for the approved product test. Return this result: An architecture decision record with costs, risks, and approval points. Ask me about missing information before you continue.

Founding Engineer

Build the approved direction as the smallest reversible prototype

Produces: A working prototype, acceptance-check results, and a decision log

Start with this result from ARCHITECT: An architecture decision record with costs, risks, and approval points. Build the approved direction as the smallest reversible prototype. Return this result: A working prototype, acceptance-check results, and a decision log. Ask me about missing information before you continue.

Overall request

Help choose the next product and technology direction from the confirmed evidence and constraints. Compare practical options, mark every approval point, and build only the smallest prototype I approve in a disposable project copy.

Use this as the project brief. The step messages above tell each Bot which part to complete.

Decisions for a person

Confirm the user problem and product promise
Choose the technical direction and approve vendors, dependencies, budget, and risk
Approve repository access, real data use, and any merge or release

First test

Try the workflow with low-risk material

Use sample data in a disposable project copy to build one narrow proof and review its acceptance results before choosing a production direction.

Set it up in Hermes Desktop

Begin with individual chats, then add a group when the handoffs work

Open each linked starter page and follow its manual Hermes Desktop setup steps.
Run each step in that Bot’s own chat and review the result.
Pass the approved result to the next Bot with the provided step message.
After the sequence works, create an optional group with the same Bots.
In a group, @mention the Bot you want. Membership order does not control who responds.

Read the official Bot Mode guide