What This Looks Like
One step in the workflow is expected to make too many decisions at once. It may classify, summarize, score, approve, route, format, check policy, choose tools, and decide next actions in a single pass. The step becomes overloaded, and users cannot easily tell which decision failed.
Why It Matters
Decision density makes review and correction harder. If many decisions are packed into one step, a failure in one decision can affect the rest. The user may have to rerun or review the whole step instead of isolating the specific decision that needs attention.
Structural Signal
A single workflow node carries more decision responsibility than it can cleanly expose or govern. The issue is not just that the step is complex; it is that decision load is concentrated in one place without enough separation.
Common Triggers
- A prompt asks the AI to perform several decision types at once
- A review stage combines scoring, routing, approval, and feedback
- Tool choice and output generation happen in the same step
- The workflow lacks intermediate checkpoints
- Multiple authorities are collapsed into one agent action
- The step is optimized for speed instead of inspectability
When to Use This Issue
Use this Issue when one AI prompt, agent action, workflow step, or review stage carries too many decisions to inspect, control, or correct reliably.
When Not to Use This Issue
Do not use this Issue when a step is long but decisions are clearly separated and reviewable. Do not use it when the problem is missing ownership for one specific decision.