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mixed-initiative-flow

mixed-initiative-flow

github.com/owl-listenerDesign & UI191285 installsUpdated 20w ago
Repository

About mixed-initiative-flow

A design skill for planning interactions where people and AI take turns leading. It helps product designers map initiative, handoffs, and autonomy across an interaction.

Key features

  1. 01User-driven, AI-driven, and shared modes
  2. 02Explicit, implicit, and negotiated handoffs
  3. 03Guidance on when AI or users should lead
  4. 04Initiative maps and autonomy specifications

Use cases

  1. 01Map control across stages of an AI interaction
  2. 02Define when an AI should return control
  3. 03Specify autonomy for different product features

Install

Copy the command and run it in a terminal.

$npx skills add https://github.com/owl-listener/ai-design-skills --skill mixed-initiative-flow

After installing, type/mixed-initiative-flowin Claude Code to confirm it loaded.

Details

From the project README

Mixed-Initiative Flow

Mixed-initiative interaction is when both the human and the AI can take the lead. The designer decides who drives at each moment — and how control transfers between them.

Initiative Spectrum

Interactions sit on a spectrum:

  • User-driven: The user gives instructions, the AI executes. The user controls pace, direction, and scope.
  • AI-driven: The AI leads — asking questions, making suggestions, guiding the user through a process.
  • Shared: Both parties contribute. The AI proposes, the user edits. The user starts, the AI finishes. Most AI products default to user-driven. The interesting design space is in shared and AI-driven modes.

Designing Initiative Handoffs

The moment control shifts from one party to the other is where most interactions fail. Design these transitions:

  • Explicit handoff: "I've drafted three options. Which direction do you want to go?" — the AI clearly passes control.
  • Implicit handoff: The AI stops generating and waits, signalling the user's turn through UI affordance.
  • Negotiated handoff: "I could take this further or stop here for your input. What do you prefer?"
  • Forced handoff: The AI encounters a decision it can't make and must hand back to the human.

When the AI Should Lead

The AI should take initiative when:

  • The user is uncertain or exploring and needs guidance
  • The task has a known best-practice sequence the AI can walk through
  • The user has explicitly asked for help or coaching
  • Proactive suggestions would save time without being intrusive

When the User Should Lead

The user should retain control when:

  • The task involves subjective judgment or creative direction
  • Stakes are high and errors are costly
  • The user has strong domain expertise
  • Privacy or consent decisions are involved

Anti-Patterns

  • Initiative whiplash: Control bouncing back and forth too rapidly
  • Passive AI: Never taking initiative even when it would help
  • Overbearing AI: Taking over when the user wants control
  • Unclear ownership: Neither party knows whose turn it is

Design Artefacts

  • Initiative maps showing who leads at each stage
  • Handoff trigger definitions (what causes a transfer of control)
  • Autonomy level specifications per feature area

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