Coordinate parallel investigation threads to explore multiple hypotheses simultaneously. Most effective for production incidents, performance regressions, or integration failures where the root cause is unclear.
When uncertain, explore multiple paths in parallel. Converge when evidence points to an answer.
Parallel investigation reduces time-to-solution by eliminating serial bottlenecks.
Break the problem into independent investigation threads:
Problem: API responses are slow
Investigation Threads:
├── Thread A: Database performance
│ └── Check slow queries, indexes, connection pool
├── Thread B: Application code
│ └── Profile endpoint handlers, check for N+1
├── Thread C: Infrastructure
│ └── Check CPU, memory, network latency
└── Thread D: External services
└── Check third-party API response times
Each thread should be independent (no blocking dependencies), focused (clear scope), and time-boxed.
Assign threads with clear ownership:
## Thread A: Database Performance
**Investigator:** [Name/Agent A]
**Duration:** 30 minutes
**Scope:**
- Query execution times
- Index utilization
- Connection pool metrics
**Report Format:** Summary + evidence
Each thread follows this pattern:
Thread Log Template:
## Thread: [Name]
**Start:** [Time]
### Findings
- [Timestamp] [Finding]
### Evidence
- [Log/Metric/Screenshot]
### Preliminary Conclusion
[What this thread suggests about the problem]
Regular convergence to share findings:
Sync Point Agenda:
1. Each thread report (2 min each)
2. Discussion & correlation (5 min)
3. Decision: Continue, Pivot, or Converge (3 min)
Sync Point Decisions:
When a thread identifies the likely cause:
Hub and Spoke: One coordinator assigns threads, tracks progress, calls sync points, and makes convergence decisions. Best when one person has the most context.
Peer Network: Equal investigators post findings to a shared channel and self-organize convergence when a pattern emerges. Best when investigators have similar expertise.
[Thread A] [Status] Starting query analysis
[Thread B] [Finding] No N+1 patterns in user endpoint
[Thread A] [Finding] Slow query: SELECT * FROM orders WHERE...
[Thread C] [Dead End] CPU and memory within normal
[Thread A] [Hot Lead] Missing index on orders.user_id
## Thread A Summary
**Status:** Hot Lead
**Key Finding:** Missing index on orders.user_id
**Evidence:** Query taking 3.2s, explain shows full table scan
**Recommendation:** Likely root cause — suggest converge
| Thread Status | Action |
|---|---|
| All exploring | Continue parallel |
| One hot lead | Validate lead, others support |
| Multiple leads | Prioritize by evidence strength |
| All dead ends | Reframe problem, new threads |
| Confirmed cause | Converge, begin fix |
A typical two-hour investigation:
0:00 Problem decomposition & thread assignment
0:15 Parallel investigation begins
0:45 Sync point #1 → Continue/Pivot/Converge decision
1:30 Sync point #2 (if continuing)
1:35 Final convergence & documentation
Adjust sync point cadence based on incident severity — every 20 minutes for critical outages, every 45 minutes for lower-urgency investigations.
# Investigation: [Problem]
## Summary
[Brief description and resolution]
## Threads Explored
### Thread A: [Area]
- Investigator: [Name]
- Findings: [Summary]
- Outcome: [Lead / Dead End / Root Cause]
## Root Cause
[Detailed explanation of what was found]
## Evidence
- [Evidence 1]
- [Evidence 2]
## Resolution
[What was done to fix]
## Lessons Learned
- [Learning 1]
Create or update AgentSkills. Use when designing, structuring, or packaging skills with scripts, references, and assets.
Create or update AgentSkills. Use when designing, structuring, or packaging skills with scripts, references, and assets.
Set up and use 1Password CLI (op). Use when installing the CLI, enabling desktop app integration, signing in (single or multi-account), or reading/injecting/running secrets via op.
CLI to manage emails via IMAP/SMTP. Use `himalaya` to list, read, write, reply, forward, search, and organize emails from the terminal. Supports multiple accounts and message composition with MML (MIME Meta Language).
Create or update AgentSkills. Use when designing, structuring, or packaging skills with scripts, references, and assets.
Create or update AgentSkills. Use when designing, structuring, or packaging skills with scripts, references, and assets.
Set up and use 1Password CLI (op). Use when installing the CLI, enabling desktop app integration, signing in (single or multi-account), or reading/injecting/running secrets via op.
CLI to manage emails via IMAP/SMTP. Use `himalaya` to list, read, write, reply, forward, search, and organize emails from the terminal. Supports multiple accounts and message composition with MML (MIME Meta Language).