AOSE Lifecycle Methodology (Prometheus-style)

Description

This is a full, step-by-step process for building a multi-agent system, adapted from Prometheus and related methods. It runs in phases: gather requirements, write the system spec, design the architecture, design each agent in detail, build it, test it, then maintain it. Each phase produces a named document that feeds the next. The agents are described in terms of what they believe, what they want, and what they plan to do (the formal name is BDI, for Belief-Desire-Intention). This is the heavyweight opposite of 'wire up an agent loop and iterate'. People have used it on long-lived multi-agent systems for decades. It trades speed for a clear trail from each goal to the agent that ends up running in production.

When to apply

Use this for a long-lived multi-agent system where the trail from goal to agent matters more than a fast first demo. That covers safety-critical agents, regulated domains, multi-team systems where the contracts between agents must be auditable, and research deployments meant to outlast the original team. Don't apply it for a throwaway prototype, a single agent loop, or a system whose requirements you expect to rewrite every week. The overhead is wasted there. One exception: even small projects can borrow a single artefact, such as a goal hierarchy or a role model, without taking on the whole process.

What it involves

• Requirements analysis
• System specification
• Architectural design
• Detailed agent design
• Implementation
• Testing
• Maintenance