Make reference reading observable

Use this when an agent acts without reading the task-specific rules. Diagnose the missing read from the actual trace; do not assume a motive such as laziness.

Same-task teaching comparison

Bad: Follow our deployment guidance.

Good: Before proposing a production deployment, read deployment-rules.md. Report the approval requirement and rollback condition, with their section locations. If the file is absent, stop and report the missing input.

The improved instruction states the trigger, the file, required evidence and missing-input behavior. It creates an inspectable read obligation; it does not guarantee that a model will comply.

Keep only the necessary context

Keep rules needed by every branch near the action. Route branch-specific material through explicit read conditions. Use a script for deterministic checks when its interface and failure behavior are known, and verify actual results rather than treating the script’s existence as proof.

Conditional reference pointers · Progressive disclosure · Artifact evidence