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mixed-initiative-flow

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When the AI leads vs. when the user leads, and how to hand off control.

skills/model-interaction-design/mixed-initiative-flow/SKILL.md

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# 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
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