Pattern Summary

Watch + Wait is a passive monitoring pattern where the agent observes a condition, event stream, or state change and takes action only when a predefined threshold or trigger is met. It enables responsive, context-aware behavior without interrupting the user unnecessarily.

This pattern is ideal when user action is not immediate or when timing/context significantly influences relevance. It allows the agent to remain observant and supportive without being intrusive.

When to Use It

Use Watch + Wait when:

  • A trigger condition needs to be met before action is taken
  • The agent is monitoring evolving context or user behavior
  • You want to offer timely, situational nudges or assistance
  • Tasks are long-running or progress asynchronously
  • The agent needs to stay aware without constant interaction

Common examples include detecting when a user hasn’t responded within a set timeframe, flagging when a file upload completes, or alerting when an error pattern re-emerges.

How It Works

  1. Observation Setup: Agent subscribes to relevant signal(s), events, or state changes
  2. Passive Monitoring: The agent monitors without interfering or surfacing UI
  3. Trigger Met: A defined condition, threshold, or pattern is detected
  4. Response: The agent takes appropriate action (notify, suggest, initiate a follow-up)

This may run in the background continuously or on a time-boxed schedule.

Fit Assessment

Use this pattern if:

  • You’re tracking asynchronous workflows or latent behavior
  • The agent needs to be available but not distracting
  • The system supports contextual sensing (time, status, error, input patterns)

Avoid using it when:

  • Real-time action is required without delay
  • Passive monitoring would miss key moments
  • It would create noise or false positives for the user

Acceptable Dependencies

✅ Access to relevant state, signals, logs, or telemetry
✅ Clear trigger conditions or thresholds
✅ Mechanism to surface awareness only when needed
✅ Optional: escalation strategy if trigger is not met in a given window

Unacceptable Dependencies

❌ Constant polling or UI pings with no strategic trigger
❌ Alerting without actionable insight
❌ Watchers that never timeout, expire, or self-resolve

Implementation Starter Guide

  • Define what the agent is watching — and why
  • Establish clear rules for when it should surface something
  • Design the response to be helpful, not disruptive
  • Allow users to snooze or disable specific watches if needed
  • Make monitoring visible in logs or observability layers

Example: Project Deadline Monitor

The agent tracks key project milestones. If a task hasn’t moved in 3 days:

"This task hasn’t been updated recently. Would you like help unblocking it or notifying the owner?"

[Notify Owner] [Snooze] [Dismiss]

Strategic Value

  • Enables low-friction, context-sensitive support
  • Reduces noise by acting only when necessary
  • Builds trust by being quietly useful, not noisy or needy

Watch + Wait reinforces the value of intelligent presence — the agent is there, aware, and useful when it matters.

Tags

Pattern Type: Monitoring, Timing, Context-Aware
Scope: System-level, Cross-session
Recommended UI Modes: Toast, Inline Notification, Passive Card