Some tasks have an obvious endpoint: a website opens, a report includes its sources, or a project plan contains the owners and dependencies the team needs. Reaching that endpoint can involve several rounds of work. The agent may need to gather materials, create a draft, check it, and correct what is missing.
AutoClaw Goal Mode is built for this kind of task. You describe the result and its completion criteria. AutoClaw plans the work, carries out the steps, and evaluates the deliverable through repeated rounds.
The key to using it well is a goal that someone can verify. This guide explains how to write that goal, start the task, and assess the result. The prompts below are illustrative examples you can adapt.
What is AutoClaw Goal Mode?
Goal Mode gives a multi-step task an explicit outcome to work toward. The request includes the deliverable, the materials available, the scope, and the standard for completion. AutoClaw then continues planning, executing, and checking the work toward that standard.
The documented mechanism separates execution from evaluation. The agent doing the work and the evaluator deciding whether it is complete have independent roles. Evaluation looks for delivery evidence: an artifact location, a run result, or a real interaction check, depending on the task.
For example, a website task can require an accessible preview and evidence that the requested interactions work. A research report can require a file, dated sources, and support for its material claims. When required evidence is missing, the work needs another round.
Write a goal with a clear finish line
Start with what you want to receive. “Research this market” leaves the scope and endpoint open. “Create an editable report comparing five products using official sources from the past month” defines a deliverable, a subject, and a time range.
Then provide the materials and constraints. An attached product list, brand brief, or project folder gives the agent a concrete starting point. A clear scope helps it prioritize the work: one page, five products, one reporting period, or one agreed set of documents.
Finally, explain what completion requires. Choose evidence appropriate to the output. For a website, that might include the files, a preview, and checks on the specified screen sizes. For a report, it might include the report file, source links, and identified information gaps.
| Part of the goal | What to specify |
|---|---|
| Deliverable | The file, report, page, or other result you want |
| Inputs | The source materials and references to use |
| Scope | The subjects, time range, required sections, and boundaries |
| Completion criteria | The evidence needed to show that the result meets the request |
Start your first Goal Mode task
Open a new conversation and select Goal Mode in the input area. You can choose a suggested goal or define a custom one. Add your materials, describe the intended result, and send the request.
Here is an example for a single-page website based on an existing brand brief:
Using the attached brand brief and approved copy, create a single-page product website that runs locally. Include a hero section, product benefits, the supplied customer quotes, and a contact section. Deliver the project files and a preview location. Check desktop and mobile layouts, navigation links, and the contact interaction. Explain whether the contact form is a prototype or connected to a service. Completion means the files are available, the page opens, and the requested checks have been recorded. Ask before publishing externally or replacing existing project files.
This request gives the agent both work to do and a way to judge the result. The form requirement also resolves a common ambiguity: a visible form and a working submission service are different deliverables.
For a report, change the acceptance criteria to match the work. You might require source links, dates, a consistent comparison table, and a clear distinction between verified facts and interpretation. There is no need to ask for software checks when the deliverable is a document.
Guide the work when requirements change
You can add requirements during execution or stop the task. When you send a change, be specific about how it affects the outcome. “Keep the page to one screen on desktop, but retain all approved copy” gives a more useful direction than “make it simpler.”
If the goal grows, reconsider the scope. Adding a payment flow, account system, and live content service to a one-page prototype creates a substantially different task. Set the next priority clearly so the agent can work toward a coherent deliverable.
Some steps depend on information or access you provide. Specify boundaries for actions such as external publishing, purchases, and replacing files in the initial goal. That helps the agent proceed with a clear understanding of what you have authorized.
Review the evidence behind completion
When the task finishes, open the actual deliverable and inspect the evidence that matters to the goal. For the website example, check the preview, the supplied files, the interaction results, and any remaining limitations. For a report, inspect the sources and whether the requested coverage is complete.
A useful handoff explains what was produced, where to find it, what was checked, and what still needs attention. If one requirement is unmet, describe the gap precisely and ask for the corresponding correction.
For instance: “The contact form is only visual. Keep it as a prototype, label that limitation in the handoff, and check the rest of the page against the agreed criteria.” The revision now has a concrete endpoint.
When should you use Goal Mode?
Goal Mode fits tasks with several stages, a tangible deliverable, and a completion standard you can define. Examples include a website prototype, a source-backed report, or a project plan assembled from several documents.
For a quick definition, a single lookup, or a small copy edit, ordinary conversation is usually sufficient. Use Goal Mode when continued execution and checking are part of reaching the result.
Can I start with a broad objective? You can, but narrowing the deliverable and priorities gives the task a clearer endpoint. Begin with one useful result, then expand the scope as needed.
Can I stop or change the task? Yes. You can add requirements while it is running or ask it to stop. Explain changes in terms of the deliverable and completion criteria.
To try Goal Mode, download AutoClaw and choose one task with a visible finish line. Supply the relevant materials, define the evidence you expect, and review the resulting work against that standard.
