---
id: "action-numbered-stage-folders"
type: "action-item"
source_timestamps: ["§3.2", "§3.3"]
tags: ["implementation", "folders"]
related: ["framework-icm-architecture", "concept-stage-contracts"]
sources: ["paper"]
sourceVaultSlug: "icm-paper-folder-architecture-2026Jun02"
originDay: 2
---
# Structure sequential workflows as numbered stage folders

## Action

Model each pipeline stage as a **numbered folder** with a `CONTEXT.md` contract and an `output/` folder.

## How

Use numbered folders (`01_`, `02_`, `03_`) so ordering is **explicit and reorderable by rename**. Each stage folder carries its own:

- `CONTEXT.md` (Layer 2 contract — see [[concept-five-layer-hierarchy]]),
- `references/` (Layer 3),
- `output/` (Layer 4).

The canonical layout is in [[framework-icm-architecture]].

## Outcome

Stage order, addition, and removal become **filesystem operations**; one agent runs the pipeline with no orchestration code. The agent's per-stage behaviour is then driven entirely by [[concept-stage-contracts]].


## Related across days
- [[action-implement-folders]]
- [[framework-icm-architecture]]
- [[concept-stage-contracts]]
- [[synthesis-three-levels-meets-stage-pipeline]]