# Party Mode: Multi-Agent Collaboration
**Orchestrate group discussions with all your AI agents**
**Reading Time:** ~20 minutes
---
## Table of Contents
- [What is Party Mode?](#what-is-party-mode)
- [How It Works](#how-it-works)
- [When to Use Party Mode](#when-to-use-party-mode)
- [Getting Started](#getting-started)
- [Agent Selection & Dynamics](#agent-selection--dynamics)
- [Multi-Module Integration](#multi-module-integration)
- [Example Party Compositions](#example-party-compositions)
- [Agent Customization in Party Mode](#agent-customization-in-party-mode)
- [Best Practices](#best-practices)
- [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)
---
## What is Party Mode?
Party mode is a unique workflow that brings **all your installed agents together** for group discussions. Instead of working with one agent at a time, you engage with a dynamic team that collaborates in real-time.
**Key Concept:** Multiple AI agents with different expertise discuss your challenges together, providing diverse perspectives, healthy debate, and emergent insights.
### Quick Facts
- **Trigger:** Load BMad Master and run `*party-mode`
- **Agents Included:** ALL installed agents from ALL modules (BMM, CIS, BMB, custom)
- **Selection:** 2-3 most relevant agents respond per message
- **Customization:** Respects all agent customizations
- **Moderator:** BMad Master orchestrates and moderates
---
## How It Works
### The Party Mode Process
```mermaid
flowchart TD
START([User triggers party-mode])
LOAD[Load agent manifest]
CUSTOM[Apply customizations]
ROSTER[Build complete agent roster]
ACTIVATE[Announce party activation]
TOPIC[User provides topic]
SELECT[BMad Master selects 2-3 relevant agents]
RESPOND[Agents respond in character]
CROSS[Agents cross-talk and collaborate]
MOD{Discussion
productive?}
CONTINUE{More to
discuss?}
EXIT[Agents provide farewells]
END([Party mode ends])
START --> LOAD
LOAD --> CUSTOM
CUSTOM --> ROSTER
ROSTER --> ACTIVATE
ACTIVATE --> TOPIC
TOPIC --> SELECT
SELECT --> RESPOND
RESPOND --> CROSS
CROSS --> MOD
MOD -->|Yes| CONTINUE
MOD -->|Circular| SELECT
CONTINUE -->|Yes| SELECT
CONTINUE -->|No| EXIT
EXIT --> END
style START fill:#bfb,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
style ACTIVATE fill:#bbf,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
style CROSS fill:#fbf,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
style END fill:#fbb,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
```
### Step-by-Step Breakdown
#### 1. Agent Loading
**Process:**
- Reads `{project-root}/bmad/_cfg/agent-manifest.csv`
- Loads ALL installed agents with their complete personalities:
- name (identifier: "pm", "analyst", "storyteller")
- displayName (persona name: "John", "Mary")
- title (formal position)
- icon (emoji representation)
- role (one-line capability summary)
- identity (background paragraph)
- communicationStyle (how they speak)
- principles (decision-making philosophy)
- module (bmm, cis, bmb, core, custom)
- path (file location)
**Result:** Complete roster of all available agents with their default personalities.
#### 2. Customization Application
**Process:**
- For each agent, checks for customization file:
- Path: `{project-root}/bmad/_cfg/agents/{module}-{agent-name}.customize.yaml`
- Example: `bmm-pm.customize.yaml`, `cis-storyteller.customize.yaml`
- Merges customization with manifest data
- **Override precedence:** Customization > Manifest
**Examples:**
```yaml
# bmad/_cfg/agents/bmm-pm.customize.yaml
agent:
persona:
communicationStyle: 'Formal and corporate-focused'
principles:
- 'HIPAA compliance is non-negotiable'
```
**Result:** All agents loaded with their final, customized personalities.
#### 3. Party Activation
**Process:**
- BMad Master announces party mode activation
- Lists all participating agents by name and role
- Welcomes user to the conversation
- Waits for user to introduce topic
**Example Announcement:**
```
🧙 BMad Master has activated Party Mode!
Participating Agents:
📋 PM (John) - Product Strategy
📊 Analyst (Mary) - Research & Requirements
🏗️ Architect (Winston) - System Design
🎨 UX Designer (Sally) - User Experience
🎲 Game Designer (Samus Shepard) - Creative Vision
💡 Innovation Strategist - Disruption & Strategy
📖 Storyteller - Narrative & Communication
What would you like to discuss?
```
#### 4. Dynamic Agent Selection
**For each user message, BMad Master:**
1. Analyzes the message topic and context
2. Reviews all agent roles and expertise
3. Selects 2-3 most relevant agents
4. Considers conversation history (which agents spoke recently)
5. Ensures diverse perspectives
**Selection Criteria:**
- **Expertise Match:** Agent's role aligns with topic
- **Principle Alignment:** Agent's principles are relevant
- **Context Awareness:** Previous discussion flow
- **Diversity:** Mix of perspectives (technical + creative, strategic + tactical)
**Example Selection:**
```
User: "How should we handle user authentication for our healthcare app?"
BMad Master selects:
- Architect (technical security expertise)
- PM (compliance and requirements)
- UX Designer (user experience balance)
```
#### 5. Agent Responses
**Each selected agent:**
- Responds **in character** using their merged personality
- Applies their communication style
- References their expertise and principles
- Can ask clarifying questions
- Can reference other agents' points
**Example Exchange:**
```
Architect (Winston): "Healthcare authentication requires HIPAA compliance.
I recommend OAuth 2.0 with MFA and audit logging. We should also consider..."
PM (John): "Building on Winston's point, we need to document compliance
in the PRD. Mary, have we researched HIPAA requirements yet?"
UX Designer (Sally): "From a user perspective, MFA can't add friction
for clinicians in emergency scenarios. We need conditional requirements..."
```
#### 6. Natural Cross-Talk
**Agents can:**
- **Build on each other's points:** "Expanding on what Architect said..."
- **Respectfully disagree:** "I see Sally's concern, but I think..."
- **Ask each other questions:** "Winston, how would that affect performance?"
- **Reference user input:** "As you mentioned earlier..."
- **Synthesize perspectives:** "Both approaches have merit. The trade-off is..."
**Key Feature:** Agents debate naturally, creating **emergent insights** from their interaction.
#### 7. Active Moderation
**BMad Master monitors:**
- Discussion productivity
- Circular arguments
- Completion signals
**Moderator Actions:**
- **If circular:** Summarizes discussion, redirects to new aspect
- **If stuck:** Suggests specific angles to explore
- **If questions:** Ensures user input is sought
- **If complete:** Recognizes natural conclusion
**Example Moderation:**
```
BMad Master: "The discussion has circled back to authentication methods.
Let me summarize the three approaches proposed:
1. OAuth 2.0 + MFA (Architect)
2. SSO with conditional MFA (UX Designer)
3. Biometric + PIN fallback (PM)
Which aspects would you like the team to explore deeper?
Or are you ready to make a decision?"
```
#### 8. Graceful Exit
**Party mode ends when:**
- User triggers exit command ("exit", "end party", "done")
- Natural conclusion reached
- User stops responding
**Exit Process:**
1. BMad Master signals party conclusion
2. 2-3 agents provide characteristic farewells
3. Party mode cleanly exits
**Example Farewell:**
```
PM (John): "Great session. I'll document these decisions in the PRD."
UX Designer (Sally): "Excited to design the auth flow. Let's keep
the user at the center!"
BMad Master: "Party mode concluded. The agents stand ready for
individual consultation when needed."
```
---
## When to Use Party Mode
### Strategic Discussions
**Best for decisions with:**
- Multiple stakeholders (technical, business, user)
- Trade-offs to balance (cost, time, quality, UX)
- Long-term implications
- Cross-functional impact
**Examples:**
- Product vision and market positioning
- Architecture approach selection
- Technology stack decisions
- Scope and priority negotiations
- Phase transition planning
**Why party mode helps:**
- Technical agents ground creative ideas in reality
- Strategic agents ensure market fit
- UX agents advocate for user needs
- Multiple perspectives reveal blind spots
---
### Creative Sessions
**Best for:**
- Ideation without constraints
- Exploring multiple solution approaches
- Narrative and storytelling development
- Innovation and novel ideas
- Design thinking exercises
**Examples:**
- Game design concept exploration
- Narrative worldbuilding
- UX ideation and flows
- Problem-solving brainstorms
- Feature innovation
**Why party mode helps:**
- CIS agents bring creative frameworks
- BMM agents ensure implementability
- Cross-pollination of ideas across domains
- "Yes, and..." collaborative building
---
### Cross-Functional Alignment
**Best for:**
- Getting entire team on same page
- Phase transitions
- Epic kickoffs
- Retrospectives with multiple perspectives
- Quality gate reviews
**Examples:**
- Analysis → Planning transition
- Planning → Solutioning alignment
- Solutioning → Implementation readiness
- Sprint retrospectives
- Course correction decisions
**Why party mode helps:**
- Everyone hears same information
- Concerns raised immediately
- Consensus built through discussion
- Handoffs are clear
---
### Complex Problem Solving
**Best for:**
- Multi-faceted challenges
- No obvious solution
- High risk or uncertainty
- Novel situations
- Constraint optimization
**Examples:**
- Performance + scalability + cost optimization
- Technical debt vs. feature velocity
- Legacy system migration strategy
- Multi-platform architecture
- Real-time collaboration architecture
**Why party mode helps:**
- Diverse expertise identifies constraints
- Trade-offs made explicit
- Creative + pragmatic balance
- Risk assessment from multiple angles
---
## Getting Started
### Quick Start Guide
**1. Load BMad Master**
```
In your IDE (Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf):
Type: @bmad-master
Wait for menu to appear
```
**2. Trigger Party Mode**
```
Type: *party-mode
Press enter
```
**3. Review Agent Roster**
```
BMad Master lists all participating agents
Includes agents from BMM, CIS, BMB, and custom modules
```
**4. Introduce Your Topic**
```
State your challenge, question, or goal
Be specific: "We need to decide..." vs "I want to talk about..."
Context helps: Mention project type, constraints, goals
```
**5. Engage with Agents**
```
2-3 agents will respond to your topic
Answer their questions
Respond to their suggestions
Ask follow-up questions
```
**6. Direct the Discussion**
```
Guide focus: "Let's explore X in more detail"
Seek specific perspectives: "Architect, what about performance?"
Make decisions: "I'm leaning toward approach B because..."
```
**7. Conclude**
```
Type: "exit" or "end party" or "done"
Or let conversation reach natural conclusion
Agents will provide farewells
```
### Your First Party Mode Session
**Recommended first topic:**
```
"I'm starting a [project type] and need help deciding between
[option A] and [option B] for [specific aspect]."
Example:
"I'm starting a SaaS web app and need help deciding between
monolith and microservices for our initial MVP."
```
**What to expect:**
- Architect discusses technical implications
- PM discusses business and timeline implications
- DEV discusses implementation complexity
- Possibly Innovation Strategist on competitive differentiation
**Duration:** 10-20 minutes typically
---
## Agent Selection & Dynamics
### How Agents Are Selected
**Per message, BMad Master considers:**
1. **Topic Keywords:**
- "authentication" → Architect, DEV
- "user experience" → UX Designer
- "market positioning" → PM, Innovation Strategist
- "narrative" → Game Designer, Storyteller
2. **Agent Roles:**
- Match expertise to topic
- Balance technical and creative
- Include strategic when appropriate
3. **Conversation Context:**
- What was just discussed
- Which agents spoke recently
- What perspectives are missing
4. **Diversity:**
- Avoid same 2 agents every time
- Rotate in different perspectives
- Ensure cross-functional views
### Response Dynamics
**Typical Pattern:**
```
User Message
↓
Agent 1 (Primary perspective)
↓
Agent 2 (Complementary perspective)
↓
Agent 3 (Optional: Third angle or synthesis)
↓
User Response (clarification, decision, new question)
```
**Cross-Talk Examples:**
**Building Agreement:**
```
Architect: "We should use PostgreSQL for transactional data."
DEV: "Agreed. I've worked with Postgres extensively, and it's
excellent for this use case."
```
**Respectful Disagreement:**
```
UX Designer: "Users will find that flow confusing."
PM: "I hear Sally's concern, but our user research shows
power users prefer efficiency over simplicity."
UX Designer: "That's fair. Could we offer both modes?"
```
**Cross-Pollination:**
```
Innovation Strategist: "What if we made this social?"
Game Designer: "Building on that - gamification could drive engagement."
UX Designer: "I can design for both. Leaderboards with privacy controls."
```
### Emergent Insights
**What makes party mode powerful:**
1. **Perspective Collision:**
- Technical meets creative
- Strategic meets tactical
- Ideal meets pragmatic
2. **Healthy Debate:**
- Agents challenge assumptions
- Trade-offs made explicit
- Better decisions through conflict
3. **Synthesis:**
- Agents combine ideas
- Novel solutions emerge
- "Best of both" approaches
4. **Blind Spot Detection:**
- Each agent sees different risks
- Missing considerations surface
- Comprehensive coverage
---
## Multi-Module Integration
### Available Agent Pool
Party mode loads agents from **all installed modules:**
#### BMad Core (1 agent)
- **BMad Master** - Orchestrator and facilitator
#### BMM - BMad Method (12 agents)
**Core Development:**
- PM (Product Manager)
- Analyst (Business Analyst)
- Architect (System Architect)
- SM (Scrum Master)
- DEV (Developer)
- TEA (Test Architect)
- UX Designer
- Paige (Documentation Guide)
**Game Development:**
- Game Designer
- Game Developer
- Game Architect
#### CIS - Creative Intelligence Suite (5 agents)
- Brainstorming Coach
- Creative Problem Solver
- Design Thinking Coach
- Innovation Strategist
- Storyteller
#### BMB - BMad Builder (1 agent)
- BMad Builder
#### Custom Modules
- Any custom agents you've created
**Total Potential:** 19+ agents available for party mode
### Cross-Module Collaboration
**The Power of Mixing Modules:**
**Example 1: Product Innovation**
```
Agents: PM (BMM) + Innovation Strategist (CIS) + Storyteller (CIS)
Topic: Market positioning and product narrative
Outcome: Strategic positioning with compelling story
```
**Example 2: Complex Architecture**
```
Agents: Architect (BMM) + Creative Problem Solver (CIS) + Game Architect (BMM)
Topic: Novel pattern design for real-time collaboration
Outcome: Innovative solution balancing creativity and pragmatism
```
**Example 3: User-Centered Design**
```
Agents: UX Designer (BMM) + Design Thinking Coach (CIS) + Storyteller (CIS)
Topic: Empathy-driven UX with narrative flow
Outcome: User journey that tells a story
```
**Example 4: Testing Strategy**
```
Agents: TEA (BMM) + Architect (BMM) + Problem Solver (CIS)
Topic: Comprehensive quality approach
Outcome: Risk-based testing with creative coverage strategies
```
### Module Discovery
**How party mode finds agents:**
1. **Manifest Read:** Parses `agent-manifest.csv`
2. **Module Column:** Each agent tagged with source module
3. **Path Validation:** Checks agent file exists
4. **Personality Load:** Loads complete agent data
5. **All Modules:** No filtering - all agents included
**Result:** Seamless cross-module teams without manual configuration.
---
## Example Party Compositions
### 1. Strategic Product Planning
**Participants:**
- PM (John) - Product requirements
- Innovation Strategist - Market disruption
- Storyteller - Product narrative
**Best For:**
- Product vision definition
- Market positioning
- Value proposition design
- Competitive differentiation
**Example Topic:**
"We're launching a project management tool. How do we differentiate in a crowded market?"
**Expected Dynamics:**
- Innovation Strategist identifies disruption opportunities
- PM grounds in market realities and user needs
- Storyteller crafts compelling narrative positioning
---
### 2. Technical Architecture Deep-Dive
**Participants:**
- Architect (Winston) - System design
- Game Architect (Cloud Dragonborn) - Complex systems
- Creative Problem Solver - Novel approaches
**Best For:**
- Complex system design
- Novel pattern invention
- Performance optimization
- Scalability challenges
**Example Topic:**
"We need real-time collaboration with 10,000 concurrent users. What's the architecture approach?"
**Expected Dynamics:**
- Architects debate technical approaches (WebSocket, WebRTC, CRDT)
- Creative Problem Solver suggests novel patterns
- Synthesis of proven + innovative solutions
---
### 3. User Experience Innovation
**Participants:**
- UX Designer (Sally) - Interaction design
- Design Thinking Coach - Empathy-driven process
- Storyteller - User journey narrative
**Best For:**
- UX-heavy feature design
- User journey mapping
- Accessibility considerations
- Interaction innovation
**Example Topic:**
"Design an onboarding experience that feels magical, not overwhelming."
**Expected Dynamics:**
- Design Thinking Coach facilitates empathy exploration
- UX Designer translates to concrete interactions
- Storyteller ensures narrative flow
---
### 4. Game Design Session
**Participants:**
- Game Designer (Samus Shepard) - Core gameplay
- Storyteller - Narrative design
- Brainstorming Coach - Creative ideation
**Best For:**
- Game concept development
- Narrative worldbuilding
- Mechanic innovation
- Player experience design
**Example Topic:**
"Create a puzzle game where players feel clever, not frustrated."
**Expected Dynamics:**
- Game Designer focuses on core loop and progression
- Storyteller layers narrative meaning
- Brainstorming Coach generates mechanic variations
---
### 5. Quality & Testing Strategy
**Participants:**
- TEA (Murat) - Testing expertise
- Architect (Winston) - System testability
- Problem Solver - Creative coverage
**Best For:**
- Test strategy planning
- Quality gate definition
- Risk assessment
- Coverage optimization
**Example Topic:**
"Define testing strategy for a microservices architecture."
**Expected Dynamics:**
- TEA defines comprehensive approach
- Architect ensures architectural testability
- Problem Solver identifies creative coverage strategies
---
### 6. Epic Kickoff
**Participants:**
- PM (John) - Requirements clarity
- Architect (Winston) - Technical approach
- SM (Bob) - Story breakdown
- DEV (Amelia) - Implementation feasibility
**Best For:**
- Epic planning sessions
- Technical feasibility assessment
- Story scope validation
- Implementation approach alignment
**Example Topic:**
"Epic kickoff: Real-time notifications system"
**Expected Dynamics:**
- PM clarifies requirements and success criteria
- Architect proposes technical approach
- DEV validates implementation feasibility
- SM plans story breakdown
---
### 7. Documentation & Knowledge
**Participants:**
- Paige - Documentation standards
- Analyst (Mary) - Information architecture
- PM (John) - Requirements documentation
**Best For:**
- Documentation strategy
- Knowledge transfer planning
- API documentation approach
- Architectural decision records
**Example Topic:**
"Document this brownfield codebase for AI-assisted development."
**Expected Dynamics:**
- Paige defines documentation standards
- Analyst structures information architecture
- PM ensures requirements traceability
---
### 8. Creative Brainstorming (Pure CIS)
**Participants:**
- Brainstorming Coach
- Creative Problem Solver
- Innovation Strategist
- Storyteller
**Best For:**
- Pure ideation
- Innovation exploration
- Creative problem solving
- Strategic thinking
**Example Topic:**
"How can we disrupt the email newsletter industry?"
**Expected Dynamics:**
- Multiple creative frameworks applied
- Diverse ideation techniques
- Strategic + creative synthesis
- Narrative framing of ideas
---
## Agent Customization in Party Mode
### How Customization Works
**Customization Files:**
- Location: `{project-root}/bmad/_cfg/agents/`
- Naming: `{module}-{agent-name}.customize.yaml`
- Format: YAML with persona overrides
**Example Structure:**
```yaml
agent:
persona:
displayName: 'Custom Name' # Optional
communicationStyle: 'Custom style' # Optional
principles: # Optional
- 'Project-specific principle'
```
### Override Precedence
**Loading Order:**
1. Read agent from manifest (default personality)
2. Check for customization file
3. If exists, merge with manifest
4. **Customization values override manifest values**
5. Unspecified fields use manifest defaults
**Result:** Agents use customized personalities in party mode.
### Common Customization Use Cases
#### 1. Domain-Specific Expertise
**Add healthcare expertise to PM:**
```yaml
# bmad/_cfg/agents/bmm-pm.customize.yaml
agent:
persona:
identity: |
Product Manager with 15 years in healthcare SaaS.
Expert in HIPAA compliance, EHR integrations, and clinical workflows.
Balances regulatory requirements with user experience.
principles:
- 'HIPAA compliance is non-negotiable'
- 'Patient safety over feature velocity'
- 'Clinical validation for every feature'
```
**In Party Mode:**
```
PM now brings healthcare expertise to all discussions.
Architect and PM can debate HIPAA-compliant architecture.
UX Designer and PM can discuss clinical usability.
```
#### 2. Communication Style
**Make Architect more casual:**
```yaml
# bmad/_cfg/agents/bmm-architect.customize.yaml
agent:
persona:
communicationStyle: |
Friendly and approachable. Uses analogies and real-world examples.
Avoids jargon. Explains complex concepts simply.
```
**In Party Mode:**
Architect's responses are more accessible to non-technical stakeholders.
#### 3. Project-Specific Principles
**Add startup constraints:**
```yaml
# bmad/_cfg/agents/bmm-pm.customize.yaml
agent:
persona:
principles:
- 'MVP > perfect - ship fast, iterate'
- 'Technical debt is acceptable for validation'
- 'Focus on one metric that matters'
```
**In Party Mode:**
PM pushes for rapid iteration, affecting all strategic discussions.
#### 4. Cross-Project Consistency
**Add company standards:**
```yaml
# bmad/_cfg/agents/bmm-architect.customize.yaml
agent:
persona:
principles:
- 'AWS-only for all services (company policy)'
- 'TypeScript required for all projects'
- 'Microservices for all new systems'
```
**In Party Mode:**
Architect enforces company standards, reducing technology debates.
### Testing Customizations
**Best way to see customizations in action:**
1. Create customization file
2. Load BMad Master
3. Run `*party-mode`
4. Introduce topic relevant to customized agent
5. See agent respond with customized personality
**Example Test:**
```
Customize PM with healthcare expertise
↓
Run party mode
↓
Topic: "User authentication approach"
↓
PM discusses HIPAA-compliant auth (customization active)
```
---
## Best Practices
### Effective Party Mode Usage
**1. Start with Clear Topics**
```
❌ "I want to talk about my app"
✅ "I need to decide between REST and GraphQL for our mobile API"
❌ "Architecture stuff"
✅ "What's the best caching strategy for read-heavy microservices?"
```
**2. Provide Context**
```
Good Opening:
"We're building a SaaS CRM for SMBs. Current tech stack: Next.js, Postgres.
We need to add real-time notifications. What approach should we use?"
Includes: Project type, constraints, specific question
```
**3. Engage Actively**
```
When agents respond:
- Answer their questions
- React to their suggestions
- Ask follow-up questions
- Make decisions when ready
- Challenge assumptions
```
**4. Direct When Needed**
```
Useful phrases:
- "Let's focus on X aspect first"
- "Architect, how would that affect performance?"
- "I'm concerned about Y - what do you think?"
- "Can we explore option B in more detail?"
```
**5. Use for Right Scenarios**
```
Great for party mode:
✅ Strategic decisions
✅ Trade-off discussions
✅ Creative brainstorming
✅ Cross-functional alignment
Not ideal for party mode:
❌ Simple questions (use single agent)
❌ Implementation details (use DEV)
❌ Document review (use specific agent)
```
### Getting the Most Value
**1. Embrace Debate**
- Healthy disagreement leads to better decisions
- Different perspectives reveal blind spots
- Synthesis often better than any single view
**2. Make Decisions**
- Party mode informs, you decide
- Don't wait for consensus (rarely happens)
- Choose approach and move forward
- Document decision rationale
**3. Time Box**
- Most productive discussions: 15-30 minutes
- If longer, consider breaking into focused sessions
- Circular discussions signal completion
**4. Customize Strategically**
- Add domain expertise when relevant
- Keep project constraints in mind
- Don't over-customize (agents have good defaults)
**5. Follow Up**
- Use decisions in single-agent workflows
- Document outcomes in planning docs
- Reference party mode insights in architecture
---
## Troubleshooting
### Common Issues
**Issue: Same agents responding every time**
**Cause:** Topic consistently matches same expertise areas
**Solution:**
- Vary your questions to engage different agents
- Explicitly request perspectives: "Game Designer, your thoughts?"
- Ask about different aspects of same topic
---
**Issue: Discussion becomes circular**
**Cause:** Fundamental disagreement or insufficient information
**Solution:**
- BMad Master will summarize and redirect
- You can decide between options
- Acknowledge need for more research/data
- Table decision for later
---
**Issue: Agents not using customizations**
**Cause:** Customization file not found or malformed YAML
**Solution:**
1. Check file location: `bmad/_cfg/agents/{module}-{agent-name}.customize.yaml`
2. Validate YAML syntax (no tabs, proper indentation)
3. Verify module prefix matches (bmm-, cis-, bmb-)
4. Reload party mode
---
**Issue: Too many agents responding**
**Cause:** Topic is broad or matches many expertise areas
**Solution:**
- Make topic more specific
- Focus on one aspect at a time
- BMad Master limits to 2-3 agents per message
---
**Issue: Party mode feels overwhelming**
**Cause:** First time, unfamiliar with agent personalities
**Solution:**
- Start with focused topics
- Read [Agents Guide](./agents-guide.md) first
- Try 1-2 party sessions before complex topics
- Remember: You control the direction
---
## Related Documentation
**Agent Information:**
- [Agents Guide](./agents-guide.md) - Complete agent reference with all 12 BMM agents + BMad Master
- [Glossary](./glossary.md) - Key terminology including agent roles
**Getting Started:**
- [Quick Start Guide](./quick-start.md) - Introduction to BMM
- [FAQ](./faq.md) - Common questions about agents and workflows
**Team Collaboration:**
- [Enterprise Agentic Development](./enterprise-agentic-development.md) - Multi-developer teams and coordination
**Workflow Guides:**
- [Phase 1: Analysis Workflows](./workflows-analysis.md)
- [Phase 2: Planning Workflows](./workflows-planning.md)
- [Phase 3: Solutioning Workflows](./workflows-solutioning.md)
- [Phase 4: Implementation Workflows](./workflows-implementation.md)
- [Testing & QA Workflows](./workflows-testing.md)
---
## Quick Reference
### Party Mode Commands
```bash
# Start party mode
Load BMad Master → *party-mode
# During party mode
Type your topic/question
Respond to agents
Direct specific agents
# Exit party mode
"exit"
"end party"
"done"
```
### When to Use
| Scenario | Use Party Mode? | Alternative |
| ---------------------------------- | --------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| Strategic decision with trade-offs | ✅ Yes | Single agent (PM, Architect) |
| Creative brainstorming | ✅ Yes | Single agent (Game Designer, CIS agents) |
| Epic kickoff meeting | ✅ Yes | Sequential agent workflows |
| Simple implementation question | ❌ No | DEV agent |
| Document review | ❌ No | Paige agent |
| Workflow status check | ❌ No | Any agent + \*workflow-status |
### Agent Selection by Topic
| Topic | Expected Agents |
| ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Architecture | Architect, Game Architect, DEV |
| Product Strategy | PM, Innovation Strategist, Analyst |
| User Experience | UX Designer, Design Thinking Coach |
| Testing | TEA, Architect, DEV |
| Creative/Narrative | Game Designer, Storyteller, Brainstorming Coach |
| Documentation | Paige, Analyst, PM |
| Implementation | DEV, Architect, SM |
---
_Better decisions through diverse perspectives. Welcome to party mode._