Trail’s default artifacts capture what was done: tasks completed, files changed, and deviations from the plan.
If you want deeper visibility into why decisions were made, including run structure, task sequencing, and key assumptions, you can enable enhanced telemetry through operating instructions.
Add this block to either operating-instructions-override.md (intent-scoped) or meta/global-operating-instructions.md (project-wide).
It introduces two additional artifacts for capturing decision rationale.
Enhanced Telemetry
Two additional artifacts are required to capture decision rationale and richer execution detail beyond what Trail normally requires. This is intentional scope added for documentation purposes only and does not affect how Trail operates.
**Manager: `decisions.md`**
The Manager must produce a `decisions.md` file in this intent folder. It captures the *why* behind structural choices: how runs were scoped, why tasks were sequenced a certain way, key assumptions and the reasoning behind them. Append under labeled headers as decisions are made (`## Run 01 Decisions`, etc.).
**Developer: `results.md` (enhanced)**
The Developer must produce `results.md` per normal. For this intent, results.md should include additional detail: notable observations, anything that was surprising or non-obvious, and reasoning behind any deviation — not just the fact of the deviation.
These artifacts commit to Git with the run, making decision history timestamped, attributable, and queryable, not lost in chat.
Use intent-level overrides when telemetry is situational (case studies, audits, high-stakes runs).
Use global instructions when you want it applied consistently across the project.
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