Planning & Decomposition
Break down complex tasks
The Problem: Without planning, AI jumps straight into tasks and often gets stuck. It's like trying to assemble IKEA furniture without looking at the instructions first — you might get it done, but you'll waste time and make mistakes.
The Solution: Think Before Acting
Planning agents first create a roadmap, then execute step by step. They break complex goals into manageable tasks and can adjust the plan as they learn more. This is closely related to chain-of-thought reasoning: the agent thinks out loud before each action, often using the ReAct pattern. In larger systems, multiple agents may each handle a part of the plan.
Think of it like a chess player:
- 1. Analyze: "What's the current state of the board?"
- 2. Plan: "I need to control the center, then develop pieces..."
- 3. Break down: "First move pawn, then knight, then bishop..."
- 4. Execute: Make the first move
- 5. Re-evaluate: "Opponent moved. Do I need to adjust my plan?"
Planning Strategies
- Task decomposition: Break big goals into smaller subtasks
- Goal prioritization: Decide what's most important to do first
- Dependency tracking: Know which tasks depend on others
- Plan refinement: Update the plan based on new information
Fun Fact: The best planning agents use a technique called "Tree of Thoughts" — they explore multiple possible plans like branches on a tree, evaluate each one, and pick the best path. It's like mentally simulating different futures before deciding!
Try It Yourself!
Use the interactive planner below to see how an agent breaks down a complex task into steps. Watch how it creates and adjusts its plan as it works!
Try it yourself
Interactive demo of this technique
Plan a three-day trip to London.
Day 1: British Museum. Day 2: Tower of London. Day 3: Walk along the Thames. Enjoy your trip!
Task decomposition:
- Logistics (transport, accommodation) — first priority
- Attractions — depends on (1)
- Daily routes — depends on (2) and geography
- Budget — depends on (1)+(2)
Dependencies: accommodation → area → daily routes
Structured plan:
Prep:
- Stay: near Central London (Zone 1)
- Transport: 3-day Oyster card
Day 1 (central):
- 10:00 British Museum (3 hrs) → lunch → 15:00 National Gallery (2 hrs) → West End show evening
Day 2 (riverside):
- 09:00 Tower of London (3 hrs) → Tower Bridge → Borough Market lunch → 15:00 Tate Modern → Thames walk
Day 3 (royal):
- 10:00 Buckingham Palace → Hyde Park lunch → Westminster Abbey → London Eye at sunset
Budget: ~350 GBP (accommodation 150 + tickets 80 + food 90 + transport 30)
A planning agent first analyzes dependencies between tasks, then builds the plan. This yields a structured result instead of a random list.
Create a free account to solve challenges
3 AI-verified challenges for this lesson
This lesson is part of a structured LLM course.
My Learning Path