Agent development life cycle (ADLC)Ten phases. Six signed gates.
The agent development life cycle is ten phases and six signed gates. Every Agentic Studio project runs it, and leaves proof behind.
Updated
- G1
- G2
- G3
- G4
- G5
- G6
A named human signs each gate.
The life cycle
Discover to Learn and evolve.
Hover or tap a phase to see the work and its gate.
Diagnose · Phase 1
Define
Strategy, unit economics and a risk tier.
G1 · Thesis approved
“Is this worth building, and safe to build?”
A signed decision with linked evidence. A named human signs.
Gates · G1 to G6
What does each gate ask?
A gate is a signed decision with linked evidence. A named human signs.
- G1after Define
Thesis approved
“Is this worth building, and safe to build?”
Evidence: Strategy, unit economics and a risk tier.
- G2after Design
Architecture approved
“Will this design meet the targets, risks and rules?”
Evidence: Technical memo, architecture pack, threat model.
- G3after Specify
Definition of ready
“Can agents build this without guessing?”
Evidence: Specs, contracts, acceptance tests, autonomy limits per agent.
- G4after Prototype
Experience sign-off
“Do users understand it and want it?”
Evidence: Every screen on fixtures; tested with users.
- G5after Verify
Quality gate
“Does it work, safely, at load?”
Evidence: Test, eval, security, load and accessibility reports.
- G6after Govern & release
Governance and go-live
“May it go live, and can we stop it?”
Evidence: Registry entries, rollback rehearsed, kill switch tested.
Build runs in waves between G4 and G5; each slice must work end to end. G6 needs a tested kill switch: see how an agent is stopped.
Artefacts
Four records, every project.
What you hand over when the agent goes live.
Gate log
Six signed decisions, each with linked evidence.
- G5 quality gate pass
- signed eval lead
- evidence #evals #security
Eval suite
Graded cases that grow with every spec.
- cases golden/intake
- threshold 0.90
- critical 0
Register row
One agent, one named human owner.
- agent intake
- owner named human
- autonomy L3 · tier 2
Tested kill switch
Proved to stop the agent before go-live.
- level agent
- drill passed
- restore human only
One login
Your level follows you.
One sign-in across all three sites. Level, projects and portfolio travel with it.
- aiflywheel.in/schools
Teacher-owned account
Under 18. Moves to the learner at 18, with consent.
- aiflywheel.in
Programmes and credentials
Cohorts, levels and verifiable badges.
- aiflywheel.studio
Projects and gate records
Where the build happens.
One login · OIDC single sign-on
Illustrative
- Level
- C1 to C5, one system everywhere
- Projects
- Every gate record you signed
- Portfolio
- Kept when an account moves at 18
Quick answers
What is the ADLC?
What is the agent development life cycle (ADLC)?
The agent development life cycle (ADLC) is the method every Agentic Studio project runs: ten phases, from Discover to Learn and evolve, and six signed gates, G1 to G6. Each gate is a signed decision with linked evidence, and an agent goes live only once its kill switch is tested.
How many phases does the ADLC have?
Ten: Discover, Define, Design, Specify, Prototype, Build, Verify, Govern and release, Operate, and Learn and evolve. Build runs in waves between G4 and G5. Model, Generative and Robotic Studio run twelve-phase cycles, the MDLC, GDLC and RDLC, with the same six gates.
What is a gate in the ADLC?
A gate is a signed decision with linked evidence, not a meeting. A named human signs each one: G1 Thesis approved, G2 Architecture approved, G3 Definition of ready, G4 Experience sign-off, G5 Quality gate, and G6 Governance and go-live, which needs a tested kill switch.
How is ADLC different from SDLC?
The SDLC ships code; the ADLC ships an agent and the system that watches it. Alongside design, build and test, it adds a risk tier, autonomy limits, an eval suite, one named human owner and a kill switch tested before go-live. Every release then feeds the next G1.
Early access
Sign in. Start a project.
Agentic Studio opens at the Inevitable Summit, February 2027.