Multi-Agent Orchestration

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Overview

Zenflow workflows are built from steps. Each step can run with a different agent, model, and configuration — a planning-focused model for the planning step, a fast model for implementation, and multiple independent reviewers in parallel for code review.

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The Three Phases

Most multi-model workflows break into three phases. Each has a different quality/efficiency tradeoff: The goal is to use the right model for each phase — frontier reasoning where depth matters, fast models where throughput matters.

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Why Cross-Model Review Matters

A model reviewing its own output is less likely to catch issues — it tends to agree with its own reasoning. A different model brings a different set of assumptions and catches different classes of problems. For higher-stakes changes, running multiple reviewers in parallel gives broader coverage than a single reviewer regardless of which model you pick.

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Two Approaches

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Choosing Your Approach

The Multi-model workflow is available as a built-in option when creating a task — select it from the workflow picker at the bottom of the task creation screen:

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Runtime Model Switching

You don’t have to define everything upfront. During any step, you can switch the active model from the chat composer dropdown. This is useful when:

• A step is stuck and you want to try a different model
• You want a quick second opinion on a specific question
• The default preset for a step isn’t performing well on a particular task

The model switch applies to the current chat session. It doesn’t change the workflow definition.

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Practical Guidelines

• Start simple. A two-preset setup (planner + implementer) already captures most of the value. Add review presets or the full Subagent pipeline when the task warrants it.
• Don’t use the full pipeline for small tasks. A three-phase Subagent pipeline has real overhead. For a small bug fix, a single model is faster and equally effective.
• Match model strengths to phase requirements. Planning needs reasoning depth. Implementation needs speed. Review needs a different perspective.
• Use the spec as the coordination artifact. When different models handle different phases, the plan or spec is what keeps them aligned.

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Deep Dives