Adopt

Adopt a [[role]], [[color]], or [[perspective]] by loading its JSON configuration from Maenifold’s assets directory. This tool enables AI agents to take on specialized thinking modes, [[Six Thinking Hats]] colors, or analytical perspectives by reading structured configuration that defines personality, approach, and evaluation criteria.

When to Use This Tool

Key Features

Parameters

ParameterTypeRequiredDescriptionExample
typestringYesType of asset to adopt: ‘role’, ‘color’, or ‘perspective‘“role”, “color”, “perspective”
identifierstringYesIdentifier of the asset (filename without .json extension)“product-manager”, “blue”, “critical-analysis”

Usage Examples

Adopt Product Manager Role

{
  "type": "role",
  "identifier": "product-manager"
}

Loads product manager configuration with SLC (Simple, Lovable, Complete) framework and customer-focused planning.

Adopt Blue Hat (Six Thinking Hats)

{
  "type": "color",
  "identifier": "blue"
}

Adopts Blue Hat thinking - process control, orchestration, and meta-thinking about thinking.

Adopt Critical Analysis Perspective

{
  "type": "perspective",
  "identifier": "critical-analysis"
}

Applies critical analysis lens for rigorous evaluation and skeptical inquiry.

Adopt Engineer Role

{
  "type": "role",
  "identifier": "engineer"
}

Loads software engineer configuration with implementation focus and technical best practices.

Adopt Red Hat (Six Thinking Hats)

{
  "type": "color",
  "identifier": "red"
}

Red Hat thinking - emotions, intuition, and gut reactions without justification.

Adopt Green Hat (Six Thinking Hats)

{
  "type": "color",
  "identifier": "green"
}

Green Hat thinking - creativity, possibilities, alternatives, and new ideas.

Available Assets

Roles (Professional Thinking Modes)

Colors (Six Thinking Hats)

Perspectives (Analytical Lenses)

Asset JSON Structure

Each asset contains:

Core Identity

{
  "id": "product-manager",
  "name": "The product manager",
  "emoji": "📊",
  "shortDescription": "Define what we build and why it matters to customers"
}

Personality

{
  "personality": {
    "motto": "Is this Simple, Lovable, and Complete for our customers?",
    "principles": [
      "Simple solutions over complex features—elegance matters",
      "Lovable products that customers genuinely want to use"
    ]
  }
}

Approach (Methodology)

Detailed thinking frameworks, evaluation criteria, and decision-making processes specific to the role/color/perspective.

Response Style

How the adopted mindset evaluates problems and formulates responses.

Checklists

Quality gates and validation criteria for the adopted thinking mode.

Anti-Patterns

What to avoid when operating in this mode.

Transition Triggers (Roles only)

When to switch to other roles during collaborative work.

Common Patterns

Sequential Thinking with Role Adoption

{
  "sessionId": "analysis-session",
  "response": "After adopting [[product-manager]] role, analyzing customer value..."
}

Start thinking session by adopting relevant role for structured analysis.

Six Thinking Hats Workflow

# Phase 1: Blue Hat - Process design
Adopt type="color" identifier="blue"

# Phase 2: White Hat - Facts
Adopt type="color" identifier="white"

# Phase 3: Red Hat - Gut reactions
Adopt type="color" identifier="red"

# Phase 4: Green Hat - Creative solutions
Adopt type="color" identifier="green"

# Phase 5: Yellow Hat - Benefits analysis
Adopt type="color" identifier="yellow"

# Phase 6: Black Hat - Risk assessment
Adopt type="color" identifier="black"

# Phase 7: Blue Hat - Synthesis
Adopt type="color" identifier="blue"

Role-Based Code Review

# Phase 1: Engineer reviews implementation
Adopt type="role" identifier="engineer"

# Phase 2: Architect reviews design
Adopt type="role" identifier="architect"

# Phase 3: Red Team attacks security
Adopt type="role" identifier="red-team"

# Phase 4: Blue Team defends
Adopt type="role" identifier="blue-team"

Perspective-Shifting Analysis

# Critical lens
Adopt type="perspective" identifier="critical-analysis"

# Creative lens
Adopt type="perspective" identifier="creative-ambiguity"

# Evidence lens
Adopt type="perspective" identifier="evidential-thinking"

Integration with Workflows

Six Thinking Hats Workflow

The [[Workflow]] tool can automatically use Adopt to load color configurations for Six Thinking Hats facilitation.

Custom Workflows

Workflows can specify role adoption in their steps:

- step: adopt_role
  tool: Adopt
  parameters:
    type: role
    identifier: product-manager

Sequential Thinking

Thinking sessions can adopt roles for specialized analysis phases:

{
  "thought": "Adopting [[architect]] role to evaluate system design...",
  "sessionId": "design-review"
}

Troubleshooting

Error: “Invalid type ‘hat’. Must be one of: role, color, perspective”

Cause: Used “hat” instead of “color” for Six Thinking Hats Solution: Use type=“color” for Six Thinking Hats (blue, white, red, green, yellow, black)

Error: “Asset not found: role/pm”

Cause: Identifier doesn’t match any asset filename Solution: Use exact identifier: “product-manager” not “pm”, check spelling

Result: Empty or malformed JSON

Cause: Asset file is corrupted or empty Solution: Verify asset file integrity in src/assets/{type}s/{identifier}.json

Unsure Which Asset to Use

Cause: Unclear which role/color/perspective fits the task Solution:

Asset Loaded But Behavior Unchanged

Cause: Adopt tool returns configuration but doesn’t change agent state Solution: This is expected - agent must interpret and apply the loaded configuration

Example Adoption Session

Step 1: Adopt Product Manager Role

{
  "type": "role",
  "identifier": "product-manager"
}

Step 2: Review Configuration

{
  "id": "product-manager",
  "name": "The product manager",
  "personality": {
    "motto": "Is this Simple, Lovable, and Complete for our customers?"
  }
}

Step 3: Apply Framework

Use the SLC (Simple, Lovable, Complete) framework from the role configuration to evaluate product decisions.

Step 4: Use Checklist

Apply the role’s checklist:

Six Thinking Hats Quick Reference

Design Philosophy

Why JSON Assets?

Ma Protocol Alignment

Ma Protocol Compliance

Adopt follows Maenifold’s Ma Protocol principles:

This tool represents Ma Protocol’s principle of space for structured thinking - providing frameworks that guide without constraining, supporting emergence of intelligent behavior through well-defined cognitive modes.