athena_ood_observe

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

No annotations are provided, so the description must carry full transparency burden. It discloses that the tool is observation-only and lacks semantic authority, which is a useful behavioral trait. However, it does not mention side effects of the 'Update' operation, any required permissions, reversibility, or what it returns, leaving significant gaps for a mutation tool.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is two concise sentences, front-loaded with the primary action. Every clause contributes meaning: the update action, the purpose, and the scope limitation. No wasted words or redundancy.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With 3 parameters, a nested object, no output schema, and no annotations, the description is too brief to be operationally complete. It fails to explain return values, parameter details, edge cases, or how the update modifies the context distribution. The description does not cover the tool's full contract.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The schema has zero description coverage, and the description adds minimal parameter insight. It mentions 'regime' and implies 'features' through the concept of an empirical context distribution, but it does not explain the structure of the features object, the meaning of scope, or parameter relationships. This is insufficient given low schema coverage.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description identifies the specific action (Update) and resource (empirical context distribution), and clarifies the purpose is for detecting distribution shift in a regime. It also adds the qualifier 'Observations only; no semantic authority,' which distinguishes its scope from other tools, but it does not explicitly differentiate from sibling tools like athena_ood_score.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description implies usage by stating what the tool does, but it does not explicitly state when to use it versus alternatives or provide exclusions. The phrase 'Observations only; no semantic authority' gives some guidance on what it is not for, but this is implicit rather than direct.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.