Nathan Glass
Blog
Apr 28, 2026

A Simple Way to Manage Working with AI Agents

Numbered folders in Obsidian + markdown files create a lightweight system for human-AI collaboration. No complex tools needed.

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A Simple Way to Manage Working with AI Agents

A Simple Way to Manage Working with AI Agents

Working with a team of AI agents changes your role. You’re not doing the work anymore — you’re guiding it.

I spend my time thinking about potential issues, asking agents for plans, iterating a couple rounds, then approving the plans to execute. The agents handle the rest.

But for this to work without chaos, you need a system. Not a complicated one. Just a clear one.

Markdown Files in Numbered Folders

I use Obsidian to manage a set of numbered folders. Each markdown file represents one piece of work — a post, a task, a project brief. The file moves through the folders as it progresses:

  • 0 Ideas — My private scratchpad. Agents don’t touch this.
  • 1 Inbox — Raw material ready for the agent to pick up.
  • 2 Review — Agent drafts waiting for my feedback.
  • 3 Approved — Green-lit and ready to go.
  • 4 Posted — Done and archived.
  • 5 Needs Revision — My notes back to the agent for another pass.

I establish clear rules with each agent: who moves files out of which folders. The agent picks up from Inbox and Needs Revision. I move things from Ideas to Inbox, and from Review to either Approved or Needs Revision.

Why This Works

Markdown files are the perfect interface between humans and agents. They’re lightweight. Easy to edit. Easy for agents to read. And they live outside the agent’s temporary memory, so nothing gets lost between sessions.

The asynchronous workflow is key. I drop ideas when I have them. Come back later to review what the agent produced. We go back and forth without needing to be online at the same time.

This Isn’t New

I’ve been using numbered folders like this for three decades. The only thing that changed is who’s on the other end — agents instead of people.

You don’t need a magical complex system. You don’t need specialized agent management software. You need a clear process with simple rules about who does what and where things live.

A well-defined process beats a fancy tool every time.

(Originally drafted and posted across X, LinkedIn, and Facebook on the same day.)