Propose Before You Rewrite
When an agent should create a proposal instead of editing memory directly.
Premise
Direct writes are useful when the update is small, factual, and clearly belongs in an existing note.
A proposal is safer when the placement is uncertain, the change affects the shape of the memory system, or the agent is summarizing sensitive or ambiguous material.
Human-in-the-loop
The proposal step is not bureaucracy. It is a control surface for trust.
A good proposal makes the intended memory visible before it becomes canonical. The human can accept, edit, or reject the write without reading a full transcript.
Rule
When the agent is uncertain about meaning, scope, or privacy, it should propose before it rewrites.