Reverse planning defines the end state before choosing the path. A planner identifies evidence of completion, then works backward through necessary milestones, dependencies, resources, responsibilities, and recurring activities until it reaches the current state.
In a multi-agent workflow, reverse planning can propose which specialist roles are needed and how work should recur. The proposal still requires review because an agent may invent unnecessary roles, overlook constraints, or assume permissions that were never granted.
ELI5
Reverse planning begins by describing what success should look like and then works backward to find the steps needed to get there. It helps connect today's actions with a clear final result.
For example, if the goal is a weekly research report, reverse planning may identify source collection, fact checking, drafting, review, and publication roles. A person should remove unnecessary work and confirm that every role has appropriate permission.
