Jev-LiteMAS: Separating Decisions from Generation in Multi-Agent Workflows
Multi-agent LLM systems rely on generative models for expert execution, workflow planning, and artifact review. Yet many coordination operations require only bounded decisions, such as selecting the next expert or judging artifact quality. Profiling three representative MAS frameworks, we find that routing and review account for 31.7-43.5% of generative-LLM tokens. However, replacing these operations with low-cost decision models introduces two interface gaps: generative planners produce execution plans and handoff instructions (planning gap), while reviewers provide actionable feedback for repairing flawed artifacts (review gap), which bounded decisions alone cannot provide. We introduce Jev-LiteMAS, a multi-agent framework that bridges both gaps by combining a lightweight decision model (Jev) with generative execution and feedback. To address the planning gap, Jev selects experts dynamically from the task and prior expert outputs, using accumulated context to ground subsequent execution without a pre-generated trajectory. To address the review gap, Jev screens intermediate artifacts against task criteria: passing artifacts proceed directly, whereas flagged ones undergo LLM re-review for acceptance or corrective feedback. Across four benchmarks and two backbones, Jev-LiteMAS reduces generative-LLM tokens by 12.7-54.6% over LAS, maintaining accuracy within 1.34 percentage points and lowering latency in seven of eight settings. Grounding routing in substantive expert outputs prevents up to 18.0 points in accuracy loss.