Agentic AI Reference Architecture

Cognition · Software component

Stepwise Reasoning Verifier

Software componentCognitionCognition & Memoryarc:StepwiseReasoningVerifier

A reflection critic that validates each reasoning step as it is generated through layered entailment, contradiction, information-gain and periodic goal-alignment checks, triggering regeneration of failing steps.

Responsibility. Gates reasoning steps during generation before errors propagate.

Also known as: Layered reasoning verification, Immediate validation, Chain-of-thought verification

Variant of Reflection Critic abstract

When to choose. Choose when errors must be caught before they propagate through the chain; substantially improves final reasoning quality compared to single-pass generation with post-hoc evaluation.

guards; evaluatesinvokesinvokesspecializesis target of alternativeToinvokesinvokesinvokesReasoning Engine: guards; evaluatesReasoning EngineCitation Verifier: invokesCitation VerifierReasoning Consistency Checker: invokesReasoning Consistency Ch…Reflection Critic: specializesReflection CriticSelf-Reflection Critic: is target of alternativeToSelf-Reflection CriticEntailment Step Validator: invokesEntailment Step ValidatorGoal Alignment Checker: invokesGoal Alignment CheckerInformation Gain Scorer: invokesInformation Gain Scorer
Direct neighbourhood (hover for relationship types)

Relationships

invokes dependency

guards control

evaluates assurance

alternative to variability

Design guidance

Classification

Patterns
Layered reasoning verificationImmediate, contextual, goal-alignment and information-gain checkpointsChain-of-thought verification
Quality attributes
Functional suitability: correctness and validity (ISO/IEC 25010 | NIST AI RMF: valid)
Risks mitigated
Error propagation across reasoning stepsHallucination propagation through reasoning chains

Sources

  1. Ch3.9: T. Nguyen, "Reasoning Quality," in Mastering Agentic AI Systems: Guide for the NVIDIA NCP-AAI Exam, 1st ed. 2026, ch. 3.9. ISBN: 9798244538229.
  2. Ch3.10: T. Nguyen, "Efficiency Metrics," in Mastering Agentic AI Systems: Guide for the NVIDIA NCP-AAI Exam, 1st ed. 2026, ch. 3.10. ISBN: 9798244538229.