diff --git a/core/kernel/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/core/kernel/orchestration/ContextFeedback.kt b/core/kernel/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/core/kernel/orchestration/ContextFeedback.kt
index 9517a6af..5112ecff 100644
--- a/core/kernel/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/core/kernel/orchestration/ContextFeedback.kt
+++ b/core/kernel/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/core/kernel/orchestration/ContextFeedback.kt
@@ -54,7 +54,9 @@ fun buildArtifactKindVocabularyEntry(kinds: Collection<ArtifactKind>): ContextEn
         if (k.llmEmitted) "${k.id} (llm-emitted)" else k.id
     }
     val content = "## Available artifact kinds\n" +
-        "Every stage's \"produces\" MUST be exactly one of: $listing\n" +
+        "Every stage's \"kind\" MUST be exactly one of: $listing\n" +
+        "Stages that write or edit files use \"file_written\"; stages that run commands use " +
+        "\"process_result\".\n" +
         "Do not invent kinds — a plan referencing an unknown kind fails to compile."
     return ContextEntry(
         id = ContextEntryId(UUID.randomUUID().toString()),
diff --git a/docs/schemas/execution_plan.json b/docs/schemas/execution_plan.json
index 2d5b7e78..72034c1d 100644
--- a/docs/schemas/execution_plan.json
+++ b/docs/schemas/execution_plan.json
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
           "prompt": { "type": "string" },
           "needs": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "string" } },
           "produces": { "type": "string" },
+          "kind": { "type": "string" },
           "tools": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "string" } }
         },
         "required": ["id", "prompt", "produces"]
diff --git a/examples/workflows/prompts/architect_freestyle.md b/examples/workflows/prompts/architect_freestyle.md
index 5486ecad..60bb2ec3 100644
--- a/examples/workflows/prompts/architect_freestyle.md
+++ b/examples/workflows/prompts/architect_freestyle.md
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ Emit a JSON object that validates against the `execution_plan` schema:
       "id": "<short_snake_case_id>",
       "role": "<role name, e.g. implementer>",
       "prompt": "<the full prompt that stage will execute>",
-      "produces": "<artifact_id this stage emits>",
+      "produces": "<unique artifact_id this stage emits, your choice of name>",
+      "kind": "<one of the available artifact kinds listed in your context>",
       "needs": ["<artifact_id consumed from an earlier stage>"],
       "tools": ["file_read", "file_write", "file_edit", "ShellTool"]
     }
@@ -48,8 +49,12 @@ Emit a JSON object that validates against the `execution_plan` schema:
 
 **stages** — ordered list; each stage must:
 - Have a unique `id` in `snake_case`.
-- Declare `produces`: the artifact id this stage emits. Artifact ids must be declared in
-  your config's `[[artifacts]]` table.
+- Declare `produces`: the artifact id this stage emits. Pick a unique descriptive
+  `snake_case` name; this is how `needs` and edge conditions reference the artifact.
+- Declare `kind`: the artifact kind, exactly one id from the "Available artifact kinds"
+  list in your context. Stages that write or edit files use `file_written`; stages that
+  run commands use `process_result`; stages whose output is structured JSON use an
+  llm-emitted kind.
 - Declare `needs`: every upstream artifact id the stage's prompt references. Every id in
   `needs` must be `produces`d by a strictly earlier stage.
 - Include `tools` only for stages that write or edit files:
diff --git a/infrastructure/workflow/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/infrastructure/workflow/ExecutionPlanCompiler.kt b/infrastructure/workflow/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/infrastructure/workflow/ExecutionPlanCompiler.kt
index 8191237e..d3c91a3a 100644
--- a/infrastructure/workflow/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/infrastructure/workflow/ExecutionPlanCompiler.kt
+++ b/infrastructure/workflow/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/infrastructure/workflow/ExecutionPlanCompiler.kt
@@ -29,8 +29,11 @@ class ExecutionPlanCompiler(
         if (plan.stages.isEmpty()) throw WorkflowValidationException("execution_plan has no stages")
 
         val stageMap = plan.stages.associate { s ->
-            val kind = registry.get(s.produces)
-                ?: throw WorkflowValidationException("Unknown artifact kind '${s.produces}' in stage '${s.id}'")
+            // `produces` is the unique slot name referenced by needs/edges; `kind` selects the
+            // registered artifact kind. Plans predating the split used one string for both.
+            val kindId = s.kind ?: s.produces
+            val kind = registry.get(kindId)
+                ?: throw WorkflowValidationException("Unknown artifact kind '$kindId' in stage '${s.id}'")
             StageId(s.id) to StageConfig(
                 produces = listOf(TypedArtifactSlot(name = ArtifactId(s.produces), kind = kind)),
                 needs = s.needs.map { ArtifactId(it) }.toSet(),
diff --git a/infrastructure/workflow/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/infrastructure/workflow/ExecutionPlanModel.kt b/infrastructure/workflow/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/infrastructure/workflow/ExecutionPlanModel.kt
index b676b1c6..225d1dc7 100644
--- a/infrastructure/workflow/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/infrastructure/workflow/ExecutionPlanModel.kt
+++ b/infrastructure/workflow/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/infrastructure/workflow/ExecutionPlanModel.kt
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ data class PlanStage(
     val id: String = "",
     val prompt: String = "",
     val produces: String = "",
+    val kind: String? = null,
     val needs: List<String> = emptyList(),
     val tools: List<String> = emptyList(),
 )
diff --git a/infrastructure/workflow/src/test/kotlin/com/correx/infrastructure/workflow/ExecutionPlanCompilerTest.kt b/infrastructure/workflow/src/test/kotlin/com/correx/infrastructure/workflow/ExecutionPlanCompilerTest.kt
index 869cb912..f054e1d2 100644
--- a/infrastructure/workflow/src/test/kotlin/com/correx/infrastructure/workflow/ExecutionPlanCompilerTest.kt
+++ b/infrastructure/workflow/src/test/kotlin/com/correx/infrastructure/workflow/ExecutionPlanCompilerTest.kt
@@ -87,6 +87,48 @@ class ExecutionPlanCompilerTest {
         assertThrows<WorkflowValidationException> { compiler.compile(bad, "bad-workflow") }
     }
 
+    @Test
+    fun `kind field selects the registered kind while produces names the slot`() {
+        val plan = """
+            {
+              "goal": "create files",
+              "stages": [
+                {
+                  "id": "create_files",
+                  "prompt": "Create the files",
+                  "produces": "files_created",
+                  "kind": "file_written",
+                  "needs": [],
+                  "tools": ["file_write"]
+                }
+              ],
+              "edges": [
+                { "from": "create_files", "to": "done", "condition": { "type": "always_true" } }
+              ]
+            }
+        """.trimIndent()
+        val graph = compiler.compile(plan, "kind-workflow")
+        val slot = graph.stages.values.single().produces.single()
+        assertEquals("files_created", slot.name.value)
+        assertEquals("file_written", slot.kind.id)
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `unregistered kind field throws WorkflowValidationException`() {
+        val plan = """
+            {
+              "goal": "x",
+              "stages": [
+                { "id": "s1", "prompt": "p", "produces": "out", "kind": "made_up_kind" }
+              ],
+              "edges": [
+                { "from": "s1", "to": "done", "condition": { "type": "always_true" } }
+              ]
+            }
+        """.trimIndent()
+        assertThrows<WorkflowValidationException> { compiler.compile(plan, "bad-workflow") }
+    }
+
     @Test
     fun `empty stages throws WorkflowValidationException`() {
         val bad = """{ "goal": "x", "stages": [], "edges": [] }"""