DevUI (in .NET): how to request input from the user (from an executor)

[joslat]

Hi,

I am preparing a demo to be showcased next week (Tuesday) to manage a claims input process.
This is working already in Console, see https://github.com/joslat/MAFPlayground/blob/master/MAFPlayground/Demos/Demo11_ClaimsWorkflow.cs

The problem on it is that the UserInputExecutor requests at the moment information from the user through console, and this is clearly not supported in DevUI.
The UserInputExecutor uses console I/O: The workflow blocks forever waiting for console input that will never come

Question: How can I make this workflow compatible with DevUI? what mechanism do we have to trigger a user input and process it?
And how can I make the workflow aware of DevUI?

Some more detail on the workflow:

And how it works:
┌──────────────────────────┐
│ UserInputExecutor │ ← Console.ReadLine() ❌ (BLOCKS IN DEVUI!)
│ Prompts: "You: " │
└────────┬─────────────────┘
↓ (user types message)
┌──────────────────────────┐
│ ClaimsIntakeExecutor │ → Runs ClaimsUserFacingAgent
│ Gathers information │
└────────┬─────────────────┘
↓
[Has enough info?]
├─ No → Loop back to UserInputExecutor (asks another question)
└─ Yes → Proceed to validation
↓
┌──────────────────────────┐
│ ClaimsValidationExecutor │ → Runs ClaimsReadyForProcessingAgent
│ Validates & enriches │
└────────┬─────────────────┘
↓
[Claim complete?]
├─ No → Loop back to ClaimsIntakeExecutor (needs more info)
└─ Yes → Proceed to processing
↓
┌──────────────────────────┐
│ ClaimsProcessingExecutor │ → Runs ClaimsProcessingAgent
│ Final confirmation │
└──────────────────────────┘

[joslat]

Hi, @DeagleGross, @ReubenBond, @dmytrostruk, as main authors of .NET DevUI, any insights on this? I would greatly appreciate it :)

[DeagleGross]

@victordibia, do you know if awaiting user input is supported in DevUI? If yes, via which communication mechanism (i can't think of OpenAI Responses with awaiting user input)

[joslat]

I believe that, after reviewing the code extensively yesterday (on the .NET side, https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/tree/main/dotnet/src/Microsoft.Agents.AI.DevUI) - the only valid possible way is HITL (allows only to reply Y/N) but no method for interacting with the user so far how I want it - an executor that is able to ask the user a question and then continue with its flow.

Unless I am wrong (please do confirm) we can close this thread.

I would summarize it like: "ATM the way to use DevUI with a workflow is to have a single, ideally complete, input that can trigger the whole workflow."

@victordibia do you agree? :) I'd greatly appreciate your feedback here.