Allow either party to step away without a formal close (e.g., idle, context switch), keeping state ready for later resumption.
- U or A: Disengage trigger (idle, multitask, network drop, “hold on”).
- A: Non-intrusive acknowledgement; save state and provide a resume affordance (e.g., “Pick up where we left off”).
- A (Optional): Set a gentle reminder or time-bound expiration (with consent).
- U: Return later → resume at the same step or start a fresh opening.
- Avoid pushy re-engagement; prefer user-initiated resume.
- Show what’s saved and how to change or discard it.
- For privacy, clearly state what persists and for how long.
Support & transitions
- On resume, confirm assumptions/state and offer to continue or start over.
- If state is stale, propose opening re-open or an updated scope.
Metrics
Successful resumes; time-to-resume; stale-state errors; opt-outs of reminders.
Consequences
- the exchange is parked rather than ended: state is saved, the actor can see what persists and for how long, and either side can pick it up again — the agent resuming, or the actor returning on their own initiative
- parked state ages while nobody is watching it, so the assumptions inside it may not hold on return; confirming them is part of resuming, not an extra
Related patterns
Precedes
- Opening (Agent) — the exchange is parked rather than ended: state is saved, the actor can see what persists and for how long, and either side can pick it up again — the agent resuming, or the actor returning on their own initiative
- Opening (User) — the exchange is parked rather than ended: state is saved, the actor can see what persists and for how long, and either side can pick it up again — the agent resuming, or the actor returning on their own initiative
Enables
- Conversation — either party steps away without a formal close, leaving the exchange ready to resume
Alternatives
- Closing — the preferred alternative when a formal close is possible