THE STARTING POINT
A focused checklist for deciding what to automate and where people should remain involved.
Describe the task precisely.
Start with one repeatable activity. Record its inputs, expected output, exceptions and the person responsible for the result. If the task cannot be described clearly, spend time understanding it before choosing an automation method. Some requirements may fit straightforward rules better than an AI-based approach.
Define what a useful result looks like.
Create representative examples that the team can review. Include awkward cases, incomplete inputs and situations that should be escalated to a person. Agree how results will be assessed before extending the workflow. The evaluation should reflect the actual task, rather than an impressive but unrelated demonstration.
Keep review and access explicit.
Decide which outputs require human approval and which information the workflow can access. Discuss failure handling and the route for correcting an output. Avoid granting broader access simply because it is convenient during a prototype. Ownership of the final decision should remain visible.
Review the pilot before expanding.
Compare the pilot with the current workflow against the criteria you agreed. Record limitations and outstanding questions. A broader rollout is a separate decision, informed by the pilot’s results, operating requirements and the people who will support it.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Your discovery checklist
- What is the specific task?
- What would count as an unacceptable output?
- When must a person review it?
- Who owns access and operation?