Define Done Before an AI Agent Starts

Rather than asking an assistant to handle an entire workflow, frame the engagement around concrete checkpoints. Every delegated routine benefits from four specific boundaries established in advance:

• Inspectable Deliverable: A separate artifact that team members can open and audit independently, such as a drafted email in drafts, an updated spreadsheet row, or a structured markdown table.
• Explicit Acceptance Criteria: Clear conditions the output must satisfy, including mandatory fields, file structure, and specific formatting standards.
• Source Traceability: Direct references to original files, citations, or client notes so reviewers can verify assertions without re-running searches.
• Defined Stopping Rules: Hard limits on search depth, iteration counts, or missing input handling to prevent circular execution or speculative filler.

As an illustrative example, consider a project manager routing inbound service requests. Instead of prompting an assistant to process new inquiries, the team establishes a precise target: parse incoming PDF briefs and stage a draft card in the project board.

The acceptance criteria require capturing the company name, project scope summary, requested delivery window, and verbatim quotes for any budget references. The stopping rule dictates that if the document lacks explicit timeline details, the tool must leave the timeline field empty, tag the card for human clarification, and stop immediately rather than estimating dates.

Even the most capable assistant remains an execution aid, not a decision-maker. The final sign-off, client communication, and commercial commitments belong entirely to human staff. Reviewers should check evidence links and staged drafts before anything moves outside the internal perimeter.

Keep strategic judgments, conflict resolution, and direct client approvals outside automated routines. When staff know exactly what done looks like before an automation runs, review takes minutes, output quality remains consistent, and accountability stays where it belongs.