Outcome
Can you name the result in one sentence?
If the finish line is fuzzy, the output will be fuzzy too.
Checklist
The check before I trust a workflow with AI in it.
Six questions I use before a prompt, tool, template, or workflow turns into another half-finished experiment.
Rule of thumb
If you cannot run it twice, it is not a workflow yet.
I use this before buying a tool, building a prompt, or handing the process to someone else.
Inputs
Do you know what source material the tool should use?
A good run starts with the right files, notes, examples, or constraints.
Judgment
Where does a human make the call?
Keep the human call where it matters.
Repeatability
Could someone run it again next week?
A useful workflow leaves instructions behind. A lucky output does not.
Risk
What would be embarrassing, wrong, or expensive if missed?
Name what can go wrong before the tool starts sounding confident.
Handoff
Can the next person use the result without a translator?
If the handoff needs a second explanation, the workflow is not done yet.
Next step
Write down the version that worked.
When the same check fails twice, write down the working steps so someone can run them again.