Step 01
Compare three tasks from your own week
Write down three tasks you repeat. For each one, ask: Will I use this process again? Do I have approved inputs? Can I describe a good result? Can I verify the output? Can I catch a mistake before it affects someone else? Start with the task that gives you the clearest answers.
Step 02
Define one useful deliverable
“Help with marketing” is too broad. “Draft a 150-word event recap from an approved transcript and session description” gives you a starting point and a way to judge the result. If access, permissions or the expected result are uncertain, resolve those before connecting more tools.
Step 03
Sort and match before automating
Separate drafting from publication. Choose a tool that can use the approved source material, then ask for a draft and a claim-to-source list. This applies the first three S.M.A.R.T. steps: Sort the work, Match the tool and Automate the bounded task.
Step 04
Refine the result and keep control
Correct omissions, unsupported details and tone, then improve the instructions. Name the editor who approves the version that will be published. These are the Refine and Take Control steps: the workflow includes how you check the output and who decides what happens next.
Step 05
Measure the entire process
Try three different source sets, including one with a missing detail. Record preparation time, AI time, checking time and corrections. Compare the total with your usual process. Three trials are a learning exercise, not proof of reliability; they should tell you what to change next. A task that saves drafting time but adds more review may need a narrower scope.
A worked example
Event recap: an illustrative first workflow
At All Things AI’s July 2026 Build an Agent Day in Charlotte, the program included selecting tasks, matching platforms, improving outputs and deciding where people should approve. Imagine an event team comparing recap drafting, booking replies and schedule publication. A recap from approved sources is a useful first experiment because the editor can verify it before release. Booking replies need current records and personal-information rules; a schedule error could send attendees to the wrong place. This comparison is an illustrative exercise, not a report of an actual event production process.
Make it your own
Your working template
Task: Draft an event recap. Trigger: Approved transcript and session description are ready. Inputs: [files or links I am allowed to use] Output: 150-word recap plus a claim-to-source list. Quality: Correct names; supported takeaways; no invented quotes. Boundary: Save a draft. Do not publish or message anyone. Reviewer: [name or role] Success measure: Total minutes to reach an acceptable draft. Fallback: If sources conflict, flag the conflict for the reviewer.
Common questions
Do I need an autonomous agent?
No. A chat with the right documents may be enough for a draft. Add integrations or autonomy only when a specific step requires them.
What if reviewing takes longer than doing the task?
Narrow the output, improve the sources or choose a different task. Include review time when deciding whether the workflow helps.
How do I know when to expand the workflow?
First establish that you can produce acceptable results, recognize failures and recover from them. Add one step at a time and test the new handoff; a few successful drafts do not establish that publication should be automatic.
Sources and next steps
The event links document the teaching and work behind these ideas. Worked exercises are illustrative; they are not measured event results.
All practical guides