# Scope a job before you start: scoring guide

List everything a job could involve, decide what is in and out, say what done looks like in a way you can check by looking, and set when to stop, all on one page.

## How to use it

1. Run the template on your own material, or take an answer you already have.
2. For each criterion below, read the answer against the two lines and tick one: meets or does not meet. Quote what you saw.
3. A criterion marked "checked by you" is yours to mark. An AI cannot meet it for you.
4. Count the ticks for meets, out of 7. Fix the first criterion that is not met and run the guide again.

## The guide

### 1. Each piece is marked stated or assumed

A plain rule you can check by eye.

- Meets: Every piece of the job is marked stated or assumed.
- Does not meet: A piece has no mark, or a mark such as probably.
- Your mark: [ ] Meets  [ ] Does not meet
- What you saw:

### 2. Each decision is in, out or later

A plain rule you can check by eye.

- Meets: Every piece has a decision of in, out or later.
- Does not meet: A piece has no decision, or another word such as maybe.
- Your mark: [ ] Meets  [ ] Does not meet
- What you saw:

### 3. Every piece has a way to check it

A plain rule you can check by eye.

- Meets: Every piece has a done-means line and a way to check it by looking.
- Does not meet: A piece has a blank done-means or a blank way to check.
- Your mark: [ ] Meets  [ ] Does not meet
- What you saw:

### 4. The note is 300 words or fewer

A plain rule you can check by eye.

- Meets: The scope note is 300 words or fewer when you count them.
- Does not meet: The scope note runs past 300 words.
- Your mark: [ ] Meets  [ ] Does not meet
- What you saw:

### 5. Every done check can be made by looking

Checked by a second AI prompt.

- Meets: Every done check can be made by looking at, counting or opening something.
- Does not meet: A check rests on a feeling word such as good, clear, tidy or ready.
- Your mark: [ ] Meets  [ ] Does not meet
- What you saw:

### 6. Every in-scope piece reaches the note

Checked by a second AI prompt.

- Meets: Every piece marked in is named in the note, and every piece marked out or later is shown as not included.
- Does not meet: An in piece is missing from the note, or an out or later piece reads as included.
- Your mark: [ ] Meets  [ ] Does not meet
- What you saw:

### 7. You can live with the boundary

Checked by you.

- Meets: You read the note as the person who asked and they would agree with what is left out.
- Does not meet: The person who asked would object to something left out, and the Decision column needs a fix.
- Your mark: [ ] Meets  [ ] Does not meet
- What you saw:

## Your result

Met ___ of 7

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From Logic Lab (logiclabhq.com). Free to use and adapt, with credit.