The parts of a workflow

Where a person must look

Some things only a person can judge: whether a summary is fair, whether a fix list is right. The workflow puts a person at those points and asks the question, instead of pretending to answer it.

The stepAutomaticchecksYou lookThe result
The work
The steps make the work.

A real example

Where the templates ask you to look

  1. Write a summary of a long documentThe summary is fair to the document. If it fails, it is flagged for you.
  2. Draft three versions and pick the bestYou agree with the winner. If it fails, it is flagged for you.
  3. Check whether a draft reads like AI, and fix itIt sounds like you. If it fails, it is flagged for you.
  4. Review a draft before you send itYou agree with the top fixes. If it fails, it is flagged for you.
  5. Find themes in comments or interview notesThe themes fit what people said. If it fails, it is flagged for you.
  6. Scope a job before you startYou can live with the boundary. If it fails, it is flagged for you.
  7. Hand off a task to someone elseYou checked it for private details. If it fails, the run stops.
  8. Hand off a task to someone elseA fresh reader could follow it. If it fails, it is flagged for you.
  9. Compare options and get a recommendationYou make the final call. If it fails, it is flagged for you.
  10. Build your "how I like work done" fileThe rules sound like you. If it fails, it is flagged for you.

What makes a good place to look

  1. 1Last, not firstThe automatic checks run first, so you only look at work that has already passed them.
  2. 2A plain questionThe check says what to look at and what good looks like, in a sentence.
  3. 3Flag, never guessWhere your material is silent, the workflow flags the gap for you instead of filling it in.

Templates that use this part

  1. Write a summary of a long documentThe summary is fair to the document (you check this one).
  2. Draft three versions and pick the bestYou agree with the winner (you check this one).
  3. Check whether a draft reads like AI, and fix itIt sounds like you (you check this one).
  4. Review a draft before you send itYou agree with the top fixes (you check this one).
  5. Find themes in comments or interview notesThe themes fit what people said (you check this one).
  6. Scope a job before you startYou can live with the boundary (you check this one).
  7. Hand off a task to someone elseYou checked it for private details; A fresh reader could follow it (you check this one).
  8. Compare options and get a recommendationYou make the final call (you check this one).
  9. Build your "how I like work done" fileThe rules sound like you (you check this one).