1. What repeatable task are you solving?
Describe one task in plain language. “Draft a service summary from a completed ticket” is easier to evaluate than “automate our service desk.” Keep the first pilot narrow enough to inspect.
2. What information is necessary?
List the source systems and required fields. Separate the information the workflow needs from everything it could access. Decide how incomplete or conflicting inputs should be handled.
3. What does a useful result look like?
Collect representative examples and agree on the desired output. Include difficult cases, not just straightforward ones. Define which mistakes make the result unusable.
4. Who reviews consequential actions?
A draft and an action are different responsibilities. Decide where a person reviews the output before it reaches a customer or changes a business system. Document an exception path.
5. Who operates the workflow?
Agree on ownership, credentials, error alerts, change management, and rollback. A pilot is more useful when the team knows how to maintain it after handover.
A useful first deliverable
A one-page scope, sample inputs, expected outputs, and acceptance criteria can make the implementation conversation much more concrete.
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