Exercise · 15 min · Lesson 5 of 7
Map a workflow for an agent
Break a real process into steps and decide what to automate and what to keep behind human approval.
Your task
Choose one repetitive workflow from your team and list every step a person takes, one line per step, with the system used. Label each step: A if it is safe to automate, H if it should be automated with human approval, P if it stays with a person. For every H step, write who approves and what they see before approving. Finish with the tools and permissions the agent would need, and cross out any permission that is not strictly necessary.
Guidance
Do not start with “build an autonomous agent”. Start with one painful, repetitive workflow and map the steps a person takes today, including the systems they open and the decisions they make along the way.
Once the steps are visible, the design often becomes obvious: some steps are safe to automate fully, some need approval, and some should stay with people entirely.
Your notes
Key takeaways
- Map today's process before designing an agent.
- Label every step: automate, approve or keep human.
- Grant only the permissions the mapped steps require.