An AI agent workflow should be designed like an operating process, not like a clever prompt. Before connecting an agent to business systems, define the trigger, owner, inputs, allowed tools, approval steps, and success metric.
The Checklist
- Define the workflow in one sentence.
- List every system the agent can read.
- Separate read-only tools from write tools.
- Require approval for customer-facing or financial actions.
- Ask the agent to cite sources for important claims.
- Validate structured outputs before saving them.
- Log every model call, tool call, and human correction.
- Review quality every week during the first month.
Best First Workflows
Good starter workflows include meeting summaries, support triage, lead research, weekly briefs, and knowledge base answers. Avoid high-risk decisions until the agent has a reliable track record.
The strongest teams treat agents as supervised systems. They start narrow, measure outcomes, and expand authority only when the data supports it.
