DECISION DOCUMENT
One page before you commit

Build proposal: ______________  Author: ______________
Date: ______________  Revisit date: ______________

1. THE PROBLEM
In two sentences, your own words, no vendor terminology:
____________________________________________

2. THE WORKFLOW
Instances per period: ________  Time per instance: ________
Total annual time cost: ________

3. THE CUT — classify each step:
AI (judgment, varies by case) / Automation (same input, same
output) / Human (high-stakes, low-volume, or accountability)
Steps: ____________________________________________

4. READINESS
The build depends on these capabilities: ______________
Classification: Reliably ready / Almost ready / Not yet
Evidence: ____________________________________________

5. HUMAN PLACEMENT
Humans are positioned at: ______________
At each point, what specifically does the human do?
____________________________________________

6. PROTOTYPE PLAN
Start: ________  End: ________
What I'll do manually during it: ______________
What notes I'll keep: ______________

7. THE DECISION
Build / Build smaller / Wait / Don't build
Budget gate (if building): ______________
What evidence would change this decision:
____________________________________________

From "Before You Build" - topfiveaitech.com/worksheets