Start With the Decision
The first question is not 'Which model should we use?' It is 'What decision or workflow needs to improve?'
Methodology
I do not start with the model. I start with the decision.
My methodology for building production AI systems: starting with the decision, the workflow, the user, and the cost of being wrong — not the latest model.
Map the Workflow
Before building, map the current workflow, decision owners, handoffs, delays, data sources, failure modes, and approval points.
Build the Smallest Useful System
Do not build the full AI platform first. Build the smallest version that changes a real workflow.
Design for Adoption
A technically correct AI system is useless if users do not trust it or cannot fit it into their daily work.
Govern Inside the Product
Governance should not live only in policy documents. It should appear in access control, audit trails, approval gates, review states, rollback, and human confirmation points.
Evaluate What Matters
Evaluate usefulness, grounding, latency, adoption, workflow fit, failure modes, and operational risk.
Harden for Production
Production AI needs monitoring, fallback behavior, safe mode, rollback, data-quality checks, and clear ownership.