An AI agent can save a few clicks and still create a difficult afternoon. The problem often starts with an instruction that sounds clear to a person but leaves too much room for interpretation.
Describe the Job in Ordinary Language
Start with one sentence that names the input, action and acceptable result. For example: read approved support notes and prepare a draft reply for a staff member. That is a narrower job than handling customer support.
Then list what the agent must never do within that workflow. Sending a message, changing a price or deleting a record should not become an accidental side effect of permission to draft text. Keep the list close to the workflow so the people using it can actually find it.
Separate Preparation From Commitment
A useful design gives the agent room to prepare work while reserving consequential actions for a named person. The approval screen should show what will change, which record is affected and what evidence supports the action. A button labelled Approve is not meaningful if the reviewer cannot see the consequences.
Platform vendors now discuss containment and identity as part of agent infrastructure. Microsoft's Windows announcement provides one example. Microsoft discussion of agent controls Those controls still need an organisation's own task boundaries and escalation rules.
Define Three Reasons to Stop
As an editorial starting point, require the agent to pause when an essential input is missing, when two trusted records conflict, or when the action exceeds its assigned scope. These are workflow suggestions, not a universal security standard. Adjust them to the consequences of your task.
Try deliberately incomplete test cases. Remove an attachment, change a customer identifier and provide an old instruction beside a new one. Watch whether the system asks for help or confidently continues. Record the result so the same failure can be checked after an update.
Give Someone the Off Switch
Name the person who can suspend the workflow and explain what happens to work already in progress. Keep a usable record of actions and approvals. Review the pilot after a short period, including the time spent correcting mistakes. A smaller agent that reliably knows when to stop is often more useful than an ambitious one whose boundaries nobody can explain.