Before an AI Agent Acts, Ask for a Change Preview
An AI agent’s plan is not an exact preview of its actions. Test a workflow that binds approval to specific changes, detects stale versions and makes recovery limits visible.
The Best AI Answer May Begin With a Question
AI assistants often complete an underspecified task instead of exposing the missing choice. A one-question budget can reduce rework without turning every request into an interview.
Your Wi-Fi Dead Zone Is a Map of Your Home
Weak Wi-Fi can reveal the hidden radio landscape of a home. A simple three-point test separates broadband trouble from walls, interference and poor router placement.
Synthetic Users Are Hypotheses, Not Participants
AI personas can widen a design team’s hypotheses, but fluent simulation is not lived evidence. Compare synthetic predictions with real observations before using them to decide.
An AI Memory Should Come with an Expiry Date
Persistent AI memory saves repetition but can preserve stale assumptions. Build a Memory Boundary Card to govern purpose, source, correction and expiry.
The Help Desk Is a Sensor, Not a Cost Centre
Support demand is not merely overhead. Repeated calls, abandoned forms and unnecessary visits can reveal defects that transaction dashboards never see.
Do Not Make Human–AI Agreement the Goal
Human–AI agreement can hide anchoring or stubbornness. A better workflow preserves both provisional views, examines divergence and records why judgement changed.
Your Backup Needs a Second Reader
A backup can preserve every byte and still fail the person who needs it. A small recovery rehearsal reveals missing permissions, unreadable formats and knowledge trapped in one person's head.
The Last Mechanical Button
A documented in-car comparison shows why a well-designed physical control can preserve tactile skill, reduce visual demand and keep human attention on the road.
How a Software Update Can Make a Working Device Obsolete
A device can remain physically sound yet become useless when its app, API or cloud service changes. Follow the dependency stack—and learn what predicts a longer life.