S1 · Signed scope
The agreement
- Two design rounds included. Extra rounds need written agreement on fee and schedule.
A worked example
From scattered records to an evidence-backed decision
The answer separates what was signed, requested and merely discussed. The owner can decide with the evidence in one place.
Fictional design practiceFictional recordsDecision brief you can read in fullNo client claim
Records in · finished work out
5 records.
4 automatic steps.
One human check.
What goes in
The records the workflow reads
5 ordinary records, nothing prepared specially for AI. Every fact in the finished work traces back to one of them.
S2 · Client email
12 June
- “Could you include a third round and still finish Friday?”
S3 · Internal note
13 June
- “We could include it free to protect the relationship.” No approval recorded.
S4 · Project record
14 June
- Two rounds delivered. Another round would require two design days plus review. No schedule has been agreed for that work.
S5 · Account note
Relationship status
- Client is discussing another project, but has not commissioned it. Owner can approve scope exceptions; designer cannot.
How the work runs
From records to a review-ready result
Set up once: the AI is pointed at the approved folders for this client (contract, emails, project record, account notes). A question is asked in plain words and the answer comes back with the passages it relied on.
A saved project is a folder inside your AI tool that keeps its instructions and reference files between conversations, so nothing is re-explained.
- The five records are searched for the question
Contract, email, internal note, project record and account note are read; each relevant passage is tagged S1 to S5.
- Signed, requested and discussed are separated
The contract is a commitment. The client email is a request. The internal note is a suggestion with no approval.
- Options and their cost are laid out
Quote it, make a one-time exception, or decline; each with what must be settled before commitment.
- A reply is drafted that commits to nothing new
The customer is asked what the third round must achieve, so it can be estimated and agreed in writing.
- A person reads, corrects and acts
The owner checks the cited passages, chooses an option and sends the reply.
What comes out
The finished artifact
This is the actual review copy, not a description of it. Read it the way the owner would, with the records above open beside it.
Decision briefFictional · prepared for review
Review copyPrepared for review · fictional records
Has a third design round been agreed?
Answer with evidence
No agreement to a third round appears in these records. The signed scope includes two rounds and requires written terms for extra work [S1]. The client requested another round [S2]; an internal note suggests a free exception but records no approval [S3]. Both included rounds are delivered [S4].
Options for the owner
| Option | Business tradeoff | Needed before commitment |
|---|---|---|
| Quote the extra round | Protects scope; adds a fee discussion | Fee and a feasible review schedule |
| Approve a limited exception | May support the relationship; consumes delivery capacity | Explicit one-time scope, owner approval and dates |
| Decline extra work | Keeps the original scope; may disappoint the client | Clear explanation of the completed scope |
Recommendation
Clarify what the third round must achieve and estimate it before making an exception. The possible next project is uncommitted [S5]. It is not a sound basis for treating unpaid work as already earned back. Friday cannot be confirmed from the available schedule [S4].
Customer reply · draft for approval
- To
- The client
- Subject
- Your third-round request
The two included rounds are complete. Please send the changes you want in a third round so we can confirm the work, fee and schedule in writing. We have not yet agreed the additional round or a Friday completion date.
Human review
What the owner checks before it goes out
Every factual conclusion needs a supporting source. The internal suggestion is not approval; potential future work is not a commission.
Try it
Run the same records through your own AI tool
The complete fictional pack and the instruction are below. Paste both into an AI chat you are allowed to use, then compare what comes back with the brief above.
Copy this fictional example
Copy the notes and instructions into an approved AI chat.
Fictional source material:
S1 · THE AGREEMENT
Two design rounds included. Extra rounds need written agreement on fee and schedule.
S2 · 12 JUNE
“Could you include a third round and still finish Friday?”
S3 · 13 JUNE
“We could include it free to protect the relationship.” No approval recorded.
S4 · 14 JUNE
Two rounds delivered. Another round would require two design days plus review. No schedule has been agreed for that work.
S5 · RELATIONSHIP STATUS
Client is discussing another project, but has not commissioned it. Owner can approve scope exceptions; designer cannot.
Your task:
Answer “Have we agreed to include a third round, and what should we do next?” Cite source IDs. Prepare options, tradeoffs, the owner decision and a customer reply for approval. Do not turn internal suggestions or possible future work into commitments.
Check the result
Every factual conclusion needs a supporting source. The internal suggestion is not approval; potential future work is not a commission.
Apply it to your work
Before trying this with real work, confirm that the AI tool may use those records and that someone can check important mistakes. Otherwise, keep using fictional details.
Try a decision that recently required searching several approved records. Check the cited passages and whether the brief supplies the context you needed.