A system can save time by choosing automatically, but a wrong choice can make every later step more expensive or confusing.
The practical check
Before expensive work begins, decide whether the system has enough evidence to choose, should show the likely choice, or must ask the person.
Where AI fits
AI can map selection evidence, confidence limits, and the point where a human prompt is necessary.
The human decision
People decide when an automatic choice is acceptable and resolve ambiguous cases.
The lesson
Before expensive work begins, decide whether the available evidence supports an automatic choice, a visible suggestion, or a direct question for the person affected.
Selection confidence, human prompts, and the cost of proceeding appear together in the Build Log companion.
AI Skills
Use this lesson with the AI assistant you already use
Turn a selection problem into evidence, confidence, prompt, and human-decision rules.
Paste the prompt, share only the context needed to answer it, and treat the result as a draft for your review. Do not include confidential information or let an AI assistant make changes without your approval.
Optional: for a visual report and saved memory, run /dxdev first.
Don’t have it? Get it at dxdev.com/skills/dxdev. The prompt works without it.
dxdev LESSON · paste into your AI agent
LESSON: Choose, Show, or Ask
WHAT TO SHARE:
A de-identified description of the work, current evidence, and the decision you are considering.
ASK YOUR AGENT TO:
1. Separate confirmed facts from assumptions and unanswered questions.
2. Turn a selection problem into evidence, confidence, prompt, and human-decision rules.
3. Identify the narrowest useful next review step.
RETURN:
A short table with the evidence, uncertainty, human-owned decision, and next action.
BOUNDARY: Do not change records, contact anyone, route work, publish content, or act in an external system. A person must review the evidence and approve every consequential step.
