--- title: "The 10/80/10 rule for business AI workflows" description: "Use the 10/80/10 rule to define direction, AI preparation, and human checks for one business function, with clear sources, limits, and approval steps." canonical: "https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/ai-10-80-10-rule-business-workflow" --- ## Site navigation - [Scale With Search](https://scalewithsearch.com/) - Services - Services - [AI systems](https://scalewithsearch.com/ai-systems) - [Site build](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#site-build) - [Whole website fix](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#whole-website-fix) - [Content library with SEO](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#content-library) - [Working session](https://scalewithsearch.com/audit) - Start here - [Send your brief](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#send-your-brief) - [Example scope](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#review-the-example-scope) - [Prices and terms](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#prices-and-terms) - Industries - Real estate - [Real estate agents and teams](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate) - [Platforms, ownership, and IDX](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-website-platforms-ownership-idx) - [Search, content, and AI](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-search-content-ai) - [Inquiries, campaigns, and handoffs](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-website-inquiries-campaigns-handoffs) - [Buyer, seller, and local pages](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-buyer-seller-local-resources) - [Rules, privacy, and trust](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-website-rules-privacy-trust) - Browse by business - [Trades and home services](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-trades) - [Health, wellness, and animal care](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-practices) - [Law, finance, and IT](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-professional) - [Marketing and SEO agencies](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-agencies) - [Shops and manufacturers](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-manufacturing) - [Restaurants, shops, studios, and nonprofits](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-local-services) - Chiropractic practices - [Chiropractic and wellness practices](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/chiropractic-and-wellness-practices) - [Chiropractic and physical therapy clinics](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/chiropractic-and-physical-therapy-clinics) - [All industries](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/) - Resources - Free tools - [AI readiness check](https://scalewithsearch.com/check) - [Free tools](https://scalewithsearch.com/tools/) - [Free Starter Kit](https://scalewithsearch.com/kit/business-memory-starter-kit.zip) - Guides - [AI-native library](https://scalewithsearch.com/ai-native) - [Industry intelligence](https://scalewithsearch.com/intelligence) - [Office job guides](https://scalewithsearch.com/guides/) - [Business memory](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/business-memory-for-ai-agents-guide) - [Agent governance](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/ai-agent-governance-guide-small-business) - [Migration and ownership](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/leaving-vendor-ai-memory-guide) - Articles - [All articles](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/) - [What changed](https://scalewithsearch.com/changes/) - About - Evidence - [Proof](https://scalewithsearch.com/proof) - Scale With Search - [About](https://scalewithsearch.com/about) - [How it works](https://scalewithsearch.com/how-it-works) # How does the 10/80/10 rule work in an AI workflow? The 10/80/10 rule gives a business AI workflow three parts. A person sets direction, the system prepares the work, and a person checks the result. Use it to decide where responsibility belongs before choosing tools. In the [Scale With Search AI systems method](/ai-systems), the numbers describe that division of work. Treat them as a planning model. They do not establish a measured productivity ratio or guarantee that preparation takes eighty percent of every job. Start with one recurring function, such as preparing a weekly service report. Write what starts the job, which records govern it, and what an acceptable draft contains. Then define the decision that belongs to the reviewer. ## What belongs in the first ten percent? Direction means writing a brief that another person could follow. Give the function a purpose, a named owner, current sources, and a stopping point. For a hypothetical service report, the brief might say: prepare the week's completed work, open issues, and decisions needed. Read the approved job register and status notes. Save a draft for the operations manager. Do not email customers or change job statuses. Specify the reporting period and its time zone. Define whether canceled jobs appear. Name the source for each total. State what happens when the register and a status note disagree. These instructions make the assignment inspectable. The reviewer should be able to compare the finished draft with a written requirement. The [brief versus prompt guide](/articles/brief-vs-prompt) explains how to preserve that direction outside a single request. The owner also decides whether this function belongs in AI at all. If the report has no reader, eliminate it. If it requires only a fixed calculation, use an ordinary calculation. Reserve AI preparation for a defined language or interpretation task. ## What belongs in the middle eighty percent? In this proposed report function, the middle gathers approved records, checks their dates, calculates defined totals, and drafts a summary. Keep the numerical work separate from the narrative. Use a fixed calculation for totals. Ask the model to explain the verified result using the associated status notes. Require source references beside statements that need checking. The output should contain three distinct things: the report draft, an exception list, and a [run receipt](/articles/ai-agent-run-receipt-template). The exception list names missing or conflicting information. The receipt identifies the sources, function version, selected model, and recorded usage cost. Do not make the function solve every exception. If a job has two different completion dates, flag the disagreement. If an input is missing, label the affected section incomplete. The middle ends when preparation reaches its defined stopping point. A useful instruction is: prepare everything the reviewer needs to decide, then stop. That gives the system room to assemble the work while keeping the decision visible. ## What belongs in the final ten percent? The final check compares the draft with the brief and source records. Assign it to a person who understands the business meaning of the output. For the report example, the manager checks the period, totals, unresolved issues, audience, and proposed next actions. A clear paragraph does not substitute for checking whether a job appears in the correct week. Require the reviewer to record one result: accepted, returned for correction, or blocked pending a decision. Write the reason when the draft is returned. Preserve the reviewed version so the accepted result remains identifiable. If the next step sends the report outside the business, make that a separate approval. The manager should see the destination, sending account, attachments, and exact final version. OWASP recommends limiting tool permissions and requiring human approval for high-impact actions. Apply those controls in the action tool, where the effect happens. [OWASP: Excessive Agency, checked 2026.10.26](https://genai.owasp.org/llmrisk/llm062025-excessive-agency/) ## Use a three-part function brief The following structure is a design example. Adapt it to your own records and review responsibilities. | Part | Owner's written instruction | Evidence at the end | |---|---|---| | Direction | Name the period, sources, rules, reviewer, and exclusions | A dated brief with an owner | | Preparation | Assemble approved inputs, calculate totals, draft, and flag gaps | Draft, exceptions, and receipt | | Check | Verify the result and decide whether to accept it | Reviewed version and decision | Add a source owner to the brief. Someone must decide when a status definition or reporting rule changes. Otherwise, the next run has no stated authority for choosing between competing instructions. Write a separate approval rule for every capability that changes something. Preparing a report does not require permission to edit the underlying register. A reporting function should begin with access limited to the inputs it needs. ## Work through a disagreement before building Consider a hypothetical job register with a completed status and a note saying the customer still needs a correction. Decide what the report should say before testing the model. One reasonable rule is to preserve the completed status as recorded and add an exception describing the unresolved correction. Another is to exclude disputed jobs from a defined completion total. The owner must choose and document the rule. The model should not choose a reporting policy because one version sounds cleaner. Use a short test record containing the disagreement. Write the expected exception and expected total alongside it. Then test whether the function follows that decision. The test checks the assignment rather than the persuasiveness of the prose. Keep the test when the function changes. ## Give the function an operating limit Add a monthly AI spend limit, an alert recipient, and a stopping rule. Define whether the limit covers only model usage or also includes other charges. Require a cost line in every receipt. If a charge is estimated, label it estimated. If the provider has not returned usage, record the amount as pending rather than zero. For repeated failures, use a bounded retry rule. The function should stop and preserve the unfinished work when it reaches that boundary. Ask the builder to demonstrate the stopped state and the alert. Record the actual model used in the receipt, while keeping the business rules outside the model configuration. When changing models, rerun the same acceptance examples. The goal is consistent behavior against the brief, not identical sentences. ## Check the handoff with another person A handoff exercise should cover more than starting the function. Ask the future operator to find the current brief, inspect a receipt, identify a blocked run, and return an incorrect draft. Give them a case with a missing source and another with a changed rule. Ask where they would make the correction. The answer should identify an owned record and its responsible person. NIST's Govern guidance emphasizes documented responsibilities, review processes, and change management. These are useful principles for a small function's runbook. [NIST AI RMF Playbook: Govern, checked 2026.10.26](https://airc.nist.gov/airmf-resources/playbook/govern/) Use the [build acceptance list guide](/articles/what-a-build-acceptance-list-contains) to turn those handoff steps into checks with expected evidence. Accept the function only against the agreed list. ## Keep corrections in the business record When the manager rejects a draft, distinguish a one-time edit from a rule change. Correcting this week's date does not necessarily change the reporting definition. For a lasting correction, record the old rule, replacement rule, approving owner, and effective date. Add an example that would fail under the old instruction. Then rerun it before the next routine report. Do not let an unreviewed draft rewrite the instructions it is meant to follow. Keep proposals for rule changes separate from approved rules. This gives the reviewer a clear place to accept or reject the change. The function's owned record should contain the brief, source definitions, accepted corrections, runbook, and acceptance examples. Receipts should point to the versions used for each run. ## Choose one job to map Take a recurring task and write three sentences: what a person decides first, what the system prepares, and what a person checks last. Add the sources and stopping rule. If the middle remains vague, narrow the job. If the final check cannot be described, clarify the result before building. For a scoped function using this method, [send your brief](/work#send-your-brief). Include one example input and the output you want ready for review. ## Related: Ownership and Migration - [A Brief Is Not a Prompt](/articles/brief-vs-prompt) - [AI Agent Run Receipt Template](/articles/ai-agent-run-receipt-template) - [What a Build Acceptance List Contains](/articles/what-a-build-acceptance-list-contains) ---- ```text .|########||. .|########||. .|########||. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. .#| .#. .#| .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. |#. .#. |#. .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| .||########||. .||########||. .||########||. Scale With Search 2026 [scalewithsearch.com](https://scalewithsearch.com) ```