What stays your responsibility

The apps changed how work starts, where it happens and how long it can last. They did not change who is responsible for the result: you are. Four rules you will learn in this book matter even more with the new apps.

1. Keep the brief short. Keep the full rules in a document the brief names. Brightline's payment policy applies to every payment run, not just this one. That is why the brief can simply say "follow version 3 of our payment policy". It only works because the policy itself is complete and kept where the worker can always read it.
2. Passing the checks gives evidence that the work is done. It does not give permission to act, for example to pay. The payment run can pass every check, but the worker is still not allowed to send a single payment.
3. Words in a brief cannot block an action. Permissions can. An instruction in the brief tells the worker what not to do, such as "Never send a payment". Permissions make that action impossible: the payment system simply refuses the worker.
4. When the model changes, test your briefs again. AI companies update their models often. A brief that worked well with last month's model may behave differently with this month's. Before you use an old brief again, test it once more and check its done-when.

The apps will keep changing. Part II teaches you to write briefs, check the results and set limits. Those skills are how you manage whatever the apps become.