Scoping, Success Numbers & the One-Page Spec

After discovery, you must agree what you are building and how everyone will know it worked. Without this, every project drifts. This lesson shows how to turn a vague wish into a one-page spec, a success number and a clear edge around the work.

Why scoping matters

AI projects drift easily. The model can do many things, so people keep adding wishes. Scope is your protection. It says what is in, what is out and what done means. It keeps the customer happy and keeps you sane.

Pick one success number

Choose one number that shows value. It should be something the customer already tracks or can measure easily. Examples are the minutes to answer a ticket, the share of invoices processed without a person, or the number of leads followed up in a day.

Measure it before you build. That is the baseline. Without a baseline, you cannot prove improvement.

• Time: minutes or hours saved per task.
• Quality: errors found, or answers a reviewer accepts.
• Volume: how many items one person can handle.
• Money: cost per task, or revenue from faster follow-up.

The one-page spec

A spec for an AI project can fit on a page. It must be clear enough that the customer can say yes or no. Use the template below.

PROJECT: {{name}}
SPONSOR: {{who pays and decides}}
USERS: {{who will use it daily}}

PROBLEM (2-3 sentences)
{{what happens today, and what it costs}}

WHAT WE WILL BUILD
{{one paragraph in plain words}}

SUCCESS NUMBER
Baseline today: {{number}}   Target: {{number}}   Measured by: {{how, who}}

IN SCOPE
- {{...}}
OUT OF SCOPE
- {{...}}

DATA AND SYSTEMS
- Data we need: {{...}}   Owner: {{...}}
- Systems we touch: {{...}}   Access level: {{read only / write}}

RULES AND RISKS
- Must never happen: {{...}}
- Needs human approval: {{...}}
- Privacy and legal notes: {{...}}

HOW WE WILL TEST
- {{a test set of real cases, who judges}}

TIMELINE
- Prototype: {{date}}   Pilot: {{date}}   Decision: {{date}}

Draw the edge

The out-of-scope list is as important as the in-scope list. Write down things people will ask for later. Examples are other languages, other departments, voice, and real-time dashboards. When a new wish appears, point to the page. Say, that is a good idea. It is not in this phase. Shall we add it to the next one?

Define done with a test

Agree how you will test before you build. Collect a set of real cases and the right answers, judged by the people who know. Decide the pass mark together. For example, a reviewer accepts at least nine out of ten drafts without edits.

Plan the pilot, not the whole project

Start with a small pilot: one team, one process, a few weeks. Set a date to decide. At the date, the customer chooses to expand, change or stop. A pilot with a decision date builds trust, because nobody is trapped.