When a person should make the decision

“Human in the loop” only helps when the person can see enough to make a real decision. A button that approves an opaque recommendation is not meaningful oversight.

Separate preparation from authority

Break the task into steps. Which parts are repetitive and checkable? Which depend on context, values or incomplete evidence? AI might help collect information, classify a routine item or draft a summary. The decision boundary should reflect the consequences of an error.

For the human handoff, show the source information, what the system inferred, what remains uncertain and what action is being proposed. Make it possible to correct the record and decline the recommendation.

Design the uncertain path

Set a clear response for missing information, conflicting evidence or low confidence. That may mean asking for more context, routing to a named owner or stopping safely. Do not let the system quietly turn uncertainty into an irreversible action.

Review real outcomes and change the boundary when evidence calls for it. Start with a narrow, reversible use and expand only when the results justify doing so.