A demo proves that a workflow can work once. Production requires it to work repeatedly, under changing data, system failures, unusual requests and real user behavior.
Exceptions are the real workflow
The happy path is usually the smallest part of the design challenge. Map missing fields, duplicates, delayed APIs, contradictory instructions and manual overrides before launch.
Idempotency prevents expensive mistakes
A retried workflow must not create a second invoice, duplicate a CRM record or contact a customer twice. Every important action needs a stable identifier and a safe retry strategy.
Observability is part of the product
Log decisions, tool calls, errors, latency and cost. Provide an operational view that lets a person understand where work stopped and safely resume it.
Ownership must be explicit
Every automation needs a business owner, technical owner and escalation path. Models, APIs and business rules change; unattended systems slowly become unreliable.
Design for exceptions, retries and ownership from the beginning. Reliability is not a final engineering task—it is the product.