Resources · Integration patterns
Human approval workflow
Actions with an effect wait for a person's decision; decisions are recorded immutably with identity.
Integration status: Demo
Demo: AI action approvals and the controlled changes of the Ops platform implement it internally, with no client systems.
Description
AI or automation prepares an action; it is recorded as a request; an authorised person approves or rejects; execution happens only after approval and everything is logged.
Prerequisites
- Clear thresholds for when approval is needed.
- Roles and deputies.
- Deadlines and behaviour when no decision comes.
When to use it
- Actions involving customers, money or records.
- Regulated processes.
- New automations in a pilot.
When not to use it
- Low-risk, reversible actions at high volume.
- Decisions people cannot really review.
- When approval becomes a formality.
Reference diagram
An illustration of the components and the flow — not a running system.
01Proposal
- AI or a rule
- Request with context
02Decision
- Queue
- Authorised person
- Separation of duties
03Execution
- Action after approval
- Immutable log
The diagram as a list
| Stage | Components |
|---|---|
| Proposal | AI or a rule, Request with context |
| Decision | Queue, Authorised person, Separation of duties |
| Execution | Action after approval, Immutable log |
Security controls
- Authors never approve their own change.
- An immutable decision log.
- Model output never bypasses permissions.
Observability
- Time to decision.
- Share approved and rejected.
- Queue backlog.
Failure modes
| Failure | Mitigation |
|---|---|
| Queue of pending approvals | Deadlines, deputies and reminders. |
| Rubber-stamp approval | Sample reviews and feedback. |
| Execution without approval | A technical block, not only a process. |