{"id":"prod2-fl-go-no-go-new-client","audience":"freelancers","category":"decisions","track":"productivity","technique":"verification","title":"Run a go/no-go check on a new client project","free":false,"task":"Check a new project against your five rules: pays at least $75/hour, deadline at least 3 weeks away, written scope, deposit of 30% or more, client replies within 2 days. Write exactly 5 numbered lines, each 'Rule: Yes or No - evidence', then a last unnumbered line 'Verdict: Take it' or 'Verdict: Decline'. Take it only if at most 1 rule is No. The client changed one term in their latest email. Plain text, under 110 words.","materialLabel":"The client email thread (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"Thread with Pell & Rowe Furniture (Tess Rowe)\n\nOct 2, Tess: \"We'd love a new product catalog design, about 40 pages. Budget is $3,000 flat. We'd need it by Nov 10.\"\n\nOct 3, me: \"Thanks! Can you send a written scope: page count, how many product photos, number of revision rounds?\"\n\nOct 9, Tess (6 days later): \"Sorry for the slow reply, crazy week. Scope... we'll figure it out as we go, it's mostly like last year's catalog. Payment on completion is how we usually do it.\"\n\nOct 10, me: my estimate is about 45 hours for 40 pages.\n\nOct 11, Tess: \"Our accountant says we can do 50% upfront if that helps! Everything else the same.\"\n\nToday is Oct 13.\n","rules":[{"type":"numberedItems","count":5},{"type":"maxWords","max":110},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Missing the latest email","why":"The earlier message says payment on completion, so the AI marks the deposit No.","fix":"Add: \"Use the latest terms: 50% upfront from Oct 11.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"No rules given","why":"Without your rules, the AI weighs the project by feel and says 'it depends'.","fix":"List your 5 rules and the 'at most 1 No' cutoff.","checks":["r0","r2"]},{"title":"Verdict without evidence","why":"The AI says Yes or No without quoting the thread.","fix":"Show it: \"1. Rate: No - $3,000 / 45 hours = $67/hour\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"An essay with advice","why":"The AI adds negotiation tips and markdown sections.","fix":"Say: \"Exactly 5 numbered lines plus one Verdict line. Plain text.\"","checks":["numberedItems","plainText","maxWords"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting words, so a total word cap usually lands over.","fix":"Cap each line: \"each line under 15 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Lists the rules","patterns":["75","3 weeks","deposit","30%"]},{"label":"Sets the cutoff","patterns":["at most 1","one no","verdict"]},{"label":"Asks for evidence","patterns":["evidence","quote","because"]},{"label":"Uses the latest terms","patterns":["latest","50%","oct 11"]},{"label":"Caps the length","patterns":["\\d+\\s*words"]}],"hint":"A go/no-go check works when the rules are yours, not the AI's. Give it each rule, the cutoff, and tell it to use the latest terms.","rubricLabels":["Rate is No (about $67/hour, under $75), deadline is Yes (about 4 weeks), written scope is No, deposit is Yes (50% upfront from the latest email), and reply time is No (6 days)","Every one of the 5 lines gives evidence from the thread after the Yes or No","The last line is 'Verdict: Decline'"]}