Map the process before choosing tools
Write down the trigger, input, decision, action, and destination. Separate rules that can be checked exactly from tasks that need interpretation. A price calculation belongs in ordinary code; interpreting a messy request may benefit from a model. Decide what a successful result looks like before automating.
Validate at the boundaries
Check required fields, types, units, and allowed values before an action. Valid JSON can still contain the wrong customer or an impossible quantity. Reject or route incomplete requests for review instead of guessing information that changes a business decision.
Give each handoff an owner
Define who handles an exception and what information they need. An approval should show the proposed action, recipient, and important inputs. Sending an email or updating a record should happen only after the required checks have passed.
A worked example
Extract the supplied fields into a draft, label quantity as missing, and request clarification. Calculate totals only after receiving a valid quantity. Have an authorized person approve the final quote before sending.
The point: A fluent draft does not make missing business information safe to invent.
Before you take the exam
Explain these concepts in your own words, work through a different example, and describe why the tempting alternatives fail. Use the references to go deeper.