The situation
The team expects staff to catch unsuitable drafts, but that safeguard has not been tested.
Lesson 8 of 12 · 5-minute lesson
Test a difficult scenario
Practise a difficult situation and preserve observations, actions and follow-up.
For: AI use case teams, incident owners and accountable leaders
This lesson uses National AI Centre guidance: Test your scenario, Test your scenario facilitator guide.
The problem
A written process does not show whether people notice a failure, know who can pause work or recover safely.
The choice
The team runs a facilitated scenario using a realistic change in the assistant's behaviour.
What you will learn
By the end of this lesson
- Prepare a clearly limited scenario.
- Record what people notice and do.
- Convert observations into follow-up.
The pivotal moments
What changes—and why it matters
Moment 1
Prepare the session
What the person does
Daniel names the participants, facilitator, purpose and limits.
What the workspace records
The session record defines what the exercise will and will not test.
Notice
A clearly limited scenario produces more useful observations.
Why it matters
The team tests a defined situation rather than discussing AI in general.
Moment 2
Introduce the change
What the person does
The facilitator reveals an inaccurate client draft.
What the workspace records
Participant observations and actions are recorded as the situation changes.
Notice
People disagree about who can pause the test.
Why it matters
The exercise reveals how control performs under pressure.
Moment 3
Convert learning into action
What the person does
Daniel records issues, owners, evidence needs and a follow-up trigger.
What the workspace records
The result remains connected to the use case.
Notice
Discussion notes alone do not show that an issue is resolved.
Why it matters
The exercise strengthens preparation and assessment evidence.
Official guidance used in this lesson
Check the published guidance
National AI Centre
Test your scenario
Explains the team scenario activity and links its resources.
Last checked 30 September 2026
National AI Centre
Test your scenario facilitator guide
Provides the published facilitator guidance.
Last checked 30 September 2026
The complication
The difficult part stays visible
Participants disagree about who owns the pause decision and how affected clients would be told.
The outcome
The exercise produces owned actions, evidence needs and a clear follow-up trigger.
Check your understanding
What makes the exercise useful after the meeting?
Show the answer
Its observations become connected actions, evidence needs, owners and follow-up timing rather than remaining in discussion notes.
Key points
Remember these three things
- Bound the scenario and participants.
- Record what people notice and do.
- Assign actions, evidence and follow-up.
What happens next