The first 180 days as an AI leader
Use checkpoints to decide when scaling is justified.
Reviewed: 2026-10-03
Source-based teaching example · Fictional data
Narration: Microsoft Mark · locally synthesized

00:00:00.000 — What you will learn

Use checkpoints to decide when scaling is justified.

Visual description:
Use checkpoints to decide when scaling is justified.

00:00:06.208 — The idea

A plan should produce evidence at each checkpoint. Check quality and operations before expanding. A new model is another configuration to test, not an automatic upgrade.

Visual description:
A plan should produce evidence at each checkpoint. Check quality and operations before expanding. A new model is another configuration to test, not an automatic upgrade.

00:00:20.583 — One useful term

Conditional hold. Continuing only the permitted limited work while a required gap remains unresolved.

Visual description:
Continuing only the permitted limited work while a required gap remains unresolved.

00:00:30.292 — A worked example

At day ninety, NORTHSTAR passes source checks but cannot restore a corrupted index. The team holds operational expansion, continues the offline exercise and assigns a recovery-test owner.

Visual description:
At day ninety, NORTHSTAR passes source checks but cannot restore a corrupted index. The team holds operational expansion, continues the offline exercise and assigns a recovery-test owner.

00:00:45.583 — Your turn to think

Do strong answers justify scaling without a recovery path? Pause and decide before continuing.

Visual description:
Do strong answers justify scaling without a recovery path?
Pause the video if you need more time.

00:01:03.125 — Why this answer works

No. Keep the hold until the required recovery evidence exists and the responsible decision is made.

Visual description:
No. Keep the hold until the required recovery evidence exists and the responsible decision is made.

00:01:12.417 — Check 1

Require quality and operational evidence.

Visual description:
Require quality and operational evidence.

00:01:18.125 — Check 2

Assign unresolved risks to owners.

Visual description:
Assign unresolved risks to owners.

00:01:23.375 — Check 3

Revise specific tests when assumptions change.

Visual description:
Revise specific tests when assumptions change.

00:01:29.333 — Now try a different case

Open the lesson and try its different practice case. Use every check in the full task. Watching alone does not mark the lesson complete.

Visual description:
Open the lesson
Try the new case
Check and revise
The full task and its requirements are in the linked lesson.