> `YOUR GRACE AGENCY  /  AUTOMATION LAUNCH KIT  /  WORKFLOW 03 OF 05`
>
> **AUTOMATE. DELIVER. EMPOWER.**
> *Make approved ideas easier to produce without automating editorial judgment.*

# 03 — Content Brief to Production

**Outcome:** Approved ideas become production-ready briefs and assigned tasks without recreating context in every tool.

## Use when

You publish newsletters, social posts, video, podcasts, articles, or launch content and want a consistent bridge between an approved idea and production.

## Workflow control card

| System detail | v1 decision |
| --- | --- |
| Primary signal | an idea is marked approved in your planning system |
| Automation role | structure the brief, create tasks, and prepare a draft plan |
| Human boundary | approve claims, sources, voice, and final publishing |
| Safe launch mode | use internal drafts and a non-public review destination |

> **APPROVAL BOUNDARY**
> This workflow organizes production work. A human verifies evidence and approves all public-facing copy before it is published.

## Inputs

| Required field | Example |
| --- | --- |
| Idea title | “Five ways a freelancer can stop chasing leads” |
| Audience | solo service providers |
| Channel | LinkedIn carousel + newsletter |
| Desired action | book a workflow audit |
| Source / proof | client pattern, internal notes, cited research |
| Owner | Grace |
| Target publish date | August 20 |

## Trigger

**An idea is marked `approved for production`** by the responsible editor or owner.

## Workflow steps

1. **Validate** that the audience, channel, desired action, owner, and publish date are set.
2. **Create** a content brief using the fields in this template: promise, angle, proof, key points, CTA, required assets, and review criteria.
3. **Generate a draft outline** with an AI prompt or a manual outline. Label it `draft`; do not publish it automatically.
4. **Create** production tasks appropriate to the channel: writing, design, review, scheduling, and performance check.
5. **Assign** one accountable owner to each task and set due dates backward from the publish date.
6. **Notify** the owner with the brief link and any missing source/proof item.
7. **Log** final URL or asset location after publishing so future performance can be reviewed.

## Outputs

- One consistent, channel-specific brief
- An outline that can be reviewed and improved
- A dated task sequence with owners
- A final asset/URL field ready for reporting

## Tool-agnostic setup notes

- Treat approval as a human decision. Do not auto-promote raw ideas based on likes or keywords.
- Use a controlled list for channels to prevent task-template mismatches.
- Include a `proof_status` field: `verified`, `needs source`, or `opinion`. Anything not verified cannot present a factual claim as certain.
- Do not let an AI output invent testimonials, metrics, customer names, or citations. Add a review rule that removes unsupported claims.

## Completed example

**Trigger:** Grace approves an idea for a LinkedIn carousel and newsletter.  
**Output:** A brief is created with the CTA “Book a workflow audit,” a seven-slide outline is drafted, writing and design tasks are assigned, and the proof field is marked `opinion + internal experience` rather than external research.

## Edge cases

- **Idea has no CTA:** create the brief but block scheduling until the owner chooses one.
- **Publish date is in the past:** send a deadline review notification; do not calculate negative due dates.
- **Same idea for two channels:** make one parent brief and separate channel task groups; avoid duplicate source notes.
- **AI output makes a specific performance claim:** flag for source review and remove it until verified.

## QA checks before launch

- [ ] Only approved ideas trigger production.
- [ ] Every task has one accountable owner and a due date.
- [ ] The output stores the original idea and the final brief separately.
- [ ] AI drafts are visibly labeled and cannot be scheduled automatically.
- [ ] Required proof is checked before the content reaches publish status.

## Expected outcome

Your team can move from “we should post this” to a brief, task plan, and reviewable draft without losing the reason the content matters.

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`YOUR GRACE AGENCY  ·  WORKFLOW 03 / CONTENT PRODUCTION  ·  HUMAN REVIEW REQUIRED BEFORE PUBLISHING`