Devcad / Common

The AI patterns I actually use.

Not every shiny tool becomes a daily habit. These are the recurring workflows that survive because they save time without removing the parts that need a human.

How these fit together

A common workflow is a loop, not a button.

Each pattern below has a place for AI assistance and a place for human judgment. The goal is less busywork, not less responsibility.

Common daily workflows

Practical patterns, not permanent rules

Inbox

Email triage

Read the day in batches instead of reactively. Classify what needs action, what can wait, and what can be archived without opening fully.

Assistant role: read, sort, draftHuman role: decide, send, approve

Research

Source-checked briefs

Collect a small set of reputable sources first, then ask for claims instead of smooth prose. Keep the trail from each important statement back to the evidence.

Assistant role: gather, extract, summarizeHuman role: verify sources, mark uncertainty

Notes

Meeting notes into actions

Turn a meeting into a reviewed record: decisions, owners, dates, and open questions. Keep the summary separate from the commitments that need follow-up.

Assistant role: transcribe, structure, draftHuman role: confirm owners, approve actions

Planning

Daily planning and review

Use AI to sort the day’s priorities, prepare a short review of what changed, and surface the few things worth carrying forward. Keep the final judgment human.

Assistant role: organize, remind, draftHuman role: prioritize, decide, adapt

Writing

Drafting with a review gate

Let AI prepare first drafts, outlines, and alternatives. Then edit for the real audience, cut the noise, and keep the parts that need judgment or taste.

Assistant role: draft, compare, suggestHuman role: edit, decide, publish