Pattern 03 — Meaningful Human Gate

Thesis

Human attention should be spent only where a real judgment changes what happens next.

Why it matters

Approval for its own sake creates friction without value. It trains people to click through rather than think.

Useful question

What judgment is this person making here?

Practical example

A design system update needs sign-off from a lead only when it changes a public component. Routine color token updates pass through automated checks.

Reflection — workflow review

1. Which approvals actually changed the outcome last week?
2. Which were just rubber stamps?
3. What would a meaningful gate look like here?