Begin with the decision boundary
Before selecting a dataset or endpoint, define what the agent is allowed to decide. Research and prioritization may be suitable for automation; binding commitments, safety-critical navigation, emergency response, and regulatory determinations usually demand stronger controls and domain review.
Separate resolution from enrichment
An agent should know whether an address was matched precisely before it requests parcel-specific or site-specific facts. Keeping resolution quality in the response prevents a later field from looking more precise than the place used to fetch it.
Design typed failure paths
No match, ambiguous match, out-of-coverage, rate limit, and upstream source failure should produce distinct states. A retry helps only some of them. Typed outcomes let the agent ask for clarification, defer the task, or route the case to a reviewer instead of improvising.
Make consequential actions explicit
Even high-confidence context should not silently trigger purchases, filings, outreach, or operational changes. Tool descriptions, permissions, and application workflows should state when human approval is required and preserve the inputs shown to the approver.