Tricia Friedman

Quarterbacking Judgment: Leading Thinking with Generative AI

What might it mean to spotlight judgment in this era of AI?

This resource invites you to examine how you exercise judgment when working with generative AI, positioning you as the quarterback of the thinking rather than a passive recipient of outputs.

The QB Playbook: Principled Calls with Generative AI

⚡ THE QB PLAYBOOK FOR AI ⚡

A decision guide for using generative AI with purpose, control, and accountability.

THE GAME PLAN: Using generative AI is like playing quarterback. The QB sets intent before the snap, adjusts as the play unfolds, and owns what happens next, including the risk the team chose to take.

HUMAN
JUDGMENT
FIRST

PRE-SNAP
You Set the Intent
LIVE BALL
AI Assists, You Decide
POST-PLAY
You Review and Own It

HUMAN
ACCOUNTABILITY
ALWAYS

Left is setup. Middle is iteration under pressure. Right is verification and responsible action. Tap a card to lock it in.

PRE-SNAP

Before You Hit Enter

⚠️ PRE-SNAP DISCIPLINE. IF THE ASK IS VAGUE, THE OUTPUT WILL BE VAGUE.
Pre-Snap Read ➤ Prompt Framing
QB Before the snap, the QB scans the defense to anticipate pressure and likely openings. Coaches contribute tendencies and context, and the QB communicates the plan so the play starts aligned.
AI Before prompting, you set purpose, constraints, and what “good” looks like. Share the intent with your team so key decisions are consistent, and decide whether this is a safe completion or a go long prompt to test assumptions and explore bolder ideas.
Film Study ➤ Domain Knowledge
QB Film study teaches the QB what looks normal and what looks disguised. Coaches add scouting and adjustments, and the QB uses that shared language to call protections and clarify reads.
AI You need enough expertise to spot confident errors, missing context, and weak logic. When you go long creatively, make the team conversation explicit: which assumptions are being challenged, what would count as evidence, and what is out of bounds.

Bottom line: Pre-snap is where the team gets aligned. Tight constraints raise reliability, and clear communication makes decisions consistent; “go long” works best when the group names the assumptions to challenge.

LIVE BALL

While You’re Using AI

⚡ LIVE BALL AWARENESS. FLUENT DOES NOT MEAN CORRECT.
Progressions ➤ Compare Options
QB After the snap, the QB moves through options rather than forcing the first throw. Teammates help by running routes precisely, and communication keeps everyone on the same timing and expectation.
AI Generate multiple variants and compare reasoning, sources, and tradeoffs. Share the short list with colleagues, then choose either the safe “completion” or deliberately go long to stress-test assumptions and surface surprising possibilities.
Pocket Presence ➤ Control the Drift
QB When pressure closes in, the QB stays composed and resets rather than panicking. The line and coaches matter here too, because protection calls and shared signals reduce chaos.
AI Watch for drift, invented details, and scope creep. Reset for precision, or widen deliberately if your goal is “go long” exploration; either way, communicate the change so collaborators stay aligned.
Audible ➤ Reframe Fast
QB If the defense shows a different look than expected, the QB changes the play at the line. That call only works if the team hears it and executes it, so communication is an on-field asset.
AI If output quality drops, change the prompt strategy: add examples, ask for counterarguments, require citations, or switch from drafting to critique. For a deep shot, ask for three bold options plus the risk in each one, then brief the team on what changed and why.

Bottom line: Live ball is collaborative decision-making. AI can help generate options, coaches and colleagues help spot blind spots, and communication keeps the work coherent when the call changes.

POST-PLAY

After You Get Results

🛑 POST-PLAY ACCOUNTABILITY. YOU OWN WHAT YOU SHARE AND ACT ON.
Ball Placement ➤ Fit to Context
QB A completion can still be a bad throw if placement creates extra risk. Coaches and the QB review whether the decision and placement were right, not only whether the play “worked.”
AI Check accuracy, fit, tone, and unintended consequences before sharing. If you went long creatively, use the team to pressure-test the idea, then translate it into a responsible, actionable version.
Ownership ➤ Professional Judgment
QB When an interception happens, accountability does not move to the ball or the play sheet. The QB and coaches learn from it together, then adjust what gets called next time.
AI You are accountable for the output and the impact. Use team review as a safeguard, and if you cannot justify the rationale, evidence, and tradeoffs, it is not ready to act on.
Throwaway ➤ Know When to Stop
QB Sometimes the smartest play is ending the rep to avoid a bigger loss. A throwaway preserves the next down and keeps the team in control of the game.
AI Some situations should stay human-only, especially high-stakes, sensitive, or ambiguous contexts. When in doubt, take the throwaway and bring in human judgment and team input.

Bottom line: Post-play is verification and responsible use. AI can help you draft, critique, and go long on ideas, but accountability stays human and improves with team communication.

INTENT • ITERATION • ACCOUNTABILITY