What is a function map?
A table that splits each function of a business into what a person decides, what AI drafts or builds, and what runs automatically.
A function map lists every function of a product or team, such as research, engineering, content, support or finance, and assigns each one three columns: what a person does, what AI does, and what is automated.
It answers the question most teams never write down: who decides what?
An example row
| Function | Person | AI | Automated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support | Writes every customer reply, repairs data by hand | Groups emails into a triage doc, finds root causes, drafts fixes | Feedback form sends to the inbox |
The rule underneath
Every function map we make follows one rule: AI drafts and builds; a person decides, reviews, ships and talks to customers. The map makes that rule concrete for each function, so it isn't left to whoever happens to be working that day.
Why it's the centre of the team workshop
A team that uses AI ad hoc usually has each person drawing a different invisible map in their head. Writing one shared map shows the gaps immediately: functions nobody owns, work that AI is doing without review, and repetitive tasks still done by hand that could run on a schedule.
It also tells you where to start. The best first workflow is usually a row where people still do repetitive work that AI could draft for review.
Once the map exists, the rules for each row go into an invariants file, and changes go through a recon prompt first.
Read the full guide
The function map guide walks through all nine functions of a one-person software product, with the full table.