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Lightweight Evaluation and Operational Scorecards for Tool-Using AI Agents

A practical workflow for evaluating tool-using agents with scenario design, expected behavior, failure modes, and operational scorecards that teams can actually use during rollout.

Abstract

Tool-using AI agents are increasingly used in coding, browser automation, research assistance, and support workflows. In practice, however, many teams still evaluate these systems through isolated prompts, one-off demos, or broad benchmark references that do not translate well into deployment judgment.

This paper presents a lightweight workflow for evaluating agent behavior that begins with scenario design, continues through explicit expected behavior and failure-mode definition, and ends with an operational scorecard that helps teams judge rollout readiness.

Workflow Figure

Workflow figure showing the path from real workflow to expected behavior, failure modes, compact rubric, and operational scorecard.