Problem statement
Step 7 ("Write Your First Agentic Workflow") is now the single highest-dropout step in the workshop (25.1% conditional dropout among 22,389 at-risk simulated runs, 95% CI 24.6%–25.7%). The top failure category is copilot-access-missing (3,805 failures), closely tied to workflow-authoring-friction (1,823 failures). The Step 7 checkpoint asks the learner to confirm compile/commit/push, but it never verifies they actually completed the billing-path configuration described in the linked side quest (side-quest-07d-billing-paths.md). A learner can tick every Step 7 checkbox while never having chosen or configured a billing method, deferring an unresolved failure to Step 8.
Proposed change
Add an explicit checkbox to the Step 7 checkpoint (and to 07d-confirm-model-access.md's checkpoint) that requires the learner to state which billing path they chose (organization centralized billing or personal billing) and confirm the corresponding permission/secret change was recompiled and pushed — closing the gap between "file is compiled and pushed" and "billing is actually configured correctly" before the learner is allowed to consider Step 7 complete.
Failure mode classification
Access barrier — this is a setup/configuration completeness gap, not a conceptual difficulty. The content that explains billing already exists and is correct; the problem is verification/sequencing, not knowledge.
Quantitative guardrail
- Current
overall_score for 07-your-first-workflow.md: 6.25/10
- Weakest rubric dimension:
checkpoint_quality (0.0/10 — the workshop-wide checkpoint format is not currently scored by the shared rubric as a graded checkpoint)
- Current learning KPI index for this step: active_learning 6.3, checkpoint_quality 0.0, scaffolding 5.0 → KPI = 3.65/10
- Rationale: adding a verification checkbox to an already-existing checkpoint section does not remove any hands-on practice or scaffolding, and should only raise
checkpoint_quality (by making the checkpoint verify a real precondition) while leaving active_learning and scaffolding unchanged or improved. overall_score should stay flat or rise since no content is being cut and the fix only strengthens an existing section.
Acceptance criteria
Suggested owner
workshop maintainer
Related to #3409
Generated by 🔬 Workshop Student Simulator · copilot · auto · 166.2 AIC · ⌖ 7.33 AIC · ⊞ 15.2K · ◷
Problem statement
Step 7 ("Write Your First Agentic Workflow") is now the single highest-dropout step in the workshop (25.1% conditional dropout among 22,389 at-risk simulated runs, 95% CI 24.6%–25.7%). The top failure category is
copilot-access-missing(3,805 failures), closely tied toworkflow-authoring-friction(1,823 failures). The Step 7 checkpoint asks the learner to confirm compile/commit/push, but it never verifies they actually completed the billing-path configuration described in the linked side quest (side-quest-07d-billing-paths.md). A learner can tick every Step 7 checkbox while never having chosen or configured a billing method, deferring an unresolved failure to Step 8.Proposed change
Add an explicit checkbox to the Step 7 checkpoint (and to
07d-confirm-model-access.md's checkpoint) that requires the learner to state which billing path they chose (organization centralized billing or personal billing) and confirm the corresponding permission/secret change was recompiled and pushed — closing the gap between "file is compiled and pushed" and "billing is actually configured correctly" before the learner is allowed to consider Step 7 complete.Failure mode classification
Access barrier — this is a setup/configuration completeness gap, not a conceptual difficulty. The content that explains billing already exists and is correct; the problem is verification/sequencing, not knowledge.
Quantitative guardrail
overall_scorefor07-your-first-workflow.md: 6.25/10checkpoint_quality(0.0/10 — the workshop-wide checkpoint format is not currently scored by the shared rubric as a graded checkpoint)checkpoint_quality(by making the checkpoint verify a real precondition) while leavingactive_learningandscaffoldingunchanged or improved.overall_scoreshould stay flat or rise since no content is being cut and the fix only strengthens an existing section.Acceptance criteria
overall_scorefor07-your-first-workflow.mdstays flat or improves after the change(2.0 × active_learning + 2.0 × checkpoint_quality + 1.5 × scaffolding) / 5.5stays flat or improves for07-your-first-workflow.mdSuggested owner
workshop maintainerRelated to #3409