An agent is difficult to maintain if only its original builder understands the configuration. Make operator handover part of delivery.
Inventory the moving parts
List tools, source updates and model configuration. Identify permissions and owners. Secrets stay in their approved management path.
Reproduce a reference task
A second operator follows the instructions in a suitable environment. Capture missing steps and hidden dependencies. Verify the actual output.
Investigate a failure
Use a known failed case and inspect allowed traces. The operator should locate the relevant configuration and action results. Ask the partner to correct the handover gaps before acceptance. A presentation of the architecture is useful, but it does not prove someone else can run and diagnose the system.
Related reading : AI agents that send emails: bind approval to recipients and content. Discuss your project scope with Sky Vaults.