An enterprise assistant needs more than a search box

Map the information boundary

A company knowledge collection can contain public guidance, restricted client records and outdated working drafts. Separate these sources and establish who may see them before indexing. Retrieval must respect the user’s permission, not only the application’s service account.

Keep the source attached

An answer should lead the reader to the authorised material that supports it. Store document identity, version, effective date and ownership alongside the indexed content. When sources conflict, the system should expose that conflict instead of merging incompatible advice.

Test what must remain inaccessible

Evaluate questions that cross department, client or project boundaries. Attempt to retrieve withdrawn content and check how permission changes propagate. These are operating requirements, not a one-time prompt-writing exercise.

Define a useful refusal

A system that cannot find adequate evidence should give the user a next step. It can identify the missing source, offer an approved contact or route the question to a person. Unsupported fluency is not a substitute for an answer.

Common questions