Governance Framework

The Pattrn Protocol: Transparent, Auditable, Defensible AI

My proprietary governance framework for AI automation. Every implementation I build follows The Pattrn Protocol - ensuring your AI is transparent, compliant, and defensible.

Because you need to sleep at night, not just save time.

The Problem with Most AI Implementations

You've seen the demos. They're impressive. The AI can write emails, process documents, make decisions. But then someone asks the question that keeps you up at night:

"How does it work? Can you explain this to our regulator? What happens if it makes a mistake? Who's liable?"

And suddenly, the impressive demo doesn't feel so impressive anymore. Because most AI implementations are black boxes. Nobody can explain how they make decisions. There's no audit trail. There's no governance. And that's a problem when you're in a regulated industry where professional duty of care matters.

Black Box Decisions

AI makes decisions, but nobody can explain why. Your regulator asks how it works. You can't answer.

No Audit Trail

Something goes wrong. You need to show what happened. There's no record. No way to trace back.

Unclear Accountability

The AI makes a mistake. Who's responsible? The vendor? The consultant? You? Nobody knows.

Compliance Uncertainty

Regulations change. Your AI doesn't. You're not sure if you're still compliant. That's a risk.

Vendor Lock-In

Only the vendor understands how it works. You're dependent on them for everything. That's expensive and risky.

No Human Oversight

The AI runs automatically. No human checks. No safety net. What could go wrong?

What The Pattrn Protocol Does

The Pattrn Protocol is my answer to these problems. It's a governance framework I built based on 10+ years watching AI implementations fail - not because the technology was bad, but because the governance was missing.

Every implementation I build follows The Pattrn Protocol. It's not optional. It's not an add-on. It's built in from day one. Because doing it right the first time is cheaper than fixing it later.

1

Transparent by Design

Every decision the AI makes can be explained in plain English. No black boxes. No 'the algorithm decided'. You'll understand it. Your team will understand it. Your regulator will understand it.

2

Human-in-the-Loop

AI assists. Humans decide. Critical decisions always have human oversight. The AI can recommend, but humans approve. That's how you stay accountable.

3

Auditable Everything

Complete audit trails for every action. Who did what, when, and why. If something goes wrong, you can trace it back. If your regulator asks, you can show them.

4

Compliance-First

Built with regulatory requirements in mind from day one. GDPR. Industry-specific regulations. Professional duty of care. It's all considered before we build.

5

Explainable Decisions

Every AI decision comes with an explanation. Not technical jargon. Plain English. 'The AI recommended X because Y.' Your clients can understand it. Your regulator can understand it.

6

No Vendor Lock-In

You own it. Your team can maintain it. You're not dependent on me or anyone else for basic operations. Documentation is clear. Knowledge transfer is complete.

The Pattrn Protocol in Action

Here's what The Pattrn Protocol looks like in a real implementation:

Example: Client Onboarding Automation for Accountancy Firm

Without The Pattrn Protocol:

  • AI processes client documents automatically
  • Extracts data and populates systems
  • No human checks unless something obviously breaks
  • No audit trail of what was changed
  • No explanation of why decisions were made
  • Black box system - nobody knows how it works

With The Pattrn Protocol:

Step 1: Transparent Processing

AI processes documents and shows its work: "I found these 5 fields. Here's where I found them. Here's my confidence level." Human reviews and approves before data is committed.

Step 2: Audit Trail

Every action logged: "Document X processed on [date] by AI, reviewed by [person], approved at [time]". Complete history available for compliance audits. Can trace back any decision to source.

Step 3: Explainable Decisions

AI explains: "I categorised this as [category] because [reason]". Not: "Algorithm confidence: 87%" (meaningless to humans). But: "This looks like a limited company because it has a company number and registered address."

Step 4: Human Oversight

Critical decisions flagged for human review. Edge cases automatically escalated. AI assists, humans decide on anything important.

Step 5: Compliance Monitoring

Regular checks that system is still compliant. Regulatory changes monitored and implemented. Documentation updated as regulations evolve.

Step 6: Knowledge Transfer

Team trained on how it works, not just how to use it. Documentation in plain English. No dependencies on external vendors for basic operations.

The Six Pillars of The Pattrn Protocol

What's included in every implementation:

Governance Framework

Clear roles and responsibilities, decision-making authority defined, escalation procedures documented, risk management processes, and regular governance reviews.

Audit & Compliance

Complete audit trails, regulatory compliance checks, data protection compliance (GDPR), industry-specific requirements, and regular compliance reviews.

Transparency & Explainability

Plain English explanations, decision logic documentation, confidence levels and limitations, source traceability, and no black box algorithms.

Human Oversight

Human-in-the-loop design, critical decision checkpoints, edge case escalation, override capabilities, and regular human review cycles.

Risk Management

Risk assessment before implementation, ongoing risk monitoring, incident response procedures, mitigation strategies, and regular risk reviews.

Knowledge Transfer

Complete documentation, team training (how it works, not just how to use it), no vendor dependencies, maintenance procedures, and handover and support.

Is The Pattrn Protocol Right for You?

You Need This If:

You're in a regulated industry
You need to defend your decisions to regulators, clients, or insurers
You're concerned about liability if the AI makes a mistake
You want to sleep at night with compliant, transparent AI
You've been burned before by black box implementations
You're risk-averse but want AI benefits without governance headaches

Industries That Benefit Most:

Financial Services
FCA regulated
Legal Services
SRA regulated
Accountancy
Professional duty of care
Healthcare
Patient safety and data protection
Property
Client money regulations

Any regulated professional services where duty of care matters

Investment in Governance

The Pattrn Protocol is included in every implementation I build. It's not an add-on. It's not optional. It's how I work.

There is no additional cost for The Pattrn Protocol itself.

It's built into my standard implementation pricing because I believe governance should be standard, not optional.

However, implementations that follow The Pattrn Protocol may take slightly longer than black-box alternatives because we're building in transparency, audit trails, and human oversight from day one. But that's time well spent - because fixing governance problems later is far more expensive than building it right the first time.

What You Get:

  • Governance framework (included)
  • Audit trails (included)
  • Compliance documentation (included)
  • Team training (included)
  • Knowledge transfer (included)
  • 30-day post-launch support (included)

Ongoing Governance:

From £1,500/month

Optional Governance Retainer

  • Ongoing compliance monitoring
  • Regular governance reviews
  • Regulatory change management
  • Priority support

The Pattrn Protocol vs. Standard Implementations

AspectStandard ImplementationThe Pattrn Protocol
Decision TransparencyBlack box - can't explain how decisions are madePlain English explanations for every decision
Audit TrailLimited or noneComplete audit trail for everything
Human OversightFully automated, no checkpointsHuman-in-the-loop for critical decisions
ComplianceHope it's compliantBuilt with compliance from day one
Vendor DependencyLocked in - only vendor understands itKnowledge transfer - you own it
ExplainabilityTechnical jargon or nonePlain English anyone can understand
Risk ManagementReactive - fix problems when they happenProactive - identify and mitigate risks upfront
Regulatory Defence"The algorithm did it" (not defensible)Complete documentation and audit trail

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to Build AI You Can Defend?

Every implementation I build follows The Pattrn Protocol. Whether you're starting fresh or fixing something broken, you'll get transparent, auditable, defensible AI that lets you sleep at night.

Start with a free consultation to discuss your governance needs. No commitment. No sales pressure. Just honest advice about how to build AI that protects your business.

The Pattrn Protocol is included in every project I lead. It's not optional. It's how I work. Because your peace of mind matters as much as your productivity.