Free · interactive · about 3 minutes

A fictional office at night with empty desks. — The Last Hire · fictional story. The office empties; a desk is cleared. Two questions make room for a shared decision.

A fictional office desk with chairs and windows. — The Last Hire · fictional story. The office empties; a desk is cleared. Two questions make room for a shared decision.

Friday noon: a branching scenario

The Client asks for everything by Friday noon. Choose what to say, ask for the missing half, and see where each path ends. Three ways in, six endings.

Fictional practice case: Fixed Deadline. The Client, Alex and Otto are fictional, and Otto is a fictional AI. Your choices stay on this page and are not saved or sent anywhere. After an ending where you asked something, “Try again with what you now know” keeps the answers you asked for in a list at the top, labeled as learned earlier, and starts a fresh run.

Numbers and quotes come from the free Fixed Deadline case: 5 hours free, core 3h, handoff 1h, polish 3h. Each ending can skip ahead to Friday noon; that part uses only the case's arithmetic, its own listed outcomes and what was said on your path, and says what the case does not give. A next step stays a proposal until the person who decides confirms it.

About this practice

Alex, a fictional colleague with a cartoon head, standing and facing forward.

Teaches: Ask what is free and what each part takes before you answer, then offer what fits the hours and name what does not.
Does not claim: A fictional case, and Otto is a fictional AI. One run is not a verdict, and no outcome is measured.
For: Anyone asked to say yes to a fixed date while half the facts are missing.

Watch the story

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Ollie is the last human hire. The AI says it is done. Watch here when a public video link is available.

Ollie, a fictional colleague with a cartoon head, from "The Last Hire".

Margo, a fictional colleague with a cartoon head, from "The Last Hire".

Casey, a fictional colleague with a cartoon head, from "The Last Hire".

Posted episode · open the post below

The Last Hire · Episode 1 · 2026-10-11

The Last Hire: Day 1

Ollie starts work just as Margo announces that AI does the hiring now. Casey needs everything by Friday. Ollie asks which part matters most.

What comes next: Otto is already building forty screens. Will Ollie ask what Casey needs before Friday?

Open the episode post →Play this episode →Next episode · In development: The Last Hire: Day 2

Video link not published yet

The Last Hire · Episode 2

The Last Hire: Day 2

Margo gives Ollie until Friday to win Casey’s account. Casey wants forty screens, but two questions reveal that the investor wants one short demo. The AI has already sent the screens.

What comes next: Otto has sent forty screens to the investor. What will Ollie choose to show working?

Play this episode →Next episode · In development: The Last Hire: Day 3

Video link not published yet

The Last Hire · Episode 3

The Last Hire: Day 3

The AI sent forty screens. The investor skipped them. Margo needs a demo at noon, and Ollie narrows it to one live button. Then the AI offers to demonstrate first.

What comes next: Otto offers to demonstrate first. Will Ollie trust the button or ask what it should do?

Play this episode →Next episode · In development: The Last Hire: Day 4

More scenarios

Choose from all eight branching scenarios →

Where to go next

Next case: Scope Swap. Here the time is already spoken for and a new request lands on top of it, the other side of working inside a fixed limit.
Guide: How to push back on a request politely. A short, plain read on saying the fact you hold first, then asking who decides, with this same case worked out, so read it after you have played.
Tool: Pushback script builder. Pick the deadline option, write the fact you hold, and copy a short script for your own request.

Ask the questions yourself.
Play the same case as a solo game: ask Alex or Otto, reveal the missing facts and write your next-step card.

Play the free Friday deadline case ↗

Site last updated: 2026-10-17