The fastest path for an owner-operator to build practical agentic-AI competence in 2026 is the three-week build-by-shipping protocol — specification + scaffolding + ship + connect + deploy + iterate, against a real workflow, with one external user — not formal study or consulting engagement. The protocol produces more transferable competence than published comparable courses on three measurable outcomes: operational decisions the operator can make after, debugging capability without external help, and calibration on when to build versus buy.

Operators-register companion to OPS-029. Three-week protocol: Week 1 specify + scaffold, Week 2 connect + ship + break, Week 3 deploy + decide. 60-day review: replication on tracked operator cohort, specific failure modes (operators who completed but did not gain claimed competence), comparable course publishes contradicting evidence. Replicates → Holds. Replicates with caveats → Partial. Fails to replicate → Not holding.