MVP Building - Knowing The Best For You

Wiki Article

Practical AI Roadmap Workbook for Business Executives

A simple, practical workbook showing the real areas where AI adds value — and where it doesn’t.
The Dev Guys — Built with clarity, speed, and purpose.

The Need for This Workbook

If you run a business today, you’re expected to “have an AI strategy”. All around, people are piloting, selling, or hyping AI solutions. But most non-tech business leaders face two poor choices:
• Agreeing to all AI suggestions blindly, expecting results.
• Rejecting all ideas out of fear or uncertainty.

It guides you to make rational decisions about AI adoption without hype or hesitation.

Forget models and parameters — focus on how your business works. AI should serve your systems, not the other way around.

Using This Workbook Effectively

Work through this individually or with your leadership team. The purpose is reflection, not speed. By the end, you’ll have:
• A prioritised list of AI use cases linked to your business goals.
• A visible list of areas where AI won’t help — and that’s acceptable.
• A realistic, step-by-step project plan.

Treat it as a lens, not a checklist. If your CFO can understand it in a minute, you’re doing it right.

AI planning is business thinking without the jargon.

Starting Point: Business Objectives

Start With Outcomes, Not Algorithms

Too often, leaders ask about tools instead of outcomes — that’s the wrong start. Non-technical leaders should start from business outcomes instead.

Ask:
• Which few outcomes will define success this year?
• Where are mistakes common or workloads heavy?
• Which decisions are delayed because information is hard to find?

AI matters when it affects measurable outcomes like profit or efficiency. Only link AI to real, trackable business metrics.

Start here, and you’ll invest in leverage — not novelty.

Understand How Work Actually Happens

Understand the Flow Before Applying AI

Before deciding where AI fits, observe full stack product engineering how work really flows — not how it’s described in meetings. Ask: “What happens from start to finish in this process?”.

Examples include:
• Lead comes in ? assigned ? follow-up ? quote ? revision ? close/lost.
• Support ticket ? triaged ? answered ? escalated ? resolved.
• Invoice issued ? tracked ? escalated ? payment confirmed.

Inputs, actions, outputs — that’s the simple structure. Ideal AI zones: messy inputs, repeatable steps, consistent outputs.

Rank and Select AI Use Cases

Evaluate Each Use Case for Business Value

Not every use case deserves action; prioritise by impact and feasibility.

Use a mental 2x2 chart — impact vs effort.
• Focus first on small, high-impact changes.
• Big strategic initiatives take time but deliver scale.
• Nice-to-Haves — low impact, low effort.
• Delay ideas that drain resources without impact.

Consider risk: some actions are reversible, others are not.

Small wins set the foundation for larger bets.

Laying Strong Foundations

Data Quality Before AI Quality

Messy data ruins good AI; fix the base first. Clarity first, automation later.

Design Human-in-the-Loop by Default

AI should draft, suggest, or monitor — not act blindly. Build confidence before full automation.

Common Traps

Steer Clear of Predictable Failures

01. The Demo Illusion — excitement without strategy.
02. The Pilot Graveyard — endless pilots that never scale.
03. The Full Automation Fantasy — imagining instant department replacement.

Define ownership, success, and rollout paths early.

Partnering with Vendors and Developers

Your role is to define the problem clearly, not design the model. State outcomes clearly — e.g., “reduce response time 40%”. Share messy data and edge cases so tech partners understand reality. Clarify success early and plan stepwise rollouts.

Transparency about failures reveals true expertise.

Signs of a Strong AI Roadmap

How to Know Your AI Strategy Works

It’s simple, measurable, and owned.
Buzzword-free alignment is visible.
Ownership and clarity drive results.

Essential Pre-Launch AI Questions

Before any project, confirm:
• What measurable result does it support?
• Is the process clearly documented in steps?
• Do we have data and process clarity?
• Where will humans remain in control?
• What is the 3-month metric?
• What’s the fallback insight?

Conclusion

Good AI brings order, not confusion. It’s not a list of tools — it’s an execution strategy. True AI integration supports your business invisibly.

Report this wiki page