Process
A Practical AI Implementation Process
A good AI project moves through decision gates. Each stage should clarify value, risk, workflow fit, required data, review points, and what must be true before the work expands.
1. Discovery
Purpose: confirm the business challenge and project fit. Activities: review goals, workflow pain, systems, users, and urgency. Deliverable: concise challenge and fit summary. Client input: business context and examples. Decision gate: agree that the problem is worth mapping.
2. Workflow mapping
Purpose: understand the current state. Activities: map steps, systems, data sources, decision points, exceptions, and owners. Deliverable: current-state workflow and systems list. Client input: sample files, process details, and staff feedback. Decision gate: confirm the workflow is accurate.
3. Opportunity and risk assessment
Purpose: choose the right first project. Activities: prioritize opportunities, dependencies, risks, review needs, and estimated complexity. Deliverable: recommended first project. Client input: risk tolerance and business priorities. Decision gate: select scope for design.
4. Solution design and prototype
Purpose: design the future workflow. Activities: define integrations, human review, security requirements, prototype plan, and test cases. Deliverable: future-state design. Client input: approval rules and test examples. Decision gate: approve implementation approach.
5. Implementation and testing
Purpose: build and verify the workflow. Activities: configure or build the system, test edge cases, handle errors, run user acceptance testing, and prepare launch checklist. Deliverable: working workflow and test record. Client input: review and acceptance testing. Decision gate: approve launch.
6. Training, monitoring, and improvement
Purpose: make the system usable and maintainable. Activities: staff training, documentation, monitoring, feedback review, maintenance, and improvements. Deliverable: handover and improvement plan. Client input: staff feedback and operational priorities. Decision gate: decide support cadence.
Engagement options
Typical options include an assessment, prototype or proof of concept, focused workflow implementation, multi-system implementation, and ongoing optimization or support. Final scope depends on the mapped workflow.
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