Process scoring: where an AI agent will pay off
Practicum for Volume 2, Chapter 11, "The Change Compass" (WHERE arrow). Version: 2026-07. Time: half an evening. Practicum address:
https://cheap-intelligence.vercel.app/.
Do not try to "add AI everywhere." Choose the processes where an agent can produce a real return. Apply the same questions to every candidate instead of following personal preference or a fashionable tool. There are five questions. The threshold is simple: fewer than three yes answers means leave it alone for now.
Step 1. List candidate processes
Map work, not departments. List 10-20 repeated processes with enough volume and pain. Do not write "marketing." Write "answer inbound leads," "prepare proposals," or "match delivery notes."
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Step 2. Ask five questions about each process
| # | Question | A yes looks like this |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Does the process repeat? | the same steps, rather than starting from zero every time |
| 2 | Is the volume meaningful? | tens or hundreds of cases a month, not five |
| 3 | Can you check the result? | a checklist, example, or number quickly shows whether it is good |
| 4 | Is the cost of an error manageable? | an error means rework, not a lost contract, reputation, or fine |
| 5 | Do data and context exist? | rules, examples, and history live somewhere beyond one person's head |
Use one more filter outside the score: if you cannot write instructions for the process, it does not suit an agent. The agent is not the problem. You do not yet know what you want it to do.
Step 3. Fill in the scoring table
| Process | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q5 | Total yes | Can I write instructions? | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
How to read the total:
- 5 yes answers: start here.
- 3-4 yes answers: candidate for the second round.
- Fewer than 3 yes answers: do not touch it now. That is a result, not a defeat. Money you do not waste on the wrong implementation stays in the business.
Step 4. "No" is also a result
Add a separate column for low-scoring processes. "No" will be the right answer for about half your processes. Record why. This protects you from other people's excitement and from a vendor selling an implementation.
| Process | Why the answer is "no" now | What must change for it to become "yes" |
|---|---|---|
| low volume: | ||
| human relationships (human premium): | ||
| result cannot be checked: | ||
| high cost of error: |
A useful reference from the chapter is Heathrow / Hallie. Repeated passenger questions earn five yes answers, so an agent fits. An unusual conflict or a difficult personal situation is not the first candidate. There, the agent prepares context for a person.
Before filling in your table, review the full public example: IKEA Through the Change Compass.
Next
Once you choose a five-point process, map the route with the Order of Moves Gate Sheet. Use the Human Review Matrix to decide what the agent may do and what a person should keep. Check whether this is surface polish or a rebuild with the Process Maturity Check.
Back: Volume 2 Workbook. Version: 2026-07.