Workshop: find where AI will pay off in 90 minutes
A team version of the Process Scoring worksheet from Volume 2, Chapter 11. Participants: 3-8 people who understand operations from different sides. Anyone can facilitate; it does not have to be a manager. Version: 2026-07-09.
Session result: a scoring table for 10-20 processes, one first-round process, and a "why not" list. No proposal to "implement AI" leaves the room without a specific process.
Preparation (30 minutes for the facilitator)
- Print or share the scoring table from the worksheet, and keep the five questions visible.
- Ask each participant to bring a list of recurring processes they handle. This is optional, but it speeds up the start.
- Read the IKEA and Klarna examples. Klarna helps when someone suggests "replacing everyone."
90-minute agenda
| Time | Section | Method |
|---|---|---|
| 0-10 | Frame | The facilitator says: "We are not choosing an AI tool. We are looking for processes where an agent can pay off, and we will record where it cannot." Read the five questions aloud. |
| 10-25 | List processes | Work in silence first. Each person writes recurring processes, not departments. Use "answer applications," not "sales." Add them to one board in turn and merge duplicates. Aim for 10-20. |
| 25-50 | Score | Ask all five questions for every process. Count "yes" only when someone can show a real example, such as an existing checklist. A disputed yes becomes no. Record the total immediately. |
| 50-60 | Sixth filter | For every process with four or five yes answers, ask: "Who can write the instructions for this process today?" If nobody can, move it to the second round. |
| 60-75 | Why not | Give every process with two or fewer yes answers a reason and a condition that would change the answer. This protects the team from future sales pitches. |
| 75-90 | Decision | Choose one first-round process. If scores tie, choose the one where an error costs less. Name an owner, the next gate from the Change Gates, and a date. Photograph the artifact. |
Traps to discuss in advance
- "Implement it everywhere." Klarna shows that skipping a gate can cost more than the savings, even when the agent works. Start with one process.
- "Everything we do is unique." Ask for an example from last week. Something that happened 40 times is a recurring process.
- Scoring becomes a defense of territory. Score the process, not the people. Address people in a separate step using Training in the Loop.
After the session
During the next week, the owner runs the Maturity Check, sorts tasks through the Human Review Matrix, and brings a draft Agent Contract. The team can complete it in the next contract workshop.