Design AI-Ready Processes Before Implementing AI
Elizabeth is a freelance writer and project manager living and working in London. She runs The Otobos Group, a project communications consultancy specializing in project management.
A lot of boardrooms are discussing where artificial intelligence can be put to use in the organization, and PMOs are having similar conversations. We all know that AI has huge potential to streamline ways of working and remove some of the lower value (and less exciting) parts of the job. But I’m also conscious that I see a lot of organizations implementing AI tools because they are trendy, not because they are solving a genuine problem.
AI uses and amplifies existing processes, so we should be discussing where we have repetitive, predictable work. Because if the workflow is confusing, AI will simply make the confusion happen faster!
So if you want to begin designing AI-ready processes, or reviewing the processes you already have, how do you get started?
Map the current workflow
Start with mapping your current workflow. Walk through one common process, something project professionals in your business do a lot. For example, processing a change request from a client. Typically, the steps would include:
- Request raised
- Impact assessed
- Approval, denial or a “not yet” decision where the change is put on a pending list
- If approved, implement
- Close and archive the request
You’ve probably got this mapped out already in your PMO process documentation. Look for delays, duplication, manual copying of data between systems, unclear …
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