• Dive into technical courses.
• Establish tech-focused objectives.
• Preach its significance to the team.

Over the 3 months, we learned an important lesson: the quality of tech skills was NOT the most important factor. What was most important was being able to integrate the use of AI seamlessly into people's day-to-day activities.

This made the whole AI engagement process easier, and more appreciated by the leaders.

Another thing we learnt is that culture was king.

Making the use of AI fun and exciting as sharing stories of AI helps people to become better at their jobs rather than threatening their jobs.

The results? More people using AI successfully and saving more time than ever.

The prevailing misconception is that AI requires everyone to be a techie. But in reality, our experience showed that it was less about the technical jargon and more about intuitive integration.

When AI tools were designed to naturally fit within existing workflows, their adoption skyrocketed. Leaders didn’t have to carve out extra time to "learn AI"; it became a part of their routine, enhancing their productivity rather than adding another item on their to-do list.

Moreover, our journey underscored that culture isn't just a buzzword. It's the very fabric of how a team functions. By turning AI from a feared robotic overlord into a celebrated assistant, we transformed the narrative. The team started sharing 'AI success stories' in their coffee breaks – tales of how AI helped them nail a presentation, streamline a process, or even predict a market trend. This shift in perspective did wonders. It was no longer man vs. machine, but man with machine.

The outcome was staggering. More hands went up wanting to be trained, teams reported unprecedented time savings, and the overall morale? It was evident. There was a newfound zest to innovate, to push boundaries, and to embrace the future.

What did we do?

There are three main steps to executing The AI to ROI Strategy Successfully:

• Step 1: Make It a No-Brainer and Painless to Do:
• Step 2: Fine-Tune It and Celebrate It:
• Step 3: Measure and Show the Payoff:

Most people are treating AI like another piece of software. And they are failing.

But it doesn't have to be that way. Let’s find out how…

Chances are you’ve already identified some areas that you can apply AI and some tools that might work. 

The biggest mistake you can make is to go hell for leather and expect everyone to jump into AI. People are resistant to change especially AI.

This means that no matter how pumped up you are to use AI you need to ease your people into it, otherwise you'll have a mutiny on your hands.

I use five simple components to make AI a no brainer and painless for all:

Here's a breakdown of the top 5 ways to make AI a no brainer and painless for the team.

(i)  Ease Into AI - Demonstrations & Addressing Concerns:

• Objective: Make sure teams see AI as friendly and approachable.
• Strategy: Line up some hands-on demos and tackle those big AI questions head-on.
• Benefits: Helps folks get over any tech-worries by showing AI's practical side.
• Procedure: Organise workshops that dive into common tasks to highlight AI's simplicity. Address concerns straight up, reminding everyone that AI is here to assist, not replace. Stay open and honest through the whole switch-over.

(ii) Share the AI Story - Narrative Creation & Messaging:

• Objective: Build excitement about AI's role in the workplace.
• Strategy: Share all the good stuff AI's done, inside and out.
• Benefits: Sets a positive tone on AI, celebrating the partnership between humans and tech.
• Procedure: Roll out stories where AI made things better. Use buzzwords like "augmented intelligence" to put the focus on AI boosting human skills. Highlight how AI handles the repetitive bits, letting us tackle more creative tasks.

(iii) Baby Steps with AI - Phased Implementation:

• Objective: Make the transition to AI smooth and stress-free.
• Strategy: Introduce AI bit by bit. Test, tweak, then go full throttle.
• Benefits: Fewer hiccups and everyone gets time to adjust.
• Procedure: Kick off with a small team test-run. Use their feedback to make things even better. Once we're all good, bring AI to everyone. This way, the first AI experience is a positive one.

(iv) Pinpoint AI's Sweet Spots - Workflow Mapping:

• Objective: Find where AI fits best without messing up our groove.
• Strategy: Team up to map out our daily grind.
• Benefits: Spot the perfect places for AI, making sure it helps, not hinders.
• Procedure: Dive deep into what we do every day. Chat with teams to see where AI can really shine. Make sure AI tools slide in seamlessly, making our routines even better.

(v) Rally the AI Cheerleaders - Champion Users:

• Objective: Get some AI enthusiasts to lead the charge.
• Strategy: Spot and train the tech-lovers in the crowd.
• Benefits: These AI champs can guide their buddies, making the shift to AI smooth sailing.
• Procedure: Keep an eye out for those keen to jump into the AI deep end. Give them all the AI know-how they need. Encourage them to help their mates get on board, showing off all the cool AI perks.

Here's a breakdown of the top 6 ways to fine tune and celebrate your AI wins.

(i)  Incentivise Creative Problem-Solving:

• Objective: Encourage folks to think differently with some enticing rewards.
• Strategy: Implement a rewards system or recognition program that gets everyone motivated.
• Benefits: Drive a culture where innovation and AI go hand in hand.
• Procedure: Identify key challenges, set up a reward structure, communicate the initiative, and celebrate successes.

(ii) Run Fun AI Hackathons:

• Objective: Get everyone involved in brainstorming AI solutions.
• Strategy: Host internal Hackathons focused on AI.
• Benefits: Foster team collaboration and come up with fresh ideas.
• Procedure: Decide on a theme, gather teams from various departments, provide resources, and let the magic happen..

(iii) Pair Techies with Non-Techies:

• Objective: Bridge the gap between tech and creative minds.
• Strategy: Implement cross-training sessions.
• Benefits: Enhanced understanding of AI capabilities and creative brainstorming.
• Procedure: Organise regular sessions, rotate teams for diversified perspectives, and encourage collaboration.

(iv) Encourage Chitchat:

• Objective: Ensure AI tools are on point by gathering insights.
• Strategy: Set up platforms where everyone can share their two cents on AI tools.
• Benefits: Constant improvement and a tool that everyone loves to use.
• Procedure: Choose a feedback platform, communicate its purpose, gather insights, and refine AI tools based on feedback.

(v) Make it Intuitive for People:

• Objective: Ensure AI tools are user-friendly.
• Strategy: Focus on people-centric design principles.
• Benefits: Smooth user experience and reduced learning curves.
• Procedure: Collaborate with UX/UI teams, gather user feedback, and refine the design accordingly.

(vi) Test, Test, and Test:

• Objective: Ensure AI solutions are effective and efficient.
• Strategy: Use automated A/B testing for various AI aspects.
• Benefits: Optimal AI solutions and strategies based on real-time results.
• Procedure: Define variables for testing, roll out A/B tests, analyze results, and refine based on outcomes. 

So now you’ve nailed the integration and fine tuning of AI, and your culture is going from strength to strength. Now you need to show people how it's making a difference to the bottom line and to people's day to day exertion.
 
There are 3 principles I like to use here:

(i)  Track your results - KPI Tracking
(ii) Check the real pay-off - Cost Benefit Analysis
(iii) Put a stake in the ground - Benchmarking

Here's a breakdown of the top 3 ways to measure and show the payoff of AI:

(i)  Track your results - KPI Tracking:

• Objective: Monitor the direct and indirect outcomes derived from AI to ensure they align with set goals.
• Strategy: Implement a consistent tracking system that highlights both the immediate and long-term benefits of your AI tools.
• Benefits: Real-time awareness of AI performance. Ability to detect discrepancies or inefficiencies swiftly. Ensures alignment with organisational goals.
• Procedure: Define clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that resonate with your AI goals. Set up automated tracking systems or dashboards to monitor these KPIs. Conduct regular reviews to assess the effectiveness of the AI tools against the tracked KPIs.

(ii) Check the real pay-off - Cost Benefit Analysis:

• Objective: Determine the net value or return on investment (ROI) derived from your AI tools.
• Strategy: Assess all costs associated with the AI tool against its tangible and intangible benefits.
• Benefits: In-depth understanding of AI tool's ROI. Identifies areas of potential savings or increased expenditure. Validates investment decisions.
• Procedure: List all direct and indirect costs linked with the AI tool. Quantify the tangible benefits like time saved, revenue generated, etc. Evaluate intangible benefits like enhanced customer satisfaction, employee morale, etc. Subtract the total costs from the total benefits to get the net ROI.

(iii) Put a stake in the ground - Benchmarking:

• Objective: Compare the performance of your AI tools against industry standards or historical data.
• Strategy: Establish measurable standards based on either industry metrics or your past performances, and then gauge your current AI tools against them.
• Benefits: Understand where you stand in the industry. Identify areas of improvement or excellence. Foster a culture of continuous improvement
• Procedure: Determine the relevant industry standards or historical metrics. Compare the current performance of your AI tools against these benchmarks. Analyse any deviations, noting areas that excel or need enhancement. Iterate and adjust strategies based on findings to ensure alignment with or superiority to benchmarks.