FIRST PROJECT / SME
A first workflow.
With the right people.
The first project does not need to cover the whole company. It has to pass through enough real work for someone to use its result and say what is missing.
Written by Saphan · 7 September 2026
Put three situations on the table
Collect a few recurring tasks that involve searching, rewording or re-entering data. For each one, note the starting event, the final result, the tools it passes through and the person who picks up the case. Ask for one ordinary example and one exception.
Do not select only the most spectacular task. Prefer a workflow whose data is accessible, whose result can be checked and in which a person can take part in the trials. A sufficient frequency will let you observe several occurrences; on its own, it does not guarantee that AI is worthwhile.
Choose a slice that is complete but short
Fictional example: a distributor hesitates between automating its purchasing and preparing its incoming requests. The second option already has a usable catalog and an available person in charge. The first trial therefore turns a request into a record to review, with its references and its missing items.
The record has to arrive where someone actually works. A successful conversation in an isolated tool does not complete this workflow. On the other hand, the trial does not need to place an order or replace the sales software.
Bring together three responsibilities
The person who does the task brings the details and the exceptions. The person who uses the result defines what is acceptable. The person responsible for the tools confirms access and what can be connected. In a small organization, some roles may belong to the same person.
Agree on their availability and on where to note errors. Without a recipient for the result or planned review time, the prototype risks remaining a demonstration. A smaller scope is then better than a project with no participant available.
Decide what comes next from the work observed
Before the trial, set its agreed duration, a few success criteria and what will be handed over. At the end, review the usable cases, the corrections and the connections still missing. The next step may be an extension, a targeted improvement or a solution without AI. The first project also serves to learn what kind of engagement the company can realistically adopt.