Practical AI Roadmap Workbook for Business Executives
A simple, practical workbook showing the real areas where AI adds value — and where it doesn’t.
The Dev Guys — Built with clarity, speed, and purpose.
Purpose of This Workbook
If you run a business today, you’re expected to “have an AI strategy”. All around, people are piloting, selling, or hyping AI solutions. But most non-tech business leaders face two poor choices:
• Agreeing to all AI suggestions blindly, expecting results.
• Saying “no” to everything because it feels risky or confusing.
It provides a third, smarter path — a clear, grounded way to find genuine AI opportunities.
Forget models and parameters — focus on how your business works. AI is only effective when built on your existing processes.
How to Use This Workbook
Either fill it solo or discuss it collaboratively. It’s not about completion — it’s about clarity. By the end, you’ll have:
• A short list of meaningful AI opportunities tied to profit or efficiency.
• Understanding of where AI should not be used.
• A clear order of initiatives instead of scattered trials.
Think of it as a guide, not a form. Your AI plan should be simple enough to explain in one meeting.
AI strategy equals good business logic, simply expressed.
Step 1 — Business First
Begin with Results, Not Technology
The usual focus on bots and models misses the real point. Non-technical leaders should start from business outcomes instead.
Ask:
• Which few outcomes will define success this year?
• Where are mistakes common or workloads heavy?
• Which decisions are delayed because information is hard to find?
AI matters when it affects measurable outcomes like profit or efficiency. Only link AI to real, trackable business metrics.
Start here, and you’ll invest in leverage — not novelty.
Understand How Work Actually Happens
Understand the Flow Before Applying AI
AI fits only once you understand the real workflow. Simply document every step from beginning to end.
Examples include:
• New lead arrives ? assigned ? nurtured ? quoted ? revised ? finalised.
• Customer issue logged ? categorised ? responded ? closed.
• Invoice generated ? sent ? reminded ? paid.
Each step has three parts: inputs, actions, outputs. AI adds value where inputs are messy, actions are repetitive, and outputs are predictable.
Rank and Select AI Use Cases
Assess Opportunities with a Clear Framework
Evaluate AI ideas using a simple impact vs effort grid.
Use a mental 2x2 chart — impact vs effort.
• Focus first on small, high-impact changes.
• Big strategic initiatives take time but deliver scale.
• Nice-to-Haves — low impact, low effort.
• High cost, low reward — skip them.
Add risk as a filter: where can AI act safely, and where must humans approve?.
Small wins set the foundation for larger bets.
Foundations & Humans
Get the Basics Right First
AI projects fail more from poor data than bad models. Check data completeness, process clarity, and alignment.
Human Oversight Builds Trust
Let AI assist, not replace, your team. Over time, increase automation responsibly.
The 3 Classic Mistakes
Learn from Others’ Missteps
01. The Shiny Demo Trap — getting impressed by flashy demos with no purpose.
02. The Pilot Problem — learning without impact.
03. The Automation Mirage — expecting overnight change.
Fewer, focused projects with clear owners and goals beat scattered enthusiasm.
Working with Experts
Non-tech leaders guide direction, not coding. State outcomes clearly — e.g., “reduce response time 40%”. Expose real examples, not just ideal scenarios. Clarify success early and plan stepwise rollouts.
Transparency about failures reveals true expertise.
Signs of a Strong AI Roadmap
How to Know Your AI Strategy Works
It’s simple, measurable, and owned.
Buzzword-free alignment is visible.
Ownership and clarity drive results.
Quick AI Validation Guide
Before any project, confirm:
• Which business metric does this improve?
• Which workflow is involved, and can it be described simply?
• Do we have data and process clarity?
• Who owns the human oversight?
• What is the 3-month metric?
• If it fails, what valuable lesson remains?
Final Thought
AI done right feels stable, not overwhelming. Focus on leverage, not hype. When executed well, AI simply amplifies how you already RAG win.