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MAD 90 Editorial • October 4, 2026 • AI Enablement
Before You Buy an AI Tool: Choose One Workflow
Before You Buy an AI Tool: Choose One Workflow
A useful AI pilot begins with a specific task. “Use more AI” is too broad to measure. “Draft a first response to a recurring customer question, with a person checking it before sending” is a clearer starting point.
1. Describe today’s work.
1. Describe today’s work.
Write down who performs the task, what information they use, how often it happens, and what makes a good result. Include exceptions and the cost of errors.
2. Decide what information is appropriate.
2. Decide what information is appropriate.
Use approved information and tools. Keep credentials, customer records, and confidential material out of an unapproved pilot. Confirm how the tool handles inputs and who is allowed to use it.
3. Compare against a baseline.
3. Compare against a baseline.
Try representative examples and compare the pilot with the current method. Check time spent, accuracy, effort to correct the output, and usefulness to the person doing the work.
4. Keep a human accountable.
4. Keep a human accountable.
Assign a reviewer and make the approval step explicit. AI-generated text can sound confident while being wrong. A faster draft only helps when the final result is fit for purpose.
5. Decide what to do next.
5. Decide what to do next.
After a small pilot, choose whether to improve it, expand it, or stop. Record what you learned. Avoid scaling a workflow simply because the demonstration looked impressive.
Want help choosing a starting point?
Want help choosing a starting point?
Request a consultation at matthews@mad90.com.
Sources & further reading
Sources & further reading
This article offers MAD 90’s practical perspective. For guidance on AI risks and evaluation, see NIST’s AI Risk Management Framework and its Generative AI Profile.
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