The same six steps work whether the answer turns out to be a small integration or a larger custom system.
- Name the problem and the outcomeDescribe it in business terms, such as slow quotes, stock surprises or a long month-end, and agree what better looks like.
- Review the workflow, data and toolsFollow the work from start to finish. Note where it waits, where it is re-keyed and where it depends on one person.
- Keep what worksExisting systems that do their job stay. Change is aimed at the gaps.
- Choose the lightest approach that fitsThat may be an integration between systems, a small custom application or an AI assistant. Often it is a combination.
- Pilot, review, then expandStart with the priority problem, check the results against the outcome you agreed, and widen the scope only after that.
- Keep supporting the teamPeople need help as the solution changes how they work, and the solution needs adjusting as the business changes.
The order matters more than the technology. Starting from a tool tends to produce a solution looking for a problem.
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