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The ASSESS Phase
The 4-8 week engagement where we align your leadership, select your first quick win, and deliver your first working AI system
What You Get
By the end of the ASSESS phase, you have:
- Clear AI strategy aligned with business goals
- Leadership aligned and committed to the path forward
- Your first AI system live and working (the 'quick win')
- A validated roadmap for what comes next
You can stop here—you'll have strategy, momentum, and a working system.
Or continue to ALIGN—where we help you build 5-10 more systems and embed the capability in your team. Most clients choose this path because ASSESS proves the approach works.
What Happens During This Time
Leadership Alignment & Diagnostic
- •We assess your current state (existing pilots, MS Copilot usage, team capability)
- •We secure executive sponsorship and align on success metrics
- •We identify your highest-value quick win
Strategy & Quick Win Development
- •We create your AI roadmap (goals, priorities, sequencing)
- •We scope the quick win system in detail
- •We begin building it with your team embedded
Delivery & Path Forward
- •Your first system goes live
- •We document what worked and what you learned
- •We present the roadmap for ALIGN phase (if you choose to continue)
Real Example: Manufacturing Company
- •CEO mandate to 'do AI'
- •12 MS Copilot licenses, 8% adoption
- •Three pilot projects, none in production
- •No coordination between departments
- •Week 1-2: Secured buy-in from COO and operations VP, identified RFP response automation as quick win
- •Week 3-4: Built AI-powered RFP response system with their team
- •Week 5-8: System went live, reduced RFP time from 40 hours to 4 hours, created roadmap for 9 more systems
What they did next: Continued into ALIGN phase, now have 10 working systems and saved 1,800 hours monthly
Investment
ASSESS Phase: $75K-$150K
depending on company size and complexity
This includes:
- Full diagnostic and strategy development
- Executive alignment workshops
- One working AI system delivered
- Complete roadmap for next phases
- All frameworks and methodology documentation
What Happens After ASSESS
You have three options:
You have strategy + one working system. Your team can continue independently.
We help you build 5-10 more systems and strengthen your AI ecosystem. Most clients choose this path.
Complete ASSESS, implement the strategy for 3-6 months, then engage us for ALIGN when you're ready to accelerate.
We'll discuss all three openly in your debrief at the end of ASSESS.
Who This Is For
The ASSESS phase works best if you:
- Have executive sponsorship (or can secure it quickly)
- Are willing to embed 2-3 of your team members in the process
- Want to move fast (4-8 weeks, not 6 months of planning)
- Need to prove this approach works before committing to full transformation
This isn't right if:
- You want a strategy deck to implement yourself (we build WITH you, not FOR you)
- You're not ready to put a system into production during ASSESS
- You need the cheapest option (this is premium capability-building, not consulting)
Common Questions
What if we just want to use our Copilot licenses better?
Perfect, that can be your quick win in ASSESS. We'll show your team how to use Copilot strategically (not just as a fancy autocomplete) and embed it into actual workflows.
Do we need to know which system to build before we start?
No. Part of ASSESS is identifying the right quick win. We'll help you choose based on business impact, feasibility, and strategic alignment.
What if ASSESS shows we're not ready?
We'll tell you honestly at the end of the 8 weeks. Sometimes the answer is 'build this internal capability first' or 'secure stronger executive alignment before moving to ALIGN.' The ASSESS phase is designed to surface these gaps early, so you either have a clear path forward with ALIGN, or you know exactly what needs to change before you're ready to scale. Either way, you leave with a working system, a strategy, and complete clarity on what comes next.
Can we do this remotely or does it require onsite?
Hybrid works best. Initial diagnostic and alignment usually requires 2-3 days onsite. System building can happen remotely with regular check-ins.
Ready to Start?
Step 1: Take the AI Readiness Scan
(5 min) Get your readiness score + 5 AI systems customized for your industry
Take the Scan →Step 2: Schedule a Conversation
We'll review your scan results, discuss your specific situation, and determine if ASSESS is right for you
Schedule Conversation →