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Welcome

Week 5

The Furniture

You've had the couch against that wall for three years. It's fine. It works. You've just stopped seeing it.

One day you move it and suddenly the whole room makes sense. More light, more space, and you're wondering why you didn't do it sooner. Nothing new came in. You just saw it differently.

That's this week.

This week is about finding where AI fits in the room.

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This Week's Concept Drop

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Your Weekly Experiment

This week, you're going to redesign a workflow. Not your entire job. One small, repeatable workflow that you do at least once a week and that takes 30-60 minutes.

You'll map the current workflow, identify where AI could create leverage, redesign it with AI embedded, and test the new version.

Choose your track:

🧑‍💼

Hands-On Track

5 steps to set up AI in your work

Step 1: Pick a Small, Repeatable Workflow (5 Minutes)

Choose one workflow you repeat at least once a week that takes 30-60 minutes. Don't pick something huge.

Good examples:

  • How I prepare for 1:1 meetings
  • How I draft weekly status updates
  • How I research a topic before a presentation
  • How I prioritize my tasks for the week
  • How I review and respond to feedback
  • Using AI to draft a shift handover report
  • Getting AI to help plan a weekly roster
  • Using AI to summarise inspection notes
  • Getting AI to draft a toolbox talk or safety brief
  • Using AI to prepare a team update or meeting agenda

Bad examples (too big):

  • How I manage my entire week
  • How I run projects
  • How I make strategic decisions
Test: Can you describe the workflow in 5-7 steps? If yes, it's the right size. If no, it's too big.

Step 2: Map Your Current Workflow (10-15 Minutes)

Write down the steps you currently follow. Be specific. Use this structure:

  • Input: What triggers this workflow?
  • Steps: What do you do, in order? (List 5-7 steps)
  • Output: What's the result?
  • Pain Points: Where do you get stuck? Where do you spend the most time?

Example: Preparing for 1:1s

Input: 1:1 meeting scheduled for tomorrow

Steps:

  1. Look at notes from last meeting
  2. Check project status in [tool]
  3. Think about what I want to discuss
  4. Write down 3-4 topics
  5. Sometimes forget to do this until 10 minutes before the meeting

Output: A short list of topics (sometimes rushed)

Pain Points: I often forget to do this until the last minute. I spend time searching for context.

Step 3: Ask Yourself: Where Could AI Create Leverage? (10 Minutes)

Don't ask: "What could AI do instead of me?"

Ask: "Where could AI make me faster, sharper, or more creative?"

Look for these opportunities:

  • Repetitive cognitive work: Is there a step you do the same way every time?
  • Synthesis or summarization: Is there a step where you're pulling together information?
  • Ideation or brainstorming: Is there a step where you're generating options?
  • Pattern recognition: Is there a step where you're looking for trends?

Pick ONE step where AI could fit. Don't try to embed AI everywhere. Just one leverage point.

Step 4: Redesign the Workflow with AI Embedded (10 Minutes)

Rewrite your workflow with AI as a component in one step.

Example: Redesigned 1:1 Prep

  1. [NEW] Ask AI to summarize notes from last 3 meetings and surface recurring themes
  2. Check project status in [tool]
  3. [NEW] Ask AI to generate 5 questions I might want to explore based on recent work
  4. Review AI's output and pick 3-4 topics
  5. Show up prepared

The difference: AI is doing the repetitive cognitive work (summarizing, pattern-finding, question-generating). I'm doing the judgment work (deciding what matters, choosing what to focus on).

Step 5: Test It (This Week)

Actually try the redesigned workflow at least once. Notice:

  • What worked?
  • What didn't work?
  • What would you change next time?
Don't expect perfection. You're testing a prototype, not a final system.
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Team Lead Track

Step 1: Pick a Team Workflow That Feels Inefficient (5 Minutes)

Choose one team workflow that:

  • Happens regularly (weekly or monthly)
  • Involves multiple people
  • Takes 30-90 minutes
  • Feels like it could be better

Good examples:

  • How we run retrospectives
  • How we collect and synthesize feedback
  • How we generate ideas for [thing]
  • How we prepare for key meetings

Bad examples (too big or too vague):

  • How we communicate (too broad)
  • How we run projects (too big)
  • How we work together (too abstract)

Step 2: Map the Current Workflow WITH Your Team (30-45 Minutes)

You'll need to facilitate this. Use this structure:

Agenda:

  1. Frame the session (5 min): "We're going to map how we currently do [workflow], identify where it's breaking down, and explore where AI might help."
  2. Map the current workflow (15 min): As a group, identify Input, Steps, Output, and Pain Points
  3. Identify one leverage point (10 min): "If we could make ONE step 10x faster, which would have the most impact?"
  4. Brainstorm where AI could fit (10 min): "What could AI do at that step?"
  5. Redesign together (10 min): Rewrite the workflow with AI embedded

Step 3: Test the Redesigned Workflow

Actually try the new version once. Debrief as a team:

  • What worked?
  • What didn't?
  • What would we change?
This is a prototype, not a policy. You're testing, not committing.
💡 Psst, need help? Facilitation Guide for Leaders

Before the Meeting:

  • Block 45-60 minutes
  • Let the team know the goal: "We're going to map one of our workflows and explore where AI might help us work better."
  • Prepare a shared doc or whiteboard

During the Meeting:

1. Frame the Session (5 minutes)

Say this: "We're going to spend the next 45 minutes mapping how we currently do [workflow]. The goal isn't to criticize how we work. It's to get clear on the process, identify where it's breaking down, and explore where AI might create leverage."

Set one ground rule: "There are no bad ideas in this session. We're exploring, not committing."

2. Map the Current Workflow (15 minutes)

Ask the team: "What triggers this workflow? What happens next? Walk me through the steps." Write them on the whiteboard. Listen for where people say "This takes forever."

3. Identify One Leverage Point (10 minutes)

Ask: "If we could make ONE step in this process 10x faster or easier, which step would have the biggest impact?" Let people vote or discuss.

4. Brainstorm Where AI Could Fit (10 minutes)

Ask: "At this step, what could AI do that would help us? Not replace us. Help us."

5. Redesign Together (10 minutes)

Rewrite the steps on the whiteboard with AI embedded at the leverage point.

6. Close and Commit (5 minutes)

Say: "This is a prototype, not a policy. Let's try this new version once and see what happens."

⚡ Quick tips

Pick ONE leverage point. Don't try to embed AI everywhere. Ask "Where could AI make us faster?" not "What could AI replace?" Test once, then refine.

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Time to Reflect with Eko

After you complete your experiment, it's time to process what you learned about workflow redesign and where AI fits in your operating system.

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Chat with Eko

Your AI reflection coach

💡 Pro tip: Start your reflection with this prompt:

"Eko, I just completed my Week 5 experiment for the AI Starter Sprint. I redesigned a workflow with AI embedded and tested it. Can you help me reflect on what I learned?"

Important: Eko isn't here to tell you what to think. Eko is here to help you think. If a question doesn't land, say so. If you need to go deeper on something, ask.
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The Deep Dive

Not required, for those who want to go deeper.

1

How to Build a Learning Mindset at Work by Harvard Business Review

Article

You've spent five weeks building new muscles and this HBR piece will help you keep them. It covers the practical habits that turn a temporary sprint into a permanent shift in how you approach your work and growth.

📄 Read the Article →
2

WorkLife with Adam Grant

Podcast

Adam Grant's other podcast, this one focused specifically on making work not suck. It's packed with research-backed ideas on rethinking how teams operate, how we collaborate, and how to stay curious when the default is autopilot. Great post-sprint listening.

Spotify Apple Podcasts
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