AI at Work · Illustrative workflow
Value: full cost
Every cost of the workflow, in the same period
A fair comparison counts what it took to set up and run the workflow, beyond software. Costs not yet known stay listed as unknown so the comparison shows them.
- Map the work and data
- Connect communication systems
- Set rules and approved questions
- Staff training and practice
- Management attention
- Adjustment while teams learn
- Usage and infrastructure
- Human review and exceptions
- Corrections and upkeep
Setup and adoption
Mapping the work, preparing job lists and estimate data, connecting phone and email systems, writing routing rules and approved questions, training staff, and the management attention needed while people adopt the new way of working.
Running and upkeep
Model usage, software and infrastructure, human review of flags and summaries, handling exceptions, correcting wrong links or briefs, and updating rules and questions as jobs, services and staff change. These continue every month after launch.
Counting fairly
Released time from salaried staff is capacity. It can support additional delivered profitable work or spending genuinely avoided; it does not remove wages by itself. Count each benefit once, and keep earlier payment separate from extra profit.
List each cost with its owner and period, mark the ones you cannot yet estimate, and revisit the comparison once real records exist.