During our Level 10 Meetings, our team keeps bringing up vague issues like AI tools not working or being too slow, which leads to endless discussion. How do we use the IDS process to isolate the real root cause of an AI software failure instead of getting lost in tech support talk?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Technical issues can easily derail a Level 10 Meeting because leadership teams often try to solve the symptom rather than the root cause. When someone lists an issue like the AI tool is buggy, you must immediately push back and run it through the IDS process: Identify, Discuss, and Solve.

First, you must Identify the real issue. Is it a software bug, a lack of training, or an unrealistic expectation of what the tool can do? Ask the owner of the issue to provide a specific operational example. If they say the tool is slow, find out if it is slowing down their actual weekly output, or if it is just a minor annoyance.

Often, you will find the root cause is not the technology at all. It is usually a lack of clear ownership on the Accountability Chart or a process that has not been properly documented. If the team is using the tool incorrectly, the solution is not to call tech support; it is to retrain the team on your core process.

Once you have identified the root cause, Discuss it briefly. Do not let your tech-savvy team members get sucked into a debate about software code or alternative tools. Focus on the business impact.

Finally, Solve it. A real solution is an action item on your To-Do List with a clear owner and a one-week deadline. If the issue requires a technical fix, the action item should be for the Integrator to coordinate with the developer, not for the entire leadership team to troubleshoot the software during the meeting.