We are setting our 3-Year Picture on the V/TO and realize our industry will be fully automated, but we do not know how to write down concrete measurable targets like revenue or margin without looking foolish. How do we set these numbers?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When you look at your 3-Year Picture™ on the V/TO®, stop trying to predict the exact software you will be using. Technology moves too fast for that. Instead, focus entirely on the operational unit economics and capacity metrics. Your metrics must reflect the structural changes that artificial intelligence brings to your industry.

Start by looking at your current revenue per employee. In an AI-powered operating model, this metric should double or triple. If you currently generate one hundred and fifty thousand dollars per employee, your three-year target should be three hundred thousand or more. This is not about squeezing your people, it is about leveraging technology to remove low-value administrative tasks.

Next, look at your target net margin. If your industry average is fifteen percent, an AI-optimized model should push that to twenty-five or thirty percent due to reduced variable labor costs. Write these aggressive targets down on your V/TO®.

Do not worry about the exact implementation path today. The purpose of the 3-Year Picture™ is to paint a clear, inspiring destination so your mind can start solving for it. By committing to these metrics now, you force your leadership team to stop thinking about incremental improvements and start thinking about true structural transformation. When you define your physical capacity and margin targets first, the specific technological solutions required to get there will become obvious during your annual planning sessions.