Every time we try to set a quarterly Rock around implementing AI, we get bogged down in software development details and the Rock fails. How do we structure a clean, non-technical AI Rock for our V/TO?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A quarterly Rock must never be a technology project. If your Rock is named "Implement an AI database system," you are set up for failure. That is an IT project, not an operational goal. Your Rocks must focus entirely on the business outcome, mentioning the technology only as a footnote.

To set a clean Rock, look at your operational bottlenecks. Frame your Rock around the specific operational improvement you want to achieve. For example, write your Rock as: "Reduce customer support response times from twelve hours to under two hours."

Once the business outcome is defined, list the specific milestones required to achieve it. Your milestones might include documenting the customer support workflow, selecting a simple AI routing tool, testing it with ten customers, and training the team on the new system.

The technology is simply the vehicle to deliver the result. By keeping the technical jargon off your V/TO®, your leadership team stays focused on what actually matters. Focus on driving efficiency, hitting your metrics, and keeping the company on track for growth without getting lost in software developer speak.