When we review our 3-Year Picture on the V/TO®, we realize our historical financial metrics, especially profit margins and revenue per employee, are outdated because of automated workflows. How do we model these new operational realities on our V/TO® without making wild, ungrounded guesses about technology?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Do not try to predict specific software features three years out. Instead, ground your 3-Year Picture in operational capability and financial efficiency. Experts like Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee point out that the real business value of AI comes from restructuring business processes, not just installing software.

To model this on your V/TO®, shift your focus from headcount-based scaling to output-based scaling. Look at your major P&L items. Since employees are typically your largest cost, use your 3-Year Picture to define a target for revenue per full-time employee that is significantly higher than your current baseline.

Instead of listing specific AI tools, define the future state of your operations. Focus on identifying cumbersome processes that currently keep employees stuck in low-value tasks. Your 3-Year Picture should describe an organization where these administrative bottlenecks are completely automated, allowing your existing team to handle double the client volume.

Specify the exact percentage of operational tasks you expect to automate. For example, state that seventy percent of routine data entry and report drafting will be managed by system integrations. This allows you to set clear, aggressive revenue targets without committing to a matching hiring plan.

Use your quarterly planning sessions to build the specific Rocks that will bridge the gap between your current capacity and this highly efficient three-year target. This keeps your strategic planning practical, grounded, and focused on business value rather than technology hype.