Start with the three-hour report
A team spends every morning assembling the same report. Someone suggests AI. Before choosing a tool, follow the work: where does the information come from, who checks it, and which parts does anyone use?
Find the delay before automating it
The slow part may be copying figures between systems, waiting for an approval, or maintaining a section no one reads. Automating the whole sequence can preserve every one of those delays. Map the inputs, decisions, handoffs, and outputs first.
Give AI a job it can do
Once the process is clear, look for a bounded task: sort incoming requests, find relevant documents, or prepare a draft for a person to review. Keep a human responsible for decisions that carry real consequences.
A useful test
Measure the time the workflow takes today, the errors people have to correct, and whether the result is still useful. Then compare the same measures after a small trial. If the work is unclear before the model enters, the trial will be hard to judge.