What Might Be Next In The MVP Rescue

AI Roadmap Workbook for Non-Technical Business Leaders

A clear, hype-free workbook showing the real areas where AI adds value — and where it doesn’t.
The Dev Guys – Mumbai — Built with clarity, speed, and purpose.

Why This Workbook Exists

In today’s business world, leaders are often told they must have an AI strategy. Everyone seems to be experimenting with, buying, or promoting something AI-related. But most non-tech business leaders face two poor choices:
• Accepting every proposal and hoping it works out.
• Saying “no” to everything because it feels risky or confusing.

It provides a third, smarter path — a clear, grounded way to find genuine AI opportunities.

You don’t need to understand AI models or algorithms — just your workflows, data, and decisions. AI is simply a tool built on top of those foundations.

How to Use This Workbook

You can complete this alone or with your management team. It’s not about completion — it’s about clarity. By the end, you’ll have:
• Clear AI ideas that truly affect your P&L.
• Understanding of where AI should not be used.
• A realistic, step-by-step project plan.

Think of it as a guide, not a form. If your CFO can understand it in a minute, you’re doing it right.

AI strategy equals good business logic, simply expressed.

Starting Point: Business Objectives

Begin with Results, Not Technology

Too often, leaders ask about tools instead of outcomes — that’s the wrong start. Non-technical leaders should start from business outcomes instead.

Ask:
• What 3–5 business results truly matter this year?
• Where are mistakes common or workloads heavy?
• Where do poor data or slow insights hold back progress?

AI matters when it affects measurable outcomes like profit or efficiency. If an idea doesn’t tie to these, it’s not a roadmap — it’s just an experiment.

Start here, and you’ll invest in leverage — not novelty.

Step 2 — See the Work

Visualise the Process, Not the Platform

Before deciding where AI fits, observe how work really flows — not how it’s described in meetings. Pose one question: “What happens between X starting and Y completing?”.

Examples include:
• New lead arrives ? assigned ? nurtured ? quoted ? revised ? finalised.
• MVP Rescue Support ticket ? triaged ? answered ? escalated ? resolved.
• Invoice generated ? sent ? reminded ? paid.

Inputs, actions, outputs — that’s the simple structure. AI adds value where inputs are messy, actions are repetitive, and outputs are predictable.

Step 3 — Prioritise

Evaluate Each Use Case for Business Value

Evaluate AI ideas using a simple impact vs effort grid.

Think of a 2x2: impact on the vertical, effort on the horizontal.
• Quick Wins: easy and powerful.
• Big strategic initiatives take time but deliver scale.
• Minor experiments — do only if supporting larger goals.
• High cost, low reward — skip them.

Consider risk: some actions are reversible, others are not.

Your roadmap starts with safe, effective wins.

Foundations & Humans

Fix the Foundations Before You Blame the Model

Without clean systems, AI will mirror your chaos. Ask yourself: Is the data 70–80% complete? Are processes well defined?.

Human Oversight Builds Trust

AI should draft, suggest, or monitor — not act blindly. Build confidence before full automation.

Avoid Common AI Pitfalls

Avoid the Three AI Traps for Non-Tech Leaders

01. The Demo Illusion — excitement without strategy.
02. The Pilot Graveyard — endless pilots that never scale.
03. The Full Automation Fantasy — imagining instant department replacement.

Choose disciplined execution over hype.

Collaborating with Tech Teams

Non-tech leaders guide direction, not coding. State outcomes clearly — e.g., “reduce response time 40%”. Expose real examples, not just ideal scenarios. Agree on success definitions and rollout phases.

Request real-world results, not sales pitches.

Signs of a Strong AI Roadmap

Signs Your AI Roadmap Is Actually Healthy

Your AI plan fits on one business slide.
Buzzword-free alignment is visible.
Ownership and clarity drive results.

The Non-Tech Leader’s AI Roadmap Checklist

Before any project, confirm:
• What measurable result does it support?
• Which workflow is involved, and can it be described simply?
• Do we have data and process clarity?
• Who owns the human oversight?
• How will success be measured in 90 days?
• If it fails, what valuable lesson remains?

The Calm Side of AI

Good AI brings order, not confusion. Focus on leverage, not hype. When executed well, AI simply amplifies how you already win.