No tool names
As soon as a piece of software is named, write it in a corner of the room and get back to the problem.
Use
Run your first workshop
One hour of framing, one week of preparation, three hours as a team, six weeks of testing. That’s all it takes to go from a hunch to a documented decision.
1 · First
The Framing Map
One hour in a small group to agree on the problem, without naming a tool.
2 · One week before
The friction log
For five days, each participant notes every moment they sigh. One line is enough.
3 · In the workshop
Sort, then dig in
The pain points go into the matrix. Two or three processes move on to the canvas, in teams.
4 · After the workshop
A test, not a project
One process, four to six weeks, measured against the Measurable gains block.
First things first: the Framing Map
Before launching the friction log, bring four to eight people together for an hour: management, two or three people who actually do the work, and someone who can say no. Fill in the map in numbered order.
You leave with two things: the sentence that will open the workshop, and the list of hunches the friction log will need to confirm or disprove.
Fact or hunch
Nobody is wrong to have a hunch. Mark it with an empty circle: it becomes a question to check.
Fears out loud
If nobody writes down a fear, it’s not that there aren’t any. It’s that the room doesn’t feel safe yet.
One week before: the friction log
Ask participants to note, over five working days, every moment they sigh. One line is enough: the task, how long it took, what was frustrating.
You’ll arrive at the workshop with real material instead of impressions. It’s probably the most valuable step in the whole process.
| Day | Task | Time | What was frustrating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Copying sign-ups from the form into the spreadsheet | 25 min | The same data, typed twice |
| Tuesday | Looking for the old version of the report | 15 min | Three folders, no clear names |
| Thursday | Answering questions about the schedule | 40 min | Always the same six questions |
In the workshop: the three-hour agenda
For 6 to 20 people, ideally the ones who actually do the work. Not just their bosses.
0:00
Welcome and intent
Why we’re here, read from the Framing Map sentence. And a promise said out loud: we start by naming what we protect.
0:15
Reading the friction logs
Everyone writes down their three biggest sighs, one per sticky note. Concrete wording required.
0:40
Sorting in the matrix
The sticky notes go into the four quadrants. Discuss the borderline cases, especially between the noble burden and the sanctuary.
1:10
Choosing the processes
Two or three processes from the chore or the noble burden. One team per process.
1:20
Break
Ten minutes. Coffee is part of the method.
1:30
Canvas in teams
The right side (25 minutes), then the left side (20 minutes), then the bottom (15 minutes).
2:30
Gallery walk and verdict
Each team presents its canvas in three minutes. The group gives it a light: green, yellow or red.
2:50
Choosing the test
Keep a single process, one person in charge and a review date.
Pitfalls to avoid
Pain points that are too vague
“Communication” is not a pain point. “I retype the same information into three systems” is.
The manager who fills it in for the team
They know the official process. The team knows the real one.
The vendor in the room
As soon as specific tools are named, the discussion swings to the solution. Save product names for later.
The perfect canvas
An empty block is useful information: it tells you what you need to go check.
After the workshop: a test, not a project
Pick a single process. Test it for four to six weeks. Measure what you wrote in the Measurable gains block. Then decide.
Bringing AI into an organization is built on small, documented wins. Not on a grand transformation plan.
Where does the time you get back go?
If you don’t answer this question, the answer comes on its own. Freed-up time fills with email, meetings and new requests. Six months later, nobody knows exactly what changed.
If you do answer it, everything shifts. Time recovered from the chore goes back to the sanctuary: more time with clients, to think, to train the next generation, to take care of the team. That’s where the real promise of AI lies. Not replacing people. Not making them faster. Giving them back time for what only they can do.
No printer handy?
The online canvas fills in right in your browser and exports as a PDF.