Measuring an AI workflow pilot

Trying AI on a task is easy. Knowing whether it actually helped takes a little more care.

Measure before you change anything Spend two weeks doing the task your normal way. Note how long it takes, how often it needs fixing, and how many you complete.

Then try the AI version Spend two weeks doing the same task with AI help. Include the time spent writing prompts and checking the output, not just the time the AI takes.

Count review time honestly If someone has to check every result, that time is part of the cost. For riskier tasks, a second person should always review the output.

Compare fairly Compare similar weeks, with similar workloads. One unusually quiet week can make any change look good.

Know when to stop If quality drops, mistakes slip through or the time saved disappears into checking, stop the pilot. A pilot that ends early has still taught you something useful.