Choose your first AI workflow with a clear test
Map one repeated task, its data boundaries, human decisions, and a measurable pilot before buying.
By Simple Intelligence Group ยท Practical buyer guide
Choose a specific starting point
Start with a repeated task whose current process you can explain. Describe what triggers it, what information arrives, which person makes the decision, and what the finished output should be. Avoid starting with an instruction to automate an entire department. A bounded workflow gives you a way to compare the current process with the proposed change.
Draw the boundaries before the demo
List the systems the workflow must read and the places it might write. Decide which information may leave each environment and who can approve that access. Microsoft-centric software can support a mixed-platform organization, but each connector needs its own verification. A logo on a page is not evidence that a connector supports your data, permissions, or billing model.
Inspect the human decision
Ask the presenter to show a normal outcome and a case where the proposed action is wrong. Find out whether the workflow stops, asks for review, or proceeds. Then inspect what evidence remains for the person responsible for the decision. Use a demonstration environment and fictional records. A product should not require a customer to disclose confidential information just to understand how a review works.
Choose a measurable pilot
Agree on the baseline, evaluation period, and acceptance criteria before starting. Useful measures include completion time, correction effort, missing work, and the quality of the final decision. Record failures as well as successful runs. Confirm the product's current availability and integrations separately from the proposed pilot design. If an essential capability is planned, treat it as a dependency instead of counting it as part of the result.
Bring these questions to your walkthrough
- What starts and finishes this workflow?
- What data may each system receive?
- Where does a person review the result?
- What evidence would make the pilot a success?
These are evaluation questions. The product page states current availability, trial conditions, and implementation limits.
Review the product and its availability