You do not need a technical background to begin. Start with a clear task, suitable information and a plan to check the result.
Choose a task
Describe the problem, who does the work and what a useful outcome would look like. For example, you might want to reduce time spent preparing a weekly report.
Check the information
Identify the sources the task needs and whether they are reliable and permitted to be shared. You do not need perfect information, but important details should be accessible and accurate enough for the task.
Plan for people
Decide who owns the process, which actions need approval and how to handle errors. Involve the team and compare the result with the original way of working.
Run a small trial
Choose a handful of representative examples and agree who can use them. Record the current process and decide how you will compare the result: time saved, corrections needed and whether the outcome meets the team’s standard are useful starting points.
Include an example with missing information and one that needs an exception. If the tool cannot explain what it needs or a person cannot spot an error, narrow the task or keep that step with the team.
A worked example: a weekly report
A team spends around 45 minutes preparing a weekly report. The report owner selects five past examples that the team is allowed to use and checks that the source figures are complete. An approved tool prepares each draft; a colleague compares it with the original records.
Record drafting and checking time separately, along with any missing figures or corrections. If the draft is quicker but checking it takes too long, or an important figure is wrong, revise or stop the trial. The 45 minutes is an illustration, not an expected saving.
A hands-on AI workshop can help a team work through examples together.
If your trial uses personal information, see the ICO’s AI and data protection guidance.