Walter Pasquarelli has published a very informative guide sponsored by Deltek titled “The C-Suite’s Playbook on Gen AI Adoption.” The playbook is based on Pasquarelli’s expert knowledge as a renowned AI strategist and interviews with five business leaders. The report also draws upon findings from Deltek’s 2024 Clarity Study for Professional Services.
While the report was launched this week, the research and some other interesting findings were highlighted by Pasquarelli in a blog post after a round table hosted by Deltek last August.
That report highlighted that 71% of companies believe that successful AI implementation can deliver a competitive advantage. 58% believe that AI investments can expand service offerings. However, 76% feel uncertain about the impact of future AI regulations due to potential risks.
The study aims to help business leaders understand where they are on their AI journey. This is important, as the failure rate of AI projects is high. A Gartner survey found that “on average, only 48% of AI projects make it into production, and it takes 8 months to go from AI prototype to production.” The number of projects that deliver an ROI is much lower. It is, therefore, important that leaders invest wisely and maximise their chances of success.
Gen AI is a game-changer for many industries. With the global Gen AI market set to rise from $17.65 billion in 2023 to $803.90 billion by 2033, no consulting firm can ignore its importance. Pasquarelli has put together a comprehensive playbook that offers important strategic insights. And a practical framework for executives looking to harness the power of AI whilst mitigating risks.
Bret Tushaus, VP Product Management, Deltek commented, “While many executives recognize AI’s transformative capabilities, they often struggle with where to begin and how to align AI initiatives with their strategic objectives. This can be overwhelming for many businesses.
“We have worked closely with Walter to ensure this asset provides both strategic guidance and an actionable assessment framework to help your firm embrace this game-changing technology, empower your people, and accelerate your operations.”
What is in the Playbook?
The playbook is 24 pages long and is a step-by-step framework for consulting leaders who are considering the adoption of AI. The report starts by introducing five key areas where organisational capabilities are important for the adoption of AI. Each area contains a brief description and then a case study of a sample organisation that demonstrates the importance of the area.
The bulk of the playbook is an assessment that asked twenty questions around key areas to determine an organisation’s readiness to adopt AI. The areas are:
- Strategy
- Infrastructure
- Governance
- Monitoring
- Culture
The thinking behind each of these areas is also detailed, providing insights into why these questions are asked and hinting at how organisations can increase their scores. The reader scores themselves on a scale, and once they calculate an overall score, they assess where they are on their journey in four stages:
- Getting Started
- Building Momentum
- Gaining Traction
- Leading The Pack
Enterprise Times: What does this mean
Pasquarelli has put together a Playbook that is invaluable for any business leader looking to invest in Gen AI. While the playbook, to an extent, uses languages suitable for consulting firms, this is a piece of work that many organisations will find useful.
While the assessment is a starting point, there is enough supporting information within the playbooks for the leader to understand where to search next to improve their readiness. What will be very interesting is to hear how organisations have leveraged this document. And whether Deltek themselves are using it during client engagements, it would provide a very interesting starting point.
