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Articles

Ideas worth keeping, not just publishing

Automation

2 min article

28

Automate the Annoying Work First

Find the repetitive work nobody wants to do, then start your automation effort there.

Look for repetitive tasks before trying to replace a role.

  • Look for repetitive tasks before trying to replace a role.
  • Ask why a manual process still exists.
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AI

2 min article

29

You Are Not Behind on AI

AI hype can make every new tool feel urgent. A calmer approach is to choose technology that fits your business and helps the people already doing the work.

The coolest AI tool is probably not the right one for your business.

  • The coolest AI tool is probably not the right one for your business.
  • Trying to keep up with every new tool can create operational damage instead of progress.
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Artificial intelligence

2 min article

30

AI Adoption Starts With the Workflow

AI can speed up a workflow, but it cannot follow a process trapped in one employee's head. Put the work on paper first.

Start AI adoption with a workflow that already happens inside the business.

  • Start AI adoption with a workflow that already happens inside the business.
  • Put knowledge trapped in one employee's head into a process others can follow.
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Artificial intelligence

2 min article

31

AI Accelerates What Is Already There

Before adding AI to your business, map one workflow and decide whether speeding it up would create order or more confusion.

AI tends to accelerate the way a business already operates.

  • AI tends to accelerate the way a business already operates.
  • A poorly understood workflow can become more confusing when it moves faster.
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Artificial intelligence

2 min article

32

AI Context Is Limited Memory

An AI agent can only handle so much context at once. Give each agent one job and the information that job needs.

Context is the amount of information an AI can handle at once.

  • Context is the amount of information an AI can handle at once.
  • Overloading one agent can make it compress details and forget things.
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Artificial intelligence

2 min article

33

Map the Workflow Before You Add AI

A real bulk-order process shows why mapping the work first can reveal practical fixes before AI handles the messy exceptions.

Put one workflow on paper before choosing where AI belongs.

  • Put one workflow on paper before choosing where AI belongs.
  • Fix the clear process and interface problems with dependable tools first.
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Operations

2 min article

34

AI Is My Trojan Horse for Talking About Operations

Operations can clear a networking room. AI can open the door to a more useful conversation about how the business actually works.

Use AI to open a practical conversation about operations.

  • Use AI to open a practical conversation about operations.
  • Put your processes on paper before trying to improve them.
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Software decisions

3 min article

35

Put Software Decisions on a Spectrum

A practical way to decide what software to rent, connect, or build as your business changes.

Treat build versus buy as a movable spectrum, not a permanent choice.

  • Treat build versus buy as a movable spectrum, not a permanent choice.
  • Start with proven tools for commodity needs such as websites and CRMs.
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AI

3 min article

36

Before You Hire an AI Agent, Put It in a JAR

A useful AI agent needs a clear job, limited authority, and regular review. Alek's JAR framework keeps a small experiment from sprawling through the business.

Give the agent one specific job and a clear trigger

  • Give the agent one specific job and a clear trigger
  • Limit what it can read, say, and change
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