AI Automation Design Sprint - Discovery (1 Day)

This one-day AI automation discovery sprint gives your team a structured, evidence-based view of where AI can deliver real value across your operations. Facilitated by an experienced fractional CTO, the day combines short discovery interviews, collaborative ideation, and pragmatic feasibility scoring. You leave with a personalised opportunity map and a clear recommendation on which automation idea to pursue next.

Expected Outcome

Many businesses sit on a backlog of AI ideas that never get tested. The cost of inaction is rarely a single failed project; it is the slow erosion of margin as competitors automate routine work, and the accumulated frustration of teams who never see promising experiments funded. A focused day of expert facilitation breaks the deadlock. The financial logic is straightforward. For a fraction of the cost of a single engineering sprint, you obtain a ranked, defensible list of opportunities and a concrete next step. Most clients identify at least one automation candidate that pays for the workshop many times over once implemented, and avoid spending budget on ideas that look attractive but lack feasibility.

What You Get

A clear, jargon-free understanding of where AI automation fits your business
A customised automation opportunity map tailored to your workflows and data
Concrete, sequenced next steps your team can act on immediately
No technical background required from participants on the day
Fast, focused results delivered within a single working day
An optional recorded pitch session you can share internally to unlock budget

Overview

The AI Automation Design Sprint Discovery is a one-day, fractional CTO-led workshop from 941 Consulting that helps you cut through AI hype and identify the automation opportunities that will actually move your business. In a single focused day, your leadership team maps current workflows, scores candidate use cases for value and feasibility, and leaves with a prioritised opportunity map. It is the lowest-friction entry point into our AI strategy and innovation consulting practice, designed for teams that need clarity before committing to a longer engagement.

Who this is for

Seed and Series A founders evaluating AI for the first time without an in-house CTO
Operations and product leaders who suspect automation potential but lack a structured view
SaaS, e-commerce, and professional services teams under cost pressure
Mid-market companies that want a low-risk way to test the value of an AI engagement
Executives who need a defensible, prioritised opportunity list within a single day
Innovation teams looking to refresh and validate their AI backlog

Use cases

A seed-stage SaaS founder wanting to know whether AI automation belongs on the near-term roadmap
A B2B services company curious about AI but unsure which department would benefit most
An e-commerce operator looking to identify quick automation wins in marketing or operations
A mid-market finance team exploring document and reconciliation automation candidates
An innovation lead who needs a credible artefact to present at the next leadership meeting

Deliverables

AI automation opportunity map customised to your business and sector
Concept sketch of one promising solution chosen by your team
Sprint report summarising findings, scoring, and recommended next steps
Optional recorded pitch session for internal stakeholder communication

Our Methodology

1Business challenge analysis and workflow mapping
2AI opportunity identification and scoring
3Collaborative solution ideation with stakeholders
4Concept development for the priority candidate
5Next steps planning and ownership assignment

Best Practices

Hands-on, collaborative approach throughout the day
Sharp focus on real-world business problems, not technology trends
Practical, implementable solution orientation
Clear, shareable documentation for all decisions
Actionable recommendations with named owners

Frequently asked questions

How long does the discovery sprint take?

The discovery sprint runs for one full working day, typically eight hours including breaks. The format is intentionally compact so senior decision-makers can attend in full without disrupting their week, and you walk away with deliverables the same day.

What do we need to prepare in advance?

Very little. We send a short pre-read questionnaire to capture context on your business, current pain points, and any existing AI experiments. There is no homework, no slide preparation, and no technical setup required from your team beyond confirming attendees.

Who runs the workshop?

The day is led personally by Romain Eude, founder of 941 Consulting and a fractional CTO with deep experience in AI strategy and innovation consulting. You work directly with a senior practitioner, which is what allows a single day to produce useful, defensible outputs.

How is this different from a standard consulting engagement?

Traditional consulting engagements stretch discovery over weeks of interviews and slide production. This sprint delivers a comparable opportunity map in one day, at a fixed price, with your team in the room for every decision. You own the outputs and the reasoning behind them.

What happens after the discovery day?

You leave with a prioritised opportunity map and a clear recommended next step. Many clients then progress to the two-day Prototyping sprint or the four-day Accelerator, but there is no obligation. The discovery report is fully self-contained and useful even if you choose to act on it independently.

Ready to Get Started?

Learn About Fractional CTO