Operational Task Mapping
A continuous activity with three visible touchpoints across Weeks 1-3 plus a workshop touchpoint. Selection conversation with the CEO picks 3-4 functions to study. Per-function task work surfaces a Function Task Brief per lead. The workshop touchpoint converts the master task table into a ranked candidate set the executive team scores and uses to select the first pilot.
Week 1: Selection conversation 60 min, remote, Brent + the CEO (plus anyone the CEO invites)
Pick 3-4 functions to study, with criteria written down, so the selection traces to documentation the CEO can hand to anyone who asks why these functions and not others. The CEO decides who else (a VP Risk lead, etc.) joins the conversation.
- Goal
- Pick 3-4 functions to study, with criteria written down, so the selection traces to documentation the CEO can hand to anyone who asks why these functions and not others.
- Facilitation moves
- Open with the survey synthesis and CEO interview signal (drag points named, areas of concern, comfort distribution). Walk the four criteria as evaluation lenses, applying each to the candidate functions. Capture rationale in writing during the conversation. Agree on observation opt-ins for 2 of the 4 functions. Assign async-vs-facilitated pre-work mode per lead (see Engagement modes card). Send lead-notification emails within 24 hours.
- Success indicators
- The CEO and any others she invited agree on the 3-4 functions. Written rationale exists for each. Each function has an assigned pre-work mode. Leads have been notified and confirmed. Observation invitations have been sent for 2 of the 4 functions.
- If drift, repair
- Function selection feels political rather than criteria-driven: revisit the criteria explicitly; if a function does not satisfy any criterion, surface that to the CEO. The CEO defers selection without reaching agreement: schedule a 30-min follow-up; do not proceed to Touchpoint 2 with ambiguous selection. Lead expresses concern or push-back on being selected: 15-min call with the lead before Touchpoint 2 begins to address concerns.
Four selection criteria
- Volume of work in the function. Does this function consume meaningful capacity that AI could reshape? Look at FTEs allocated, hours per week on routine tasks, throughput numbers Brent has from the Vendor AI Audit and the foundation pillar scores.
- Drag points named in the executive survey or CEO interview. Has this function been surfaced as a friction point in Sprint One's earlier work (survey responses on Q4 about what changed in the past 12 months, Q5 task naming, or CEO interview Q3 about a recent stall-or-move-forward moment)?
- Governance risk profile against the AI Policy. Does this function fall under either of the AI Policy's board-approval categories (member-facing AI displacing human agents; AI making autonomous access decisions)? Functions with high governance complexity may need more careful pilot design and benefit from being mapped early.
- Strategic relevance to a Program of Work. Does this function tie to a named Program of Work in the the strategic plan strategic plan (Annual AI Plan, Copilot rollout, member-service initiatives, etc.)?
Multi-branch scope decision
If the credit union operates across multiple branches, functions may operate identically across branches, or they may have meaningful branch-level variation. Decide here whether the OTM work is institution-level (default) or accounts for branch-level differences for one or more functions. Default to institution-level unless the CEO flags branch variation as material for a specific selected function.
Lead-notification email template
Suggested copy. Adapt per lead.Observation-invitation template (for 2 of 4 functions)
Suggested copy. Adapt per function.Weeks 2-3: Materials and method what each functional lead receives and how the work is shaped
Each lead receives a packaged set of materials: the Function Task Brief template, the three-way tagging rubric, a one-page method packet drawn from the LIMRA AI Automation Identification Framework, and a framing message. Brent does NOT pre-populate function-specific task lists. The lead does the task decomposition themselves using the framework and rubric provided.
View the printable Function Task Brief template →
- Goal
- Equip each functional lead to break their function down into 12-18 atomic tasks and apply the three-way tag (Automate / Augment / Preserve Human) to each. Brent provides the framework, rubric, and template; the lead provides the function-specific operational knowledge.
- Facilitation moves
- Send the materials within 24 hours of the selection conversation (per U2). Include the lead-notification email's framing about what to complete async vs in the calibration session. For leads assigned to facilitated mode, schedule the guided pre-work session before sending the template (they complete it together with Brent, not alone).
- Success indicators
- Each lead has received the template, the rubric, and the method packet within 24 hours of selection. Each lead knows their pre-work mode (async vs facilitated). Each lead has a scheduled calibration session date.
- If drift, repair
- Lead doesn't respond within 3 business days: follow up directly (call, not email). Lead pushes back on the task-decomposition framework as too abstract: switch to facilitated mode and walk them through the first 3-4 tasks together. Lead's function appears too narrow for 12-18 tasks: revisit selection rationale; consider whether the function should be re-scoped or merged with an adjacent function.
Three-way tagging rubric
For each task, the lead applies one of three tags. The borderline subsection addresses tasks that sit between two tags or shift over time.
Automate
Remove the human; the agent runs this task end-to-end with exception-only human review.
Decision question: "Could the agent be the system of record for this task, with humans intervening only on exceptions?"
Worked CU examples populate from U8 (LIMRA-adapted research + Brent's review).
Augment
Keep the human in the loop; AI assists. The human decides; AI drafts, retrieves, classifies, summarizes, or suggests.
Decision question: "Does the value come from a human's judgment, with AI making that judgment faster or better-informed?"
Worked CU examples populate from U8.
Preserve Human
Keep fully human; AI deliberately stays out of the path.
Decision question: "Is this task one where AI presence would erode something Septapod is trying to preserve (member trust, mission integrity, judgment under uncertainty)?"
Worked CU examples populate from U8.
Borderline tasks
When a task sits between two tags: apply the decision question for the more conservative tag first (Preserve Human, then Augment, then Automate). If the answer is uncertain, default to the more conservative tag and capture the uncertainty in the lead's notes. Brent and the lead revisit borderline tags during the calibration session; tags can be revised based on conversation. The borderline subsection populates with specific worked examples drawn from U8.
Function Task Brief template
Each lead's owned artifact for their function. The brief is a standalone HTML page intentionally distinct from the wizard's app register, designed as a printed business document with serif typography, generous margins, masthead, and signature block.
→ Open the Function Task Brief template (opens in new tab; print to PDF for the lead's records)
Weeks 2-3: Engagement modes how Brent engages with each lead individually
Two decisions Brent makes per lead during or right after the selection conversation: which pre-work mode the lead uses (async or facilitated), and whether the function gets a 30-minute observation layer (2 of 4 functions, opt-in).
- Goal
- Match each lead to a pre-work mode they'll actually complete, and surface 2 functions where Brent observes a frontline doer to feed the calibration session with tacit-knowledge probes.
- Facilitation moves
- Default each lead to async mode. Switch to facilitated mode when the lead's function is unfamiliar to them at the task level, the lead's schedule rules out 60-90 min of focused async work, the lead's thinking is known to unlock better in conversation than alone, or the lead specifically requests it. For observation: nominate the 2 functions during the selection conversation; send observation invitations within 24 hours; brief the doer before observation begins.
- Success indicators
- Each lead has an assigned pre-work mode and knows what to expect. For async-mode leads: the template has arrived. For facilitated-mode leads: the guided session is scheduled. 2 of 4 functions have confirmed observation invitations.
- If drift, repair
- An async-mode lead doesn't complete pre-work by the calibration session date: convert that lead's calibration session to a facilitated pre-work session followed by an abbreviated calibration. A nominated observation function declines: substitute the next-priority function. Fewer than 2 functions consent to observation: the calibration session for non-observed functions uses enhanced interrogation prompts (longer drag-point probing, more open-ended workflow walking) in place of observation probes.
Pre-work mode per lead
Observation layer (2 of 4 functions)
30 minutes shadowing a frontline doer in their natural work flow, BEFORE the lead's calibration session. Brent watches for keyboard shortcuts, workarounds, system-switching patterns, decision rhythm, and the moves the lead would not think to write down. Notes feed the calibration session as specific probes.
Weeks 2-3: Calibration session 45-60 min per lead, with Brent
The synchronous moment where Brent and the lead interrogate the lead's pre-work together, refine tags, surface drag, and draft the synthesis paragraph. Five phases.
- Goal
- Convert the lead's pre-work into a finalized Function Task Brief with accurate tags, surfaced drag points, captured tacit knowledge, and a synthesis paragraph the lead signs off on.
- Facilitation moves
- Open with a 5-minute review of the lead's draft. Read it back to confirm understanding. Then interrogate (15-20 min) using the prompts below. Then validate tags (10-15 min): apply the decision question for each task, push back when something feels mis-tagged. Then draft the synthesis paragraph together (10 min). Then lead sign-off (5 min). For observed functions, weave observation notes into the interrogation phase as specific probes.
- Success indicators
- The lead's Function Task Brief is signed off and exported to PDF. Brent has populated the master task table from the brief. Tags feel defensible: the lead can explain each one. Drag points are named (not just inferred). Tacit knowledge surfaced: at least 2-3 things the lead didn't write down but mentioned during conversation.
- If drift, repair
- The lead pushes back on a tag Brent wants to change: revisit the decision question for that tag; if the lead's reading is reasonable, accept it and note the variance for the workshop. The session runs long: drop the synthesis paragraph drafting (Brent writes a v0 after, lead reviews async). The lead seems guarded about a task: shelve it; sometimes the right move is to come back to it after building trust. A task the lead tagged turns out to not actually exist in the function: drop it; document the surprise.
Session structure (45-60 min)
- Opening review (5 min). Brent reads the lead's draft Function Task Brief back to them: function summary, 3-4 most prominent tasks, lead's initial tag rationale. The lead corrects anything Brent misread.
- Structured interrogation (15-20 min). Brent walks through the tasks using interrogation prompts (below). For observed functions, observation notes become specific probes (e.g., "I saw you switch between two systems several times on that inquiry; what was that?"). The lead surfaces drag points and tacit knowledge that didn't make the pre-work template.
- Tag validation (10-15 min). For each task with a non-obvious tag, Brent and the lead apply the decision question for that tag together. Tags get refined. Borderline tasks are flagged.
- Synthesis paragraph drafting (10 min). Together, Brent and the lead draft 3-5 sentences naming the function's strongest AI candidates and the principles that should guide deployment in this function. Drafted live in the document, not after.
- Lead sign-off (5 min). The lead reads the full brief back. Any final corrections. The lead signs the brief. Brent confirms it's now their owned artifact.
Interrogation prompts (from AI Use Case Discovery Whitepaper, adapted)
- Drag prompts: "When in your week is the most frustrating moment in this task? What's happening?" / "What's the workaround you've built that wasn't in the documentation?"
- Tacit-knowledge prompts: "If you stopped doing this tomorrow, who would notice first? How would they know?" / "What's the thing you do that the new hire would take six months to learn by watching?"
- Tag-pressure prompts: "If we automated this completely, what would break that you couldn't see today?" / "If we deliberately kept AI out of this, who would be served better, and who would be served worse?"
- Borderline prompts: "Why isn't this one easier to tag?" / "What changes about this task in a year? In five?"
Per-lead session notes
Weeks 2-3: Master task table Brent's view across all functions; lives as a Google Sheet
As each calibration session completes, Brent populates a master task table that aggregates all functions' tasks into one sortable, filterable view. The table is the synthesis artifact that converts per-function briefs into a ranked candidate set the workshop opens with.
- Goal
- Maintain a master task table that aggregates 50-70 tasks across the 3-4 mapped functions, tagged on the three-way decision, scored on impact and feasibility, sortable by composite score, with the top tier visible as the candidate set for the workshop's pilot selection.
- Facilitation moves
- Create the Sheet from a Brent-maintained template before Touchpoint 2 begins. Populate per function as each calibration session completes (typically within 24 hours). Score impact (1-5) and feasibility (1-5) per task using the anchored criteria; composite = impact × feasibility. After the last calibration session, transcribe the three-way tag totals and the top 5 candidates into the prototype inputs below so the Diagnosis Summary populates.
- Success indicators
- The Sheet URL is in the input below. All 50-70 tasks present with function, tag, impact, feasibility, composite. The top tier (composite of 16 or higher, typically) is visible as the candidate set. Three-way tag totals transcribed. Top 5 candidates transcribed.
- If drift, repair
- The Sheet falls behind the calibration sessions: catch up the same day; the master table is the workshop's input and cannot be incomplete on the day of the workshop. Scoring feels arbitrary: re-anchor against the 5-point criteria; document Brent's reasoning in the lead's notes column so the exec team can challenge it at the workshop. The top tier ends up smaller or larger than expected (under 3 or over 10): surface in the calibration synthesis paragraph. Sometimes the function genuinely has few candidates, and that's data.
Sheet structure (columns)
Function | Task | Tag (Automate / Augment / Preserve Human) | Impact (1-5) | Feasibility (1-5) | Composite (1-25) | Drag notes | Observation notes | Lead's notes | Brent's notes
Sample rows are intentionally NOT shown here in the prototype. The Sheet is the source of truth; this card holds the column structure plus the link and the transcribed summary data Brent fills in after scoring.
Scoring approach
Impact (1-5): anchored to volume × strategic relevance × drag burden. 1 = low-volume task with no strategic tie and no drag. 3 = moderate volume OR moderate strategic relevance OR meaningful drag. 5 = high-volume task tied to a named Program of Work with significant drag.
Feasibility (1-5): anchored to data readiness × vendor availability × governance complexity × technical lift. 1 = no data readiness, no off-the-shelf vendor, complex governance, heavy technical lift. 3 = mixed. 5 = data is clean and accessible, off-the-shelf vendor exists, governance authority is clear from the AI Policy, lift is light.
Composite: impact × feasibility (1-25). Top tier (composite of 16 or higher, typically) becomes the first-pilot candidate set.
Sheet URL
Three-way tag totals across the master table
Transcribe from the live Sheet after the calibration sessions complete. These feed the Diagnosis Summary's Master task table reference section.
Top 5 candidate tasks (by composite score)
Transcribe the top 5 ranked candidates from the live Sheet. These open the workshop's candidate-review segment.
Function lead summary (for the Diagnosis Summary)
Capture each lead's name, function, and calibration completion status. Feeds the Diagnosis Summary's Function Task Briefs section.
Workshop touchpoint: candidate-review segment 60-90 min within the Sprint Two workshop
Inside the workshop, the candidate-review segment converts the master task table into a selected first pilot. Three phases: lead presentations (12-15 min), exec team scoring (20-25 min), pilot selection discussion (15-20 min).
- Goal
- Surface the per-function task work to the exec team in a way that makes data-driven pilot selection possible. Convert the top-tier candidate set into a single selected first pilot with documented rationale.
- Facilitation moves
- Brief each lead before the workshop on the 3-minute presentation format (function summary, top 2-3 candidate tasks, the lead's tag rationale, one drag point that motivated the candidate). Have the master task table and the per-function briefs visible in the room. Brent pre-scores impact and feasibility in the table; the exec team adjusts during the scoring phase. Pilot selection happens after the scoring discussion, not in parallel.
- Success indicators
- Each lead presented confidently (not reading from notes). Exec team engaged with the scoring criteria rather than scoring on faction or politics. A first pilot is selected from the top tier with documented rationale captured in the Pilot selection output card. Ranked remaining candidates are clearly visible for second and third pilot selection in Sprint Three.
- If drift, repair
- A lead reads from notes rather than presenting confidently: Brent gently picks up the thread mid-presentation and re-anchors with a question to the lead. Exec team scores converge too quickly (suggests groupthink or deference): re-anchor by asking each exec to score independently first, then surface the deltas. Selected pilot does not match the top-tier scoring without documented rationale: pause and capture the rationale; if no good rationale exists, return to the top tier.
Segment structure (60-90 min)
- Lead presentations (12-15 min total, 3 min per lead). Each lead presents their function's mapped work to the executive team. Format: function summary (30 sec), top 2-3 candidate tasks with tags and rationale (90 sec), one drag point that motivated the candidate (30 sec), Q&A with the exec team (30 sec). Brent moderates time.
- Exec team scoring (20-25 min). The exec team reviews the top tier from the master task table. For each candidate, the team applies the impact and feasibility anchors (see Scoring template card) and either confirms Brent's pre-scoring or adjusts. Deltas between Brent's pre-score and the team's adjusted score are surfaced explicitly as data, not litigated.
- Pilot selection discussion (15-20 min). From the (potentially re-ranked) top tier, the exec team discusses 2-3 finalists. Selection criteria: composite score is the starting point, but the team can weight other factors (governance complexity, lead capacity, signaling value to the organization). One pilot is selected. Rationale is captured live in the Pilot selection output card (4f below) so the Diagnosis Summary populates.
Materials in the room
- Each functional lead has their Function Task Brief (printed PDF or open laptop) for reference during their presentation.
- Brent has the master task table visible (Sheet projected or shared screen) with the top tier highlighted.
- Exec team has the scoring template (next card) visible, either projected, printed, or shared screen.
- One member of the exec team (Brent suggests the CEO or whoever the CEO delegates) captures the pilot selection live in the Pilot selection output card (4f below).
Workshop touchpoint: scoring template 5-point impact x 5-point feasibility with anchored criteria
Two dimensions, five points each, composite = product (1-25). The exec team applies this rubric to the top-tier candidates during the workshop's scoring phase. Brent's pre-scoring (captured in the master task table) is the starting point; the team adjusts using the anchors below. Top tier (composite of 16 or higher, typically) is the first-pilot candidate set.
- Goal
- Give the exec team a defensible scoring rubric they can apply in 20-25 min. Each score level has a concrete anchor description so the rubric survives Architect-Dc scrutiny.
- Facilitation moves
- Display the rubric prominently during the scoring phase. Walk through one candidate together as a calibration exercise before the team scores in parallel. When the team's score diverges from Brent's pre-score, surface Brent's rationale (captured in the master table) and let the team decide whether to adjust.
- Success indicators
- The exec team can articulate why each top-tier candidate scored where it did. Score deltas (Brent vs team) are explicit and addressed. The final top-tier ranking after team scoring is what the pilot selection works from.
- If drift, repair
- Scoring feels arbitrary or rushed: pause and walk one candidate through the anchors out loud as a calibration exercise. Team scores converge too quickly on Brent's pre-scores (suggests deference): ask each exec to score independently before discussing. Wide score divergence between execs on the same candidate: that's data, not a problem. Surface the divergence and ask each exec what their anchor was.
Impact (1-5): volume x strategic relevance x drag burden
| Score | Anchor |
|---|---|
| 1 | Low-volume task with no strategic tie and no drag. Examples: rare ad-hoc requests with no pattern. |
| 3 | Moderate volume OR moderate strategic relevance OR meaningful drag. Most tasks land here by default; reserve 1 and 5 for clear outliers. |
| 5 | High-volume task tied to a named Program of Work in the the strategic plan strategic plan with significant drag (lead-reported friction, observed workarounds, capacity that could be redirected). |
Feasibility (1-5): data readiness x vendor availability x governance complexity x technical lift
| Score | Anchor |
|---|---|
| 1 | No data readiness (data is scattered, dirty, or inaccessible), no off-the-shelf vendor solution, complex governance (board approval required), heavy technical lift (custom build). |
| 3 | Mixed: some dimensions ready (e.g., good data, available vendor) but others harder (e.g., governance complexity or technical lift). Most candidates land here by default. |
| 5 | Data is clean and accessible, off-the-shelf vendor solution exists (and may already be in use somewhere at Septapod), governance authority is clear from the AI Policy (no board approval needed), lift is light (configuration not custom build). |
Composite (1-25)
Impact x Feasibility. Top tier (composite of 16 or higher, typically) is the first-pilot candidate set. Below 8 is generally not worth pursuing as a first pilot. 8-15 may be worth pursuing later but not now.
Workshop touchpoint: pilot selection output captured live during the workshop; feeds the Diagnosis Summary
What the workshop emits: a single selected first pilot with documented rationale and ranked remaining candidates for second and third pilot selection in Sprint Three. Four input fields capture the pilot selection live so the Diagnosis Summary populates in real time.
- Goal
- Capture the workshop's pilot selection with enough detail that Sprint Three can begin immediately, the Direction Synthesis surfaces the decision, and any future reader (a new exec, the board, an auditor) can understand why this pilot was chosen.
- Facilitation moves
- Designate one exec (the CEO or a delegate) to capture the decision in these fields during the pilot-selection-discussion phase. Brent prompts for each field as the discussion converges. The rationale is the most important field; it should name the composite score, the lead's drag point, and the strategic relevance.
- Success indicators
- All four fields filled by the end of the workshop. Rationale is specific enough that someone reading it later can understand the scoring and the trade-offs. Pilot owner is named and present in the room.
- If drift, repair
- Rationale field stays empty or thin ("it just felt right"): prompt for the composite score, the drag point, and the strategic relevance separately. Pilot owner is not in the room: defer the owner field until the CEO confirms within 48 hours; the rest of the selection holds.
Pilot selection
Workshop Planning
The on-site workshop in Sprint Two, structured to hold what the exec team can only do together: strategic identity broadening, the Playing to Win cascade, and the candidate-review segment from Step 1's Touchpoint 3 (lead presentations + scoring + pilot selection). Pre-work and post-work bracket the synchronous workshop. The workshop runs as one on-site trip in one of two formats: a single 4-5 hour block, OR ~6 hours split across two consecutive days.
Pre-Workshop: Async Collection (Week 4)
Embryonic Issues Surfacing 15 min async per person, individual written responses
Four prompts sent to each exec individually during Week 4. Written responses collected async. Brent synthesizes anonymous themes into the pre-read package. Individual responses produce more honest answers than live group discussion, and the themes inform the workshop's strategic conversations naturally.
Challenge Statement Builder
Source: PAIR Workshop Facilitator's Guide. Brent drafts v1 pre-workshop from Steps 1-3 data; team refines live in ~15 min.
Template: "How might [organization] use AI to [desired outcome] without [key constraint]?"
On-Site Workshop (Week 5, 4-5 hours single block or ~6 hours over two consecutive days)
What Business Is Septapod Really In? 25 min, opens the strategic conversation
One broadening question before the cascade. Without it, the cascade tends to produce incremental answers anchored in current operations. With it, real strategic options become visible.
Pick the framing that fits the CEO's style best:
- "What business is Septapod really in? Not what does Septapod do, but what does Septapod contribute to?"
- "For what purpose does Septapod do what it does? What are the ultimate benefits members get that go beyond the financial products?"
- "Strip away the products and services Septapod offers today. What would members lose if Septapod stopped existing tomorrow that they couldn't easily replace with another financial institution?"
Tighe's worked example: a public library broadened from "access to information" to "solutions to society's information needs." That single reframe opened creative and community-library strategic options that had been invisible. Septapod's equivalent might surface community wealth-building, financial wellbeing, or trust-based relationships with money.
Playing to Win Cascade for AI
Source: Playing to Win (Roger Martin), adapted for AI strategy context
Post-Workshop Follow-up
PAIR Activity Selector
Source: PAIR Workshop Facilitator's Guide / PAIR Guidebook
Brent selects PAIR activities based on workshop outputs and proposes to the CEO in a 30-min follow-up call. These activities shape how Sprint Three pilots are facilitated.
Direction Synthesis
Aggregated view of what Sprint Two produced: the operational task mapping outputs, the workshop's strategic choices, and the first pilot selection. Print or copy as markdown for the strategic direction document and the board briefing.
What Sprint Two Delivers
Four durable outputs · the summary sections below are working artifacts that compose them
- Strategic Direction for AI. Where AI gets investment and where it does not, across learning, communications, capacity building, and implementation. Built from the Playing to Win cascade and the ranked task mapping.
- Governance Readiness Assessment. Shows where the AI Policy's existing authorities are operational and where they need support before pilots begin.
- Board Briefing. A 1-hour delivered session that establishes the recurring format for ongoing board AI conversations.
- First Pilot Selected. Scope, team, and rationale documented, ready for Sprint Three to start.