SAAF AI Proof of Concept Template

1. Introduction

1.1 Purpose

The purpose of this Proof of Concept is to evaluate the effectiveness, usability, and risks of integrating an AI tool into core business processes. This evaluation will guide whether the tool aligns with strategic goals and operational needs, including opportunities for efficiency, automation, improved decision-making, and ethical AI use.

1.2 Scope

This POC focuses on evaluating AI capabilities across the following areas:

• Task automation and time savings

• Decision-support and predictive insights

• User adoption and integration into existing workflows

• Ethical, data, and compliance risks

1.3 Goals and Objectives

• Assess practical application of AI in selected workflows

• Determine ease of integration, scalability, and ROI

• Identify risks and develop mitigation strategies

• Make a go/no-go recommendation for scale-up based on performance and feedback

2. Project Plan

2.1 Timeline

Phase	Start Date	End Date	Description
Planning	Sept 5, 2024	Sept 9, 2024	Define success criteria and test plan
Setup & Configuration	Sept 10, 2024	Sept 12, 2024	Configure AI tool and user access
Test Execution	Sept 13, 2024	Sept 20, 2024	Conduct tests, gather feedback
Evaluation	Sept 21, 2024	Sept 25, 2024	Analyze usage, performance, ethical fit
Reporting	Sept 26, 2024	Sept 29, 2024	Document findings and recommendations

2.2 Resources

• Project Lead: [Name/Title]

• Technical Lead: [Name/Title]

• Team Members:

  • Business Analysts

  • IT & Security

  • Change Management

  • End Users (by function or team)

• Tools & Technologies:

  • [AI Tool Name]

  • Project Management Platform

  • Knowledge Management System

  • Evaluation Worksheets or Dashboards

3. Test Cases and Scenarios

3.1 Test Case: Workflow Automation

Objective: Test whether the AI tool can automate routine work (e.g., summarizing emails, generating reports).

Steps:

• Identify a repetitive process

• Configure AI to perform the task

• Compare time, accuracy, and usability

Expected Outcome: Noticeable time savings and output quality meets minimum acceptance thresholds.

3.2 Test Case: Decision-Support

Objective: Evaluate the tool’s ability to assist with planning, forecasting, or prioritization.

Steps:

• Input sample data

• Review recommendations

• Assess usefulness and transparency

Expected Outcome: AI supports better decision-making without replacing human judgment.

3.3 Test Case: Knowledge Retrieval / Smart Search

Objective: Assess ability to retrieve relevant information across systems using AI-driven search.

Steps:

• Run natural language queries

• Compare results to traditional keyword search

• Collect user feedback

Expected Outcome: Faster access to relevant, high-quality information with minimal retraining.

4. Evaluation Criteria

4.1 Usability

• Ease of Use

• Onboarding Effort

• Learning Curve for End Users

4.2 Performance

• Accuracy of outputs or predictions

• Consistency across repeated tasks

• Speed and Responsiveness

4.3 Risk and Ethics

• Bias or Hallucination in outputs

• Data Privacy and compliance adherence

• Transparency and explainability

4.4 Return on Investment

• Time Saved per task or per week

• Reduction in manual work

• Employee satisfaction or adoption

5. Findings and Recommendations

5.1 Summary of Results

• What worked well

• Areas for improvement

• Ethical or compliance concerns surfaced

5.2 Recommendations

• Proceed to scaled implementation

• Proceed with additional safeguards

• Do not proceed; revisit scope or tool selection

6. Next Steps

6.1 Action Plan

• Training and onboarding plan

• SOP or workflow updates

• Change enablement steps

• Integration into governance or support structure

6.2 Contact Information

• Project Lead: [Name/Title/Email]

• Technical Contact: [Name/Title/Email]

• Governance Lead: [Optional]

7. Optional Add-ons

• Ethical Risk Pre-Assessment

• Use Case Evaluation Worksheet

• Role-Based Enablement Plan

• AI Reflection Journal or Red Flag Tracker