A CEO in Geelong asked me a question I appreciated for its honesty: “I’ve been burned by consultants before. What would I actually get if we worked together?”
Fair question. The AI consulting market is crowded with vague promises, inflated timelines, and deliverables that sit in drawers.
Here’s exactly what happens in a 5-day AI sprint — no fluff, no black boxes.
The Structure: 3 Days On-Site, 2 Days Off-Site
We designed this model for mid-market organisations that need answers fast but can’t host consultants for months. The alternating rhythm gives you focused engagement without operational disruption.
Day 1: Discovery & Diagnosis (On-Site)
We start by listening — not presenting.
What happens:
• Stakeholder interviews across leadership, IT, and operations (typically 6–10 conversations)
• Voice of Customer capture: what’s working, what’s frustrating, where’s the friction
• AI maturity assessment: current tools, usage patterns, data readiness, governance gaps
• Pain point mapping: identify the 5–10 workflows that hurt most
By end of Day 1, we know more about your AI landscape than most internal teams do — because we’re asking different questions.
Day 2: Analysis & Strategy Draft (Off-Site)
We take everything from Day 1 and turn it into structure.
What happens:
• Synthesise findings into themes and patterns
• Prioritise use cases by impact, effort, and readiness
• Draft AI strategy aligned to your business objectives
• Build initial governance framework (decision rights, risk controls, policy outline)
• Prepare 90-day implementation roadmap with owners and milestones
This is heads-down work. No meetings. Just output.
Day 3: Playback & Roadmap Sign-Off (On-Site)
We come back with a draft strategy and pressure-test it with your team.
What happens:
• Playback findings to leadership (usually 90 minutes)
• Present the prioritised use case roadmap
• Run an executive awareness workshop: “What AI can and can’t do for us”
• Capture feedback and refine recommendations in real time
• Agree on final scope and deliverables
This is the alignment day. By the end, leadership is on the same page — literally and figuratively.
Day 4: Finalise Deliverables (Off-Site)
We polish everything into client-ready documents.
What you receive:
• AI Strategy Document (10 pages): strategic context, prioritised opportunities, implementation approach
• Implementation Roadmap: phased 90-day plan with owners, milestones, dependencies
• Governance AI Use Policy: data handling, risk controls, compliance guardrails
• ROI Guidance Template: variables and assumptions model to justify investment
• Adoption Playbook: change management plan, champion identification, training toolkit
Day 5: Training & Handover (On-Site)
Most consultants hand over a PDF and leave. We don’t.
What happens:
• Prompt engineering masterclass for power users
• AI champion enablement session
• Role-specific training for priority teams
• Handover meeting with next steps, owners, and support options
You leave Day 5 with a team that knows what to do — and has already started doing it.
Why 5 Days Works
Traditional strategy engagements take 8–12 weeks and cost six figures. By the time the report lands, priorities have shifted.
The 5-day model works because:
• Speed creates momentum — decisions happen while context is fresh
• Fixed scope prevents bloat — you know exactly what you’re getting
• Senior delivery means quality — no handoffs to junior analysts
As Gartner noted in their 2025 AI Consulting Landscape Report, “Time-boxed AI sprints outperform extended engagements on stakeholder satisfaction and implementation speed.”
→ Learn more about our 5-Day AI Sprint
Sources: Gartner AI Consulting Landscape Report 2025.
