PIPELINEGuide
AI consulting: Process, approach, and what we need from you
The process for AI consulting from the first question to live operation — including what you need to contribute for it to work.
An AI consulting project runs in 4 steps: from “preliminary conversation” to “presentation”, 2 to 3 weeks total. Each step ends with a clear sign-off before the next begins.
01 — Process
The steps in detail
Preliminary conversation
One hour to clarify whether and where there's anything to gain at all. Free of charge.
Workshop
Half to full day at your business. We talk to the people who know the processes.
Evaluation
We assess the use cases we found and calculate them.
Presentation
You get a document and an hour where we walk through it. Whether you continue working with us afterward is open.
02 — Participation
What we need from you
- A contact person who can make decisions — not just forward them.
- Access to the affected systems, in time and not on launch day.
- Real examples from daily business — the messier, the more useful for testing.
- Two to four hours for coordination, distributed over the project duration.
- An answer to the question of what success means. Without it, nothing can be assessed afterward.
03 — Scope
What's included
- Half-day workshop with the people doing the work, not just with management
- Documentation of processes, systems, and data situation in the current state
- Assessment of possible use cases by benefit, effort, and risk
- Evaluation of data protection and EU AI Act for the proposed cases
- Information on suitable funding programs and their deadlines
- Written recommendation with priority order and effort estimate per use case
04 — Questions
Frequently asked questions
Isn't this just a disguised sales event?
The recommendation regularly includes items you can implement yourselves or with your existing service provider, as well as cases we advise against. The document is yours and works without us too.
How does this differ from consulting by the Chamber of Commerce?
The Chamber offerings provide a good overview of funding options and basics. We go a step further and look at your specific processes and systems — with effort estimates that we ourselves would have to meet.
What funding is available in Austria?
Options include KMU.DIGITAL and aws digitalization funding — current terms at kmudigital.at and aws.at. Both require the application to be approved before awarding the contract — that's why we bring it up early and not at the end.
Isn't a conversation with management enough?
No, that's the most common reason for a list that doesn't work later. The people who do the processes daily know the exceptions that an outside perspective never sees.
Who should be at the workshop?
At least one person from management and two to three who do the affected processes daily. Without the second group, you get a list that doesn't work in practice.
Do we also get recommendations for providers other than you?
Yes, where it makes sense. Some use cases are better suited to standard software or a specialized provider — that's stated in the document, not hidden.
What if nothing makes sense for us?
Then that's what the report says. It happens, especially with businesses that have very few recurring processes or no digital data foundation. An honest no is cheaper than a project that runs aground.
05 — Decision
How to move forward
The most affordable next step is a conversation, not a quote. Twenty minutes is usually enough to clarify whether a project makes sense, what scope it involves, and whether we're the right fit.
If we're not, we'll say so. An honest no costs less than a project you abandon after three months — for both sides.
06 — Next
Related pages
- AI consulting — Overview
- AI consulting — Costs
- AI consulting — AI disclosure
- AI consulting — Measuring success
- AI consulting — Pros and cons
- AI consulting — Where to start
- AI consulting — DIY
- AI consulting — Practical examples
- AI automation
- Process automation
- AI training
- All guides
AI consulting by region
Next step
We'll look at your starting position.
Tell us what's eating up time today. That becomes an assessment with effort and benefit — and only then an offer.