The Journey to AI Productivity: Four Key Stages

Artificial intelligence (AI) and productivity go hand in hand. AI can both boost productivity within your workplace and take your business to new heights. By taking advantage of new AI tools – such as Microsoft 365 Copilot – you can easily put yourself a cut above the rest. 

However, getting started with AI and implementing it into your business can be a scary prospect. Implementing copilot into your business isn’t simply a matter of installing it – there are four key stages to consider.

Here, Extech Cloud describes the four key stages of implementation. We’ll cover these in the context of Copilot for Microsoft 365 and outline the exact steps to successfully implement AI into your business.

Stage 1: Data security baseline 

When starting your journey with Copilot, it is essential to prioritise data security. Without configuring security settings and baselines, your data is at risk and could potentially leak between users, groups, tenants, and cybercriminals.

A robust data security baseline helps protect your data. However, with a wide range of settings and optimisations across Copilot and your database, establishing a baseline from scratch can be a headache.

However, Microsoft offers recommended industry-standard security baselines, covering a wide range of security controls for Copilot and other Microsoft products, which are all entirely free to use and deploy to your company.

Alongside implementing strong security baselines, ensuring you implement data security practices in the workplace – such as mandatory multi-factor authentication and password regulations – will ensure your company’s experience with Copilot is smooth.

Stage 2: Early adopters 

Before rolling out Copilot, it is beneficial to build a team of ‘Early Adopters’. An early adoption team consists of various users within your company who trial Copilot before full deployment, giving you valuable feedback and insights on Copilot’s effectiveness.

When looking for early adopters, it’s ideal to have a variety of employees. This helps you gain thorough information on how Copilot will work within your company; from administration to product design, Copilot has its place in every part of the workplace.

Here are some variables to consider when seeking out early adopters:

• Employees in different sectors: Having early adopters in varied sectors, or departments, gives you a global view of how Copilot fits into your organisation, for example, different benefits, varied uses, and detailed user reports.
• A variety of technical experience: Seeking out employees with various knowledge of tech lets you monitor how Copilot can be simultaneously user-friendly for those with limited technical knowledge, and a technical workhorse for those with a better understanding of tech and AI.

The early adoption team should be supplied with Copilot as soon as possible, to allow time to learn and understand how to work alongside Copilot effectively. This will be essential when moving forward with user adoption once Copilot is deployed, which we will touch on later in this article.

Stage 3: Technical readiness 

Ensuring your company’s technology is up-to-speed for Copilot’s requirements is essential before moving forward. Without the right equipment, your company may not be able to use Copilot to its full potential.

This includes both hardware and software limitations. For example, one consideration is making sure your network hardware is good enough to handle the increased load that comes with running Copilot.

Making sure you have the Microsoft 365 infrastructure – both in licences and installed software – is vital to get the most out of Copilot, as it relies on the Microsoft 365 ecosystem to thrive.

Performing a readiness assessment helps you evaluate your company’s current hardware and software infrastructure, and checks your network bandwidth and connection reliability, as well as company-wide security protocols, baselines, and compliance standards.

You can perform these assessments yourself by comparing technical specifications with Copilot’s prerequisites. Microsoft has created their own readiness assessment so you can ensure you’re ready to implement Copilot as soon as possible.

Stage 4: User adoption 

Implementing Copilot and finding early adopters is one thing, but being able to make the most of it within your business and bolster productivity is another.

This isn’t as easy as it seems. While objectively, AI is a great tool for productivity and efficiency, a lot of employees are used to the older ways of doing things and creating change can be an effort.

But, with training and support – and strategic methods of inspiring people to take advantage of AI – you can easily change the culture within your company. By creating tutorials and training that showcase the benefits, as well as showing the value proposition behind AI, you can get people on board.

For example, Copilot may just appear like a useless chatbot to a lot of people. However, showing people how it can tackle whole tasks in a matter of seconds will help persuade doubters and ensure everyone is ready to take the step into the world of AI – creating an AI-first culture in your business.

How we can help 

AI is here to stay and being at the forefront to improve productivity can provide a competitive edge. By following these four steps, you can ensure your business is ready for the implementation of Copilot for Microsoft 365.

If you’re still scratching your head about how to get started with AI, reach out to us today. We’re here to help and can provide everything you need to get started with AI.

Get in touch with us now and see how we can help.