Phase 0 · Assess
A clear-eyed map of where AI can move the needle in your business — and where it can't, yet.
- Duration:
- 2–5 weeks
- Investment:
- $45K – $65K
THE BUILDCLUB METHOD
How we work with you.
Three phases. Defined deliverables. Named outputs at every milestone. This page is the operational record — the document sales sends to procurement, legal, and the CFO. If you want the story, start at /journey. If you want the proof, you're in the right place.
See the journey view →Three phases. Each a distinct engagement.
Phase 1 · Amplify
Your existing team, multiplied. Same headcount, materially more output.
- Duration:
- 8–16 weeks
- Investment:
- $5K–$50K per workflow · flat-rate, complexity-based
Phase 2 · Workforce
A digital workforce running alongside your human workforce — measurable, expanding, owned by you.
- Duration:
- Ongoing (first cluster live in 6–10 weeks)
- Investment:
- Build: from $25K per agent · Managed: $2,500 setup + 20% FTE capacity / mo + 10% gainshare
PHASE 0 · ASSESS
Week-by-week breakdown
Every Phase 0 engagement runs the same process. Variations in duration (2 weeks vs. 5 weeks) come from org size and interview availability, not from changes to the methodology.
| Week | Activity | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–2 | Discovery interviews. 12–20 conversations with senior leaders and functional heads. Topics: current AI use, pain points, strategic priorities, technology footprint, political landscape. Structured interview protocol, consistent across all participants. | Interview synthesis memo |
| Weeks 2–3 | AI footprint audit. Inventory of tools, vendors, shadow usage, governance policies, existing automations, data sources, and technical infrastructure. Conducted via documentation review + targeted follow-up interviews. | Tooling & governance audit report |
| Weeks 3–4 | Readiness Index scoring. Six-dimension scoring using interview data and audit findings, calibrated against sector benchmarks. The six dimensions are: Data Infrastructure & Accessibility, Knowledge Management & Capture, Process Maturity & Standardization, Technical Capability & Tool Adoption, Governance & Compliance Readiness, and Change Readiness & Culture. | BuildClub Readiness Index — scored draft |
| Weeks 4–5 | Friction inventory + roadmap synthesis. Every major workflow scored on automation potential × business impact. Sequenced 12-month roadmap produced: which clusters to attack first, which phase to enter, what to expect at each milestone. | Ranked friction inventory + 12-month roadmap |
| Final | Executive readout. 60–90 minute live session with your senior team. Findings presented, roadmap walked through, questions answered. | Executive readout deck (client's to keep) |
Weeks 1–2
Discovery interviews. 12–20 conversations with senior leaders and functional heads. Topics: current AI use, pain points, strategic priorities, technology footprint, political landscape. Structured interview protocol, consistent across all participants.
Deliverable: Interview synthesis memo
Weeks 2–3
AI footprint audit. Inventory of tools, vendors, shadow usage, governance policies, existing automations, data sources, and technical infrastructure. Conducted via documentation review + targeted follow-up interviews.
Deliverable: Tooling & governance audit report
Weeks 3–4
Readiness Index scoring. Six-dimension scoring using interview data and audit findings, calibrated against sector benchmarks. The six dimensions are: Data Infrastructure & Accessibility, Knowledge Management & Capture, Process Maturity & Standardization, Technical Capability & Tool Adoption, Governance & Compliance Readiness, and Change Readiness & Culture.
Deliverable: BuildClub Readiness Index — scored draft
Weeks 4–5
Friction inventory + roadmap synthesis. Every major workflow scored on automation potential × business impact. Sequenced 12-month roadmap produced: which clusters to attack first, which phase to enter, what to expect at each milestone.
Deliverable: Ranked friction inventory + 12-month roadmap
Final
Executive readout. 60–90 minute live session with your senior team. Findings presented, roadmap walked through, questions answered.
Deliverable: Executive readout deck (client's to keep)
BuildClub Readiness Index report · Ranked friction inventory · 12-month roadmap · Executive readout deck
FIXED FEE: $45K – $65K · DURATION: 2–5 WEEKS · TRAVEL & EXPENSES: AT COST IF ON-SITE
PHASE 1 · AMPLIFY
Typical 16-week cadence
Phase 1 scope varies by org size. Below is a representative 16-week engagement for a 200–500 person company. Smaller engagements compress the timeline; larger ones extend it. Milestones are fixed regardless of duration.
| Milestone | Typical timing | Activity | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kickoff | Week 1 | Scope confirmation, tool selection, stakeholder mapping, access provisioning | Kickoff memo + project plan |
| Tool rollout begins | Weeks 2–4 | Function-by-function AI tool deployment (Claude / ChatGPT / Copilot / function-specific). Configuration, admin access, initial prompts and system messages. | Tool deployment log per function |
| Training cohorts | Weeks 3–8 | Role-specific training sessions (cohort format or 1-on-1 for executives). Hands-on exercises with real workflows. Async content library built out. | Training completion records + async library |
| Light automations | Weeks 6–12 | Workflow triggers, document pipelines, meeting digests, approval routing. Built to specs from the Phase 0 friction inventory. | Light automation portfolio |
| Data infrastructure | Weeks 8–14 | Logging, telemetry, data collection for Phase 2. Not AI output — operational data Phase 2 will use for cluster design. | Data infrastructure baseline |
| Task decomposition workshops | Weeks 10–16 | Function-by-function workshops: break every role into discrete tasks. Output is the cluster design input for Phase 2. | Task decomposition output per function |
| Phase 1 close | Week 16 | Executive readout. Phase 2 readiness assessment. Handoff documentation. | Phase 1 close report |
Kickoff
Week 1
Scope confirmation, tool selection, stakeholder mapping, access provisioning
Output: Kickoff memo + project plan
Tool rollout begins
Weeks 2–4
Function-by-function AI tool deployment (Claude / ChatGPT / Copilot / function-specific). Configuration, admin access, initial prompts and system messages.
Output: Tool deployment log per function
Training cohorts
Weeks 3–8
Role-specific training sessions (cohort format or 1-on-1 for executives). Hands-on exercises with real workflows. Async content library built out.
Output: Training completion records + async library
Light automations
Weeks 6–12
Workflow triggers, document pipelines, meeting digests, approval routing. Built to specs from the Phase 0 friction inventory.
Output: Light automation portfolio
Data infrastructure
Weeks 8–14
Logging, telemetry, data collection for Phase 2. Not AI output — operational data Phase 2 will use for cluster design.
Output: Data infrastructure baseline
Task decomposition workshops
Weeks 10–16
Function-by-function workshops: break every role into discrete tasks. Output is the cluster design input for Phase 2.
Output: Task decomposition output per function
Phase 1 close
Week 16
Executive readout. Phase 2 readiness assessment. Handoff documentation.
Output: Phase 1 close report
TYPICAL INVESTMENT: $5K–$50K PER WORKFLOW · FLAT-RATE, COMPLEXITY-BASED · DURATION: 8–16 WEEKS · VARIES BY ORG SIZE AND SCOPE
Company Brain is a standalone product that can be engaged independently of Phase 1. Learn more →
PHASE 2 · WORKFORCE
Cluster by cluster, agent by agent
Phase 2 is an ongoing engagement. There is no defined end date. Each wave deploys a set of clusters; as each cluster stabilizes, the next moves into design. The engagement model is a continuous-expansion pipeline.
Step 1 — Cluster selection
Using the task decomposition output from Phase 1 (or from a standalone decomposition sprint), we select the highest-value clusters for the first wave. Criteria: automation potential, business impact, data availability, stakeholder appetite. Typically 3–5 clusters per wave.
Step 2 — Agent design
Each cluster gets a scoped agent design: inputs, outputs, decision logic, fallback rules, human escalation triggers, and monitoring requirements. Design documents are reviewed and approved before any build begins.
Step 3 — Build and deploy
Agent is built, tested in a staging environment, and deployed to production with monitoring in place from day one. First cluster typically live within 6–10 weeks of engagement start.
Step 4 — Measure and expand
Every cluster has a performance dashboard: hours recovered per week, cost recovered, error rate, escalation rate. As one cluster stabilizes, the next is in design. The pipeline never closes.
TWO WAYS TO ENGAGE: BUILD FROM $25K PER AGENT — OR MANAGED ($2,500 SETUP + 20% FTE CAPACITY / MO + 10% GAINSHARE) · SCOPES WITH CLUSTER COUNT · FIRST CLUSTER LIVE IN 6–10 WEEKS
Task decomposition workshops · Cluster designs · Production agents with monitoring · Performance dashboard · Continuous-expansion playbook
What you receive — example artifacts
Every engagement produces a defined set of deliverables. Below are the artifact categories — the same format delivered to every client, shaped to your engagement.
BuildClub Readiness Index Report
The six-dimension scored assessment. Shows dimension scores, benchmark comparisons, key findings per dimension, and the executive summary. Typically 15–25 pages.
Ranked Friction Inventory
Every workflow scored on automation potential × business impact. Tabular format, sortable. Includes workflow descriptions, friction type, time burden estimate, and recommended action. Typically 30–80 rows.
12-Month Roadmap
Sequenced Gantt-style roadmap with phases, clusters, milestones, and investment schedule. Built for the CFO. Typically 2–4 pages.
Agent Monitoring Dashboard
Sample dashboard view from a deployed cluster: hours recovered, cost recovered, error rate, escalation rate, trend lines. Typically a live dashboard, with a static export for this sample.
How BuildClub staffs engagements
Partner-led
Every engagement is led by a BuildClub partner — Stephen Forte or a senior BuildClub partner with equivalent background. The partner is in every client-facing meeting, not delegated to after kickoff.
Senior team throughout
The execution team is senior. BuildClub does not use junior consultants or offshore delivery to execute partner-sold work. What you see in the sales process is who delivers.
No offshoring
All BuildClub delivery is done by BuildClub team members. We do not staff engagements with offshore contractors or body-shop resources.
Right-sized
Engagement teams are small by design. A typical Phase 0 engagement is 2–3 people. Phase 1 is 3–5. Phase 2 is 3–6 per active cluster wave. We are not building a project management layer; we are doing the work.
Ready to talk about scope?
Tell us about your situation. We'll identify the right phase to start in and scope the engagement. No deck, no pitch — just the conversation.