---
id: "framework-half-day-prototyping"
type: "framework"
source_url: "https://hbr.org/2024/12/how-to-create-value-systematically-with-gen-ai"
source_title: "How to Create Value Systematically with Gen AI"
source_timestamps: ["§ Putting the Pyramid into Practice"]
tags: ["workshop-design", "prototyping", "agile"]
related: ["concept-build-to-learn", "claim-half-day-transformation"]
steps: ["\\\"Start with discovery (60 minutes): Inventory current Gen AI usage and identify opportunities at each pyramid level", "specifically looking beyond obvious productivity gains to find use cases for levels 2 and 3.\\\"", "\\\"Prioritize use cases (30 minutes): Evaluate opportunities based on potential value creation and implementation feasibility", "focusing on quality improvements that align with company objectives and use existing tools (ChatGPT", "Copilot).\\\"", "\\\"Build to learn (90 minutes): Move selected high-priority opportunities straight to prototype development", "building working prototypes that demonstrate transformational value without complex technical infrastructure.\\\""]
sources: ["spine"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-spine"
originDay: 1
articleStem: "hbr-nm-98-create-value-systematically-genai"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2024/12/how-to-create-value-systematically-with-gen-ai"
sourceTitle: "How to Create Value Systematically with Gen AI"
---
# Half-Day Gen AI Prototyping Approach

A structured, three-step workshop format that moves a cross-functional team (**4–6 people**) from concept to a working transformational AI prototype in **exactly three hours**, using only existing enterprise AI tools. It operationalizes the [[framework-value-creation-pyramid]] and embodies the [[concept-build-to-learn]] philosophy; the underlying feasibility claim is [[claim-half-day-transformation]] and the enacting action is [[action-run-half-day-prototype]].

**The three steps:**

1. **Discovery (60 minutes)** — inventory current Gen AI usage and identify opportunities at *each* pyramid level, deliberately looking beyond obvious productivity gains to surface Level 2 and Level 3 use cases.
2. **Prioritization (30 minutes)** — evaluate opportunities on potential value creation and implementation feasibility, focusing on quality improvements that align with company objectives and use existing tools (ChatGPT, Copilot).
3. **Build to learn (90 minutes)** — take high-priority opportunities straight to prototype development, building working prototypes that demonstrate transformational value **without** complex technical infrastructure.

**Prerequisite:** access to existing enterprise Gen AI tools ([[prereq-existing-enterprise-ai]]).

**Enrichment.** This is a GenAI-specific adaptation of Google Design Sprints, lean-startup MVPs, and hackathons. Feasibility of building *functional* prototypes in 90 minutes is well supported; whether they are reliably *transformational* is qualitative and depends on downstream integration, governance, and adoption (see [[contrarian-no-complex-infrastructure]]).