AI Working Agreements
This method helps teams establish shared norms and guidelines for using AI tools effectively and responsibly. By co-creating these agreements, teams can increase AI adoption, improve productivity, and unlock transformational business value.
Use this method when your team is starting to integrate AI into their workflows or when you want to improve the existing use of AI. It's particularly helpful for aligning expectations, addressing concerns, and fostering a culture of responsible AI use.
Solves: Lack of clarity on when and how to use AI, leading to inconsistent application, mistrust, and missed opportunities for leveraging AI's potential.
- 1
Step 1: Prep the Play (5 min) - Schedule a one-hour session and share the purpose: to co-create AI guidelines for effective, responsible, and collaborative use. Prepare a digital or physical whiteboard template.
- 2
Step 2: Set the Stage (15 min) - Share the session goals, expectations, and a pre-workshop survey to gauge the team's baseline confidence in using AI. Discuss AI opportunities and potential pitfalls. List current and desired AI use cases.
- 3
Step 3: Discuss and Co-create (40 min) - Guide the team through prompts: What do you need to feel confident and safe using AI? What are practical standards for responsible and effective AI use? Where can AI help (and not help) us? Use the answers to co-create AI working agreements.
- 4
Step 4: Finalize and Measure (5 min) - Assign tasks to complete any final refinements. Ask the team to complete a post-workshop survey to gauge progress.
- 5
Step 5: Share Out (5 min) - Summarize decisions in a shared workspace (e.g., Confluence) and share with the team and stakeholders. Set a quarterly reminder to revisit and update the agreements.
- Adapt the whiteboard template to your team's specific needs and context.
- Encourage open and honest discussion about concerns and expectations related to AI.
- Async collaboration: Share the template and collect input asynchronously before a shorter sync session.
- Start small: Try this Play for a single project team, then expand to the broader team.