Welp. In the age of AI, perhaps it’s time to retire the old adage, “Go big, or go home,” and replace it with, “Go micro, and then keep going.”
Business and technology consulting firm West Monroe found that organizations that targeted “micro” AI interventions were better able to deliver faster results and limit risk, and it’s a trend among top performers, according to the firm.
The analysis comes as companies and organizations work to navigate the choppy waters of the ongoing AI transformation. Businesses are directing millions of dollars toward new AI products and systems, but the technology offers unproven ROI and is itself evolving rapidly.
According to the analysis, which appeared in the firm’s Tech Trends to Watch in 2025 report released in July, “organizations winning today are shifting away from ‘big bang’ implementations and are instead prioritizing initiatives that yield faster results.”
But…why? This appears to be a departure from innovation that prioritizes big ideas and big risk…and a big budget. But technology is evolving, and tech infrastructure like cloud and new AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT) can reduce implementation of transformation projects from months to days. Additionally, with the right infrastructure, teams can deploy new AI interventions independently of other projects.
West Monroe found: “success stories are smaller, and come from companies that build foundational capabilities and apply them to specific business challenges.” The winning strategy, according to the firm, is to keep up the momentum going through small, manageable projects that build towards larger goals and priorities.
What’s this mean for HR? There’s work HR and people leaders can do now to help support their business and prepare the workforce.
The report outlined a number of strategies that could impact the HR team.
- Create small, cross-functional teams
- Foster a culture of experimentation and learning
- Develop processes for sharing information and learnings across the business
- Focus on adaptable skills across the workforce, like “problem-solving capabilities, adaptability, and continuous learning.”
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