How to Involve Business Areas in AI Discovery: The 6 Roles and Effective Formats
By Pedro Sonda, dooop
To engage business areas in AI discovery, define six roles (sponsor, problem owner, specialists, process executors, technical support, and risk support) and use formats that respect the areas’ time: short interviews, work observation, problem-focused workshops, and quick validation sessions. Opportunities identified with the areas already have owners and real process knowledge, greatly increasing the chance they become results.
Updated in October 2026.
Why Discovery Cannot Be Only IT’s Responsibility
Gartner observed that employees are five times more likely to become heavy AI users when it solves specific problems in their work (Gartner, 2025). Only those who perform the work know these problems. BCG reported that only 25% of frontline workers say they receive sufficient guidance from leaders about AI (BCG, 2025), signaling a gap between those who decide on AI and those who work with it.
At dooop, discovery is conducted with managers and specialists from the areas, and prioritization criteria are shared among them (dooop).
Interpretation: The value lies in problems only business areas know, and the gap between decision-makers and executors only narrows when areas participate in discovery.
dooop Framework: The 6 Roles in Discovery
| Role | Typical Person | Responsibility | Typical Time Commitment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Sponsor | Area or company director | Connect discovery to objectives and decide prioritization | Opening and decision meetings |
| 2. Problem Owner | Process manager | Validate problems and take ownership of chosen opportunities | A few hours per week |
| 3. Specialists | Experienced area professionals | Explain exceptions, criteria, and tacit knowledge | Interviews and workshops |
| 4. Executors | Analysts, operators, attendants | Show the real process and daily pain points | Short interviews and observation |
| 5. Technical Support | IT and data teams | Assess feasibility, data, and integration | Opportunity evaluation |
| 6. Risk Support | Legal, compliance, security | Assess risk and controls | Evaluation of medium and high-risk cases |
The 4 Participation Formats
| Format | Purpose | Suggested Duration | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interviews | Understand pains, decisions, and exceptions | 45 to 60 minutes | Listen to executors, not just managers |
| Observation | See the real process | Several hours | Follow cases from start to finish |
| Problem Workshop | Generate and organize opportunities | 2 to 3 hours | Start with problems, not tools |
| Validation | Confirm opportunities and evaluation | 30 to 60 minutes | Show what was understood and ask for corrections |
Mistakes That Alienate the Areas
| Mistake | Effect |
|---|---|
| Starting with tool demonstrations | Areas think the decision is already made |
| Asking for too much time | Participation drops and only enthusiasts remain |
| Not providing feedback | Areas don’t see what happened with their contributions |
| Prioritizing without the areas | Opportunities without owners |
| Ignoring concerns | Silent resistance; see How to Reduce Internal Resistance to Artificial Intelligence |
How to Keep Areas Engaged Afterwards
- Provide feedback on what was prioritized and why, including discarded items.
- Appoint owners within the areas for the chosen opportunities.
- Involve managers as responsible for change within teams; see AI for Managers: How to Turn a Tool into Capability.
What to Do Now
- Define the 6 roles for each area within the discovery scope.
- Schedule interviews with executors, not just managers.
- Plan the feedback session from the start.
To conduct a discovery with area participation, learn about dooop’s work at dooop.com.br/discovery-de-oportunidades-de-ia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the area has no time? Reduce the format: short interviews and one validation session already bring the essentials. Without any area participation, discovery tends to generate opportunities without owners.
Who should conduct the workshops? Someone neutral among the areas, experienced in facilitation and knowledgeable enough about AI to translate problems into opportunities.
Also Read
About dooop
dooop is a consultancy based in Caxias do Sul (RS) that prepares leaders and organizations to transform artificial intelligence into business capability through strategy, governance, and training. See dooop.