WISER

Build What Matters Using AI First Principles
WHY WISER
Build What Matters Using AI First Principles.
Companies are trapped in bureaucracy disguised as process.
They map workflows no one follows.
They automate inefficiency.
They measure what doesn’t matter.
And when AI hits that mess?
It doesn’t fix it.
It amplifies it.
The WISER Method was designed to change that.
If AI First Principles are the mindset—WISER is the method.
It gives builders a clear, step-by-step way to question assumptions, simplify complexity, and reimagine systems from the ground up—for a world where AI is part of the team, not duct-taped on at the end.
WISER isn’t about tightening the bolts on broken processes.
It’s about clearing space for better ideas, then building systems that actually deserve to exist.
It’s lightweight. Practical. Built for people who fix things—
and for people who imagine better ways to work.
Its approach is simple:
Question deeply. Act clearly. Reimagine what's possible. Build what matters.
WISER PRINCIPLES
Question Everything
Never accept a process without asking why it exists. Challenge everything, especially "that's how we've always done it. Sacred cows make the tastiest burgers.
Use First Principles
Only physical limitations are truly unchangeable. Every other constraint—policies, traditions, "best practices"—can be questioned. Distinguish between actual constraints and artificial constraints to unleash real innovation.
Honor Human Creativity
The best systems are designed for and by people who question, invent, and rethink from scratch. Keep humans in the loop where insight matters. Don’t replace what makes us great—amplify it.
Focus on Objectives
Results matter. Compliance doesn't. If it doesn't improve objectives, don't do it. Corporate zombies worship process, customers reward results.
Value Simplicity
Fight complexity like your immune system fights infection. Simple and elegant methods and processes solve complex problems.
Success and Comfort Aren’t Compatible
Progress lives in the uncomfortable space between tradition and innovation. Real transformation happens when established ways clash with new possibilities. Tension is the signal you're on the right track, not a reason to retreat.
Optimize for Speed
Time is the one resource you can't get back. Reduce wait times, handoffs, and bottlenecks relentlessly. Slow processes cost more, frustrate, and kill innovation. People rarely notice perfect, but they always notice slow.
Measure What Matters
Ignore vanity metrics. Track: objectives (did we hit targets?), demand (who actually needs this?), velocity (how quickly work completes), and exceptions (when following the process is the wrong choice).
Rebuild With Knowledge
Use what you've learned to rearchitect the entire system, not just patch problems. Create something fundamentally better.
Automate Intelligently
Use technology where it adds immediate value. Don't automate broken processes. Simple, obvious automation can happen anytime—not just at the end.
WHEN PROCESS IS THE PROBLEM
Agile: Freedom Turned Dogma
Agile was supposed to be about flexibility. But somewhere along the way, it became a cage made of post-its. What started as four values and twelve principles morphed into ceremonies, roles, and rules that teams now follow like scripture. Entire days are spent managing the backlog. Sprints fill with meetings. Retrospectives rinse and repeat the same issues.
And design? Agile shoves it into Sprint Zero—like a warm-up act. Treated as pre-work, not the work. It’s not built for imagination. It’s built to deliver fast—even when what you’re delivering is wrong.
Agile still works for large software teams building complex, code-heavy products. But for the rest of us?
It’s bureaucracy in a hoodie.
Six Sigma: Process over Product
Six Sigma obsesses over defects, variance, and statistical control. Great if you're building jet engines. But for most companies, it’s process theater—a ritual of mapping workflows no one follows to control problems that no longer exist.
Design has no seat at the table. You don’t ask what should be built—just how perfectly it can be executed. Teams build elaborate models to fix irrelevant steps, while customers ghost quietly.
It’s data worship without curiosity. Precision without purpose.
All science. No sense.

BPM: Process Prison
Business Process Management is great when you need to show regulators a binder. But for anyone trying to solve real problems—it’s a straitjacket.
BPM tools lock teams into rigid workflows. Change becomes risk. Improvement gets buried under documentation.
Every time something breaks, instead of asking “should this exist?”—you get another process, another map, another gate.
And design? Forget it. BPM doesn’t redesign anything.

It documents dysfunction, wraps it in swimlanes, and calls it control.
Process consultants call it structure. Your team calls it “why are we doing this again?”
WISER FRAMEWORK
Three Phases: Review, Refine, Rebuild with Five Stages: Why, Identify, Simplify, Evolve, ReDngineer
Ask Why
Define Purpose
Clearly articulate the process’s core mission—its noble cause—in no more than two concise sentences (it must pass the “mom test”). Record why the process was created, who demanded it, and what value it is supposed to deliver. If you can’t easily explain it, the process might not be necessary.
Question Everything
Never accept a process without asking why it exists. Watch how work truly happens—not just what's documented. Challenge assumptions, especially "that's how we've always done it." Linear thinking follows established paths; lateral thinking breaks patterns. Like the bank that eliminated wet-ink signatures entirely rather than optimizing them. Most processes are 80% waste, 20% value. Sacred cows make the tastiest burgers.
Document What, How, and Who
Record what each step is for, how it is executed, and who required it. This keeps the rationale transparent and prevents outdated “zombie” processes from reappearing. If you can’t explain any element in one sentence, it may be extraneous.
Define Objectives
Specify exactly what the process must achieve and how success will be measured. Replace vague targets like “improve efficiency” with concrete outcomes (e.g., “ensure sales calls are answered within 20 minutes” or “reset passwords without human intervention”). Clear, measurable objectives provide a blueprint for meaningful improvement.
Identify Waste
Map Reality
Capture how work is actually done—focus on real behavior rather than the “official” process. Identify the gap between documented procedures and day-to-day execution. Remember, most flowcharts are idealized snapshots, not the messy reality.
Catalog Waste
Inventory every step that fails to drive the defined objectives. Look for redundant approvals, unread reports, endless meetings, and checks that catch nothing. This is about isolating non-value-add activities before any improvements are attempted.
Expose Sacred Cows
Uncover and list processes that exist solely due to tradition or unchallenged assumptions. These “sacred” steps often persist because everyone assumes they’re necessary—challenge them to see if they still hold any true value.
Keep or Cut
Classify each step as “essential,” “questionable,” or “waste.” Use this classification to create a decisive demolition plan. The goal is to be brutally honest: even if a process feels safe, if it does not serve the defined objectives, it should be reconsidered or eliminated.
Subtract and Simplify
Delete Ruthlessly
Cut more than feels comfortable. If the value isn't obvious, eliminate it. Most organizations can remove 30-50% of their processes with zero negative impact. The best process is the one that doesn't exist. The discomfort of deleted processes reveals what actually needs to exist.
Prioritize Quick Wins
Find waste you can eliminate immediately without rebuilding everything. Early victories build momentum and shut up skeptics. Don't wait for the perfect solution when good enough saves money today.
Try Low-Tech First
Sometimes a checklist, clear ownership, or simple process fix works better than complex tech. Not every problem needs software. Many just need clarity. A $2 whiteboard often beats a $200,000 system.
Optimize Decision Ownership
Sometimes the simplest fix is correctly assigning who makes a decision. Processes bog down because decision rights are placed too high in the organization or left ambiguous. Clarifying decision ownership eliminates more waste than changing the steps themselves.
Align with Objectives
Ensure every simplification directly supports your defined objectives. Each change must contribute to the process’s core mission, reinforcing what matters rather than just trimming fat for the sake of it.
Evolve
Let Demand Pull What is Necessary
When processes are deleted, actual needs become visible. Let this natural tension drive improvements, not schedules or targets. Work should happen because someone needs it, not because it's Tuesday.
Create Clear Triggers
Develop explicit signals that start work only when real demand exists. Eliminate batch processing. Work should flow based on actual need, not arbitrary schedules. "Just in time" beats "just in case."
Build Minimal Solutions
Create the simplest workflow that meets the actual need. Resist rebuilding complexity. The perfect solution has nothing left to take away, not nothing left to add. Complexity creeps back in if you don't fight it.
Measure and Improve Velocity
Track how quickly value reaches customers from the moment of demand, not just step efficiency. It doesn't matter how efficient individual steps are if the overall process is slow. Speed of delivery trumps utilization.
Align with Objectives
Confirm that every improvement reinforces the defined objectives. Each change must clearly contribute to the process’s core mission.
ReDesign & Automate
Apply System-Wide Thinking
Often starting over is more effective than continual tinkering. Use insights from previous W.I.S.E. stages to rearchitect the entire system, not just parts. You are not optimizing, you’re reinventing. Piecemeal improvements eventually hit diminishing returns.
Blueprint the Ideal Process
Gather your WISER team to brainstorm and document the ideal process based on everything you now know. This is your opportunity to design a system that’s lean, efficient, and aligned with your objectives.
Build Modular Systems & Apply the Technology Test:
Construct the new process using modular components that can be updated or replaced as needed. Introduce technology only when the process is stable, the task is repetitive and high-volume, and the ROI clearly justifies it—technology should support, not overcomplicate.
Automate Decisions, Not Just Tasks
If automation makes sense, embed business logic that handles exceptions, not just simple tasks. Smart automation reduces the need for human involvement in routine decisions. Robots for repetition with humans-in-the-loop for judgment.
Measure Objectives and Velocity
Build real-time dashboards that track both results (are we hitting objectives?) and speed (how quickly?). Don't wait for monthly reports to know something's wrong. Good metrics show problems while they're small fires, not raging infernos. Measurement without action is just expensive curiosity.
PRACTICING WISER
The WISER approach works best when you approach implementation with the same mindset as the process itself: practical, focused, and without unnecessary complexity. Don't turn implementation into another bureaucratic exercise.
Start Small
Apply WISER to one process before rolling it out more broadly. Quick wins build credibility. Don't try to boil the ocean—heat up a cup of water first.
Have a Bias Towards Action
Even while questioning every step in the early phases, if you spot an issue that can be quickly fixed, do it immediately. Quick wins are not only a boost to morale but also validate the WISER mindset of rapid, pragmatic improvement.
Show, Don't Tell
Demonstrate results rather than selling theory. Let the improved process speak for itself. Nothing convinces skeptics like measurable improvements. PowerPoint decks don't fix broken processes.
Build the Right Team
Assemble people who represent the functions needed without creating a committee. Small teams move faster. One person can play multiple roles when needed.
Hands-On Experience
Decision-makers must have direct experience with the processes they improve. If you manage software, write code. If you manage manufacturing, work the line. Practical experience beats theoretical knowledge when solving real problems.
Empower the Team
Give the team authority to make real changes, not just recommendations. Nothing kills momentum faster than "we'll take it under advisement." Teams with decision rights fix problems; committees write reports about them.
Bypass Hierarchy Barriers
Go directly to the people doing the work rather than filtering through management layers. Hierarchies often obscure ground truth. The best insights typically come from those closest to the process, not from the top of the org chart.
Embrace Play
Create an environment where people feel safe to experiment and take risks. Psychological safety enables teams to question assumptions, suggest radical ideas, and admit when they don't know. When people feel secure enough to sketch bad ideas or challenge authority without fear, breakthroughs emerge naturally. The most valuable insights often come from those who previously stayed silent. When fear drops, innovation soars.
Learn Through Failure
Expect some things to break when implementing changes. Set clear expectations that fixes need to come quickly. Fast failures with faster fixes build better systems than slow, perfect rollouts. The real world is your laboratory, not the whiteboard. Celebrate what you learn from things that don't work.
Allocate Real Time
Part-time attention produces part-time results. Give the team dedicated time to focus. Process improvement as a side hustle rarely works.
Adjust as You Go
The WISER process itself should evolve based on what you learn. Don't follow it rigidly if a step isn't adding value. Practice what you preach—simplify WISER itself when needed.
ASSEMBLING THE TEAM
The WISER Method doesn’t require a large team, but it does require the right roles to be filled. These roles represent core functions—not job titles—and can be distributed across multiple people or owned by one capable individual. The goal is to make sure each responsibility is covered so that improvements are informed, coordinated, and actionable.
Sponsor
Responsibility: Makes final decisions on what to change, keep, delete, and automate.
Should have authority to implement changes without endless approvals
Accountable for the outcomes of the WISER implementation
Needs to balance immediate improvements against longer-term needs
Must be willing to make tough calls based on evidence, not politics
Architect
Responsibility: Visualizes, simplifies, and communicates complex processes and decisions.
Creates process visuals, blueprints, and flows that are easy to understand
Translates jargon and complexity into plain, accessible language
Captures not just what was decided, but why—ensuring future clarity
Helps the team see connections, gaps, and opportunities others might miss
Sage
Responsibility: Provides deep knowledge about the system or process being improved.
Knows the history of why things were built a certain way
Understands the unwritten rules and exceptions
Can explain what has been tried before and why it failed
Doesn't need to be the most senior person - just the most knowledgeable
Scout
Responsibility: Gathers information and clarification when needed.
Skilled at asking good questions and getting straight answers
Has access to people across the organization
Persistent and resourceful in finding information
Able to translate technical or domain-specific information for the team
Smith
Responsibility: Implements technical changes, automation, and system integration.
Translates process improvements into technical solutions
Embodies the builder mentality—fixing things rather than creating more process
Rapidly prototypes and iterates on solutions
Understands both the technical landscape and business needs
Helps transform team members from process followers to process builders
Sentinel
Responsibility: Tests improvements and confirms they meet objectives.
Verifies that changes actually solve the problem
Thinks from the user perspective
Identifies potential unintended consequences
Ensures the solution works in real-world conditions, not just theory
Guide
Responsibility: Drives the WISER process from start to finish, creating an environment that fosters honest questioning, play, and creative experimentation.
Aligns the team to objectives while maintaining psychological safety
Balances quick wins with long-term transformation
Creates spaces where challenging assumptions is encouraged
Removes roadblocks and prevents bureaucracy from creeping back
Holds space for both momentum and reflection when needed
THE FUTURE BUILDER
WISER isn't just about fixing processes—it's about transforming people. As organizations adopt these principles, employees transform from process followers to process builders. Instead of being cogs executing inherited procedures, they become architects of continuously improving systems. The future belongs to builders who question, simplify, and create—not those who merely follow.

Build What Matters Using AI First Principles

WHY WISER

WISER PRINCIPLES

WHEN PROCESS IS THE PROBLEM

WISER FRAMEWORK

Ask Why

Identify Waste

Subtract and Simplify

Evolve

ReDesign & Automate

PRACTICING WISER

ASSEMBLING THE TEAM

Sage

Scout

Smith

Sentinel

THE FUTURE BUILDER