What Is a SMART: AI Target Operating Model?
Most organisations that struggle to get value from AI are not short of tools or ideas. They are short of an operating model that connects AI activity to financial outcomes, defines who is accountable for what, and ensures governance is built in rather than bolted on.
The SMART: AI Target Operating Model — AI TOM — provides that foundation. It is the architecture that takes an organisation from scattered pilots to governed, organisation-wide AI adoption, with measurable returns at every stage.
Without an AI‑TOM, Organisations Face:
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Fragmented AI tools with no unified strategy
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Inconsistent governance creating compliance risk
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Duplicated effort across departments
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Inability to measure or demonstrate AI value
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Staff confusion about AI roles and responsibilities
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Vendor lock-in from ad-hoc procurement
Key Components
The SMART: AI‑TOM addresses six interconnected components that together define your AI‑native operating model.
AI Capability Architecture
Defines which AI capabilities are deployed, how they interconnect, and how they map to organisational services and processes.
Governance Framework
Establishes permissions, escalation rules, audit requirements, compliance validation, and kill switches for every AI capability.
People & Roles
Redefines workforce roles, responsibilities, and skills requirements for an AI‑augmented organisation. Implements the Human Firewall principle.
Data & Knowledge Layer
Designs the structured knowledge architecture — the SMART: Service Graph — that grounds AI in organisational reality.
Process Redesign
Reimagines end-to-end processes with AI embedded at optimal points — from citizen engagement to back-office operations.
Value & Measurement
Establishes KPIs, measurement frameworks, and value tracking mechanisms to ensure AI delivers quantifiable outcomes.
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74% of organisations fail to demonstrate tangible AI value
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30% of GenAI projects predicted to be abandoned after PoC
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3–5x better ROI with a structured operating model vs. ad-hoc adoption
Why You Need One
Without an AI Target Operating Model, organisations accumulate fragmented tools, inconsistent governance, and unrealised potential. The AI‑TOM is the bridge between AI strategy and AI value — it turns ambition into architecture.
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Aligns AI investment with strategic priorities
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Eliminates duplication and fragmentation
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Embeds governance from day one
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Defines clear roles and accountability
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Creates a measurable pathway to value
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Enables scalable, sustainable AI adoption
01
Current State Analysis
Map your existing operating model, technology landscape, and AI initiatives.
02
Future State Design
Co-create the target operating model with your leadership team, defining AI roles across all functions.
03
Gap Analysis
Identify the gaps between current and target state across technology, governance, people, and processes.
04
Transition Roadmap
Develop a phased implementation plan with clear milestones, dependencies, and resource requirements.
Our Approach
A collaborative, evidence-based process that produces a practical, implementable AI‑TOM.