02: Human-Centered Discovery

Goal: Map your beneficiaries’ real experiences to surface genuine AI opportunities — not assumptions.

2.1 Why Human-Centered Matters

Most failed AI projects start with a tool in search of a problem. This playbook flips the script: we begin with the lived experience of your beneficiaries and organization stakeholders.

This approach can be used for any of the below categories:

Category	Focus
Org-Level Ops (Cat. 1)	Surface workflow gaps and inefficiencies AI can streamline
Org-Level Programs (Cat. 2)	Identify where AI can enhance or scale existing services
Beneficiary-Level Ideas (Cat. 3)	Reveal high-value opportunities tied directly to beneficiary pain points

By mapping programs, stakeholders, personas, and journeys, you will:

Avoid “solution-first” traps
Anchor every challenge in a real human need
Expose data flows and friction points that can later impede AI feasibility

2.2 Step 1: Define Your Program or Service

Goal: Focus on one program at a time. AI scoping becomes unmanageable if you try to cover everything.

Write the program’s objective in one line
Define its primary beneficiaries
Note its delivery method (in-person, digital, hybrid)
Identify 1 success KPI with a baseline and target in ≤12 months

Template 2A: Program Inventory

How to use: Once complete, share with team leads and use as your “anchor document” for all subsequent work. Pin it to your project workspace.

Program Name	Objective	Beneficiaries	Delivery Method	KPI (baseline → target)
e.g. Youth Rehab Counseling	Support teens in recovery	Teens 14–18 in outpatient care	Weekly group + app check-ins	Retention: 60% → 80%