The 3-5-4 Method is a 45-minute process-mapping technique for finding a first AI use case: three signs of friction, five questions that map the workflow, and four decisions about what to automate. It is designed to produce a scoped candidate rather than a list of ideas.
Why it matters for a UK business
It solves the problem most businesses have at the start: not a shortage of AI tools, but no idea which piece of their own work to point one at. Forty-five minutes, no purchase required.
What it looks like in practice
Three signs that a task is worth automating, five questions that map how the work actually flows, four boxes to sort each step into. The output is one specific, evidenced candidate task rather than a strategy document.
What to do about it
Run it on a piece of repeated work, not the whole job. Putting a client pack together is the right size. Looking after clients is not. If the first task turns out to be a poor candidate, that shows up fast and you pick another.
Related terms
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The 3-5-4 Method → · All 22 terms in the glossary · The resource library
If this is the term that has come up in your business and you want it worked through against your own situation rather than in the abstract, that is a conversation, not a page.
Speak to ChrisWritten by Chris Duffy. Last reviewed .
