Most organisations treat AI like a technology rollout
The pattern is always the same. A successful pilot. Leadership gets excited. IT rolls out the tool. Training sessions are run. Adoption stalls at 30-40%. The tool sits unused. In 12 months, the investment is written off.
Why does this keep happening? Because AI is not a technology problem. It's a people, culture, and systems problem. The missing elements: executive alignment without genuine understanding, cultural readiness ignored, psychological safety never built, one-time training instead of continuous skills development, absent governance, and success that's never measured.
"You can't bolt AI onto a culture designed before AI. The culture has to change."
60-70% of AI projects fail or underperform. Not because AI doesn't work. Because organisations try to import AI into cultures designed for the old way of working.
We're not an AI consulting firm. We're a transformation firm.
The difference matters. AI consultants give you AI. Transformation firms give you the capability to keep using it.
20+ Years of Transformation Experience
We've run Agile transformations at scale. We know what change management looks like when it works — and when it doesn't. Every lesson is applied to AI adoption.
Agile-Led, OKR-Measured
We don't run AI adoption as a project. We run it as a transformation — with Agile methodology, OKR goal-setting, and regular retrospectives. Every phase is measured against agreed outcomes.
AI Champions, Not AI Evangelists
We build internal networks of AI Champions — practitioners, not converts. People who use AI daily and teach others effectively in their own context. Not mandated adopters.
The Six-Phase Architecture
A structured journey from executive alignment to autonomous innovation. Each phase has clear deliverables and success metrics.
Executive Alignment
Leadership strategy workshop. Define competitive and operational AI advantages. Establish risk management approach. Form a cross-functional steering committee to govern the programme.
AI Strategy Document + Steering Committee CharterAI Readiness Assessment
A comprehensive assessment based on the McKenna Consultants AI Maturity Pyramid. We evaluate your organisation across every level of the pyramid — from executive alignment and cultural readiness to skills, governance, and adoption infrastructure — to establish a clear baseline of where you stand and what the transformation path looks like.
AI Readiness Report + Baseline Metrics DashboardAI Champion Network
Identify high-potential AI Champions across functions. Run an intensive champion programme. Establish an AI Guild — a peer learning and support network that persists beyond the programme.
Active Champion Network + AI Guild LaunchTeam Enablement Sprints
AI adoption sprints with teams across the organisation. Implement AI use cases specific to each team. Champions coach their own teams. Organisation-wide AI literacy training runs in parallel.
Teams with Active AI Use + Adoption MetricsGovernance & Scaling
Establish AI governance framework. Scale successful practices across the organisation. Launch AI Centre of Excellence. Begin transition to business-as-usual operations without programme support.
Governance Framework + AI Centre of ExcellenceMeasure & Evolve
Measure business outcomes against programme OKRs. Track adoption, cultural, and performance metrics. Run continuous improvement rhythm with quarterly retrospectives and next-phase planning.
Quarterly Impact Reports + Next Phase RecommendationsCrawl, Walk, Run, Fly
Most organisations start at Crawl. The programme takes you to Fly.
Awareness & Experimentation
Pilots happening. Individual curiosity. No structure yet. Success: executive alignment achieved, champion network forming, initial pilots live, baseline metrics captured.
Integration & Champions Active
Teams using AI. Champions coaching peers. Patterns emerging. Success: teams using AI regularly, champion network active, adoption rate growing.
Integration & Outcomes
AI embedded in workflows. Measurable gains visible. Culture shifting. Success: measurable productivity gains, growing team capability, cultural shift visible in surveys.
Autonomy & Innovation
Teams innovating with AI independently. Competitive advantage visible. Success: high adoption rates, teams generating new AI use cases, industry recognition.
How We Compare
| Dimension | Generic AI Consulting | Internal AI Committee | McKenna AI Transformation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approach | Technology-first | Internal strategy, scattered execution | Organisational transformation |
| Leadership Role | Passive | Active but isolated | Executive-led, organisation-wide |
| Cultural Change | Assumed (doesn't happen) | Hoped for (doesn't happen) | Deliberately built |
| Enablement | Training courses (one-time) | Scattered efforts | Structured enablement sprints |
| Risk & Governance | Minimal | Recognised but unsystematic | Formalised and integrated |
| Speed to Outcome | 6-12 months | 9-18 months | 3-6 months |
| Adoption Sustainability | 30-40% | 40-50% | 70-80%+ |
| Success Likelihood | 30-40% | 40-50% | 80%+ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between this and AI consulting?
AI consultants implement tools. We transform how your organisation thinks about and uses AI. The outcome isn't a deployed tool — it's an organisation that knows how to adopt AI continuously, independently of us.
We already have an internal AI team. How does this work alongside them?
We work with your internal AI team, not around them. They typically become the core of your AI Champion Network and the AI Centre of Excellence. We amplify their work, not replace it.
Can we focus on a single AI use case first?
Yes. The Foundation tier is designed to start with focused use cases and expand. You don't need a hundred use cases — you need three that work brilliantly and create momentum.
What does post-programme support look like?
After the programme, your AI Centre of Excellence runs internally. Many clients continue with quarterly health checks or an ongoing advisory retainer to keep momentum going and capabilities evolving.
How do you measure transformation success?
We set OKRs at the start of each phase: adoption rates, skill levels, business outcomes, cultural survey scores. Every quarter produces an impact report against these OKRs — with full transparency on what's working and what isn't.