Practical AI Implementation for Leaders of 'Traditional' Businesses
Learn to implement AI step by step in non-tech businesses. Plan where to start, what to focus on, and lead - no coding experience needed.
This course is no longer available.
Explore other coursesCourse overview
Build your AI leadership capability. No technical background needed
Most businesses have already experimented with AI, but without a clear strategy, those efforts often stall.
This course is designed to change that. Whether your organisation uses Microsoft Copilot, Google Workspace, or another tool, the frameworks and examples in this course are flexible - designed to work with your existing stack and security policies, not replace them.
You’ll learn how to lead AI adoption with confidence, even if you're not technical.
Using proven frameworks, you’ll identify high-impact opportunities, align your team, and launch practical, no-code AI projects that deliver measurable value.
By the end of this course, you’ll walk away with:
-A personalised AI roadmap tailored to your business context
-The skills to identify and prioritise high-ROI use cases
-Tools to align leadership and frontline teams around AI adoption
-Confidence to lead no or low code implementation projects
-Templates, examples, and step-by-step workflows you can reuse
-Clarity on how to choose the right tools (or use the ones you already have) without compromising on security or compliance
-A practical understanding of what not to do (based on real failures and lessons learned)
-Ongoing feedback and support as you develop your AI leadership capability
You’ll leave this course with a clear strategy, an active project underway, and the confidence and skills to lead your team through real AI implementation.
Who is this course for
01
Operational Leader
I run operations and want to use AI to make things more efficient- but I'm not technical and don’t know where to start
02
Non-Tech Executive
I’m responsible for results and need a smart, strategic way to implement AI without wasting time or hiring a tech team.
03
Internal Champion
I believe AI could help our business, but I’m not getting buy-in and need a plan others will support and understand.
Prerequisites
Experience leading a team, function, or initiative
You should have enough responsibility to influence how things get done - and want to develop a clear plan to move forward
You’re curious about using AI practically for business value
This course is for those who want to go beyond tool demos and use AI to solve improve real operational systems.
You don’t need to be able to code or have a tech background
You don’t need to be a developer or data scientist. If you understand your organization and want to improve how it runs, you’re ready.
What you’ll get out of this course
Review existing processes, identify and prioritise high-ROI AI opportunities in your organization
You’ll learn how to spot where AI can save time, reduce errors, or unlock value in your own workflows.
You will use the PAVE Framework to rank those opportunities by impact and feasibility so you can focus your efforts and justify your decisions.
Create a tailored, ready-to-use AI implementation roadmap
By the end of the course, you’ll have a documented plan of action, including which AI projects to pursue first, who to involve, and how to get started with minimal risk.
Your plan will be clearly mapped, professionally presented, and ready to share with your team or stakeholders.
Build team buy-in and align stakeholders around AI initiatives
You’ll use the Dual Stakeholder Alignment Method to engage both leadership and frontline staff, reducing resistance and making sure your projects are understood, supported, and seen as valuable.
Design and scope your first real AI use case without needing to learn to code
You’ll choose a real, relevant workflow to transform using AI, map out the process, choose your tools (or work with your organization's mandated tools), and document the inputs, risks, and goals. It will be ready to build or delegate with clarity.
Begin implementation and build early traction on a real AI project
You’ll make meaningful progress; whether it’s launching a tool, testing a workflow, or drafting prompts, and get live feedback as you build, so your project doesn’t just stay on paper.
Avoid common AI pitfalls and set your organization up for long-term success
You’ll learn from real examples what not to do; from choosing the wrong use case to overlooking security, governance, or hallucination risks - and how to build AI capability into your business gradually and prevent wasted effort, with measurable milestones and growing confidence.
What’s included
Live sessions
Learn directly from Mel MacDonald in a real-time, interactive format.
Lifetime access
Go back to course content and recordings whenever you need to.
Community of peers
Connect with peers during live calls and on Slack to exchange ideas and get real-time feedback from others working on similar challenges.
Certificate of completion
Share your new skills with your employer or on LinkedIn.
Maven Guarantee
This course is backed by the Maven Guarantee. Students are eligible for a full refund up until the halfway point of the course.
Course syllabus
7 live sessions • 22 lessons • 4 projects
Week 1
- 📄
Common misconceptions
- 📄
Real business value vs hype
- 📄
Core AI concepts (no code or math)
Jan
19
Kickoff + AI Without the Hype: What Actually Works
AI Fundamentals for Business Leaders
Goal: Build confident understanding of what AI really is, debunk myths, and identify its real-world applications.
Week 2
- 📄
Operational vs strategic use cases
- 📄
AI vs automation
- 📄
Introduction to the PAVE Framework
- ✍️
Capstone Project Stage One: Identify an AI Opportunity in your organization
Submit by Feb 2
Jan
26
Where Should You Start? Spotting High-ROI AI Opportunities
Identifying High-Impact Use Cases
Goal: Learn how to spot AI opportunities in your own business using the PAVE Framework (Prioritise AI by Value & Effort).
Week 3
- 📄
Customer journey mapping
- 📄
Internal process mapping
- 📄
Data sources and readiness
- ✍️
Capstone Project Stage 2: Prioritise and Plan the Workflow
Submit by Feb 9
Feb
2
Prioritise What Matters: Apply the PAVE Framework to Your Organization
Mapping AI to Your Organization
Goal: Discover how to align AI initiatives with organizational goals and map workflows for success
Week 4
- 📄
Choosing tools and vendors
- 📄
Defining success metrics
- 📄
Managing risk and expectations
- ✍️
Capstone Project Stage 3: Build a Prototype (or Mock Workflow)
Submit by Feb 16
Feb
9
What Tools Do You Actually Need? Build Your First AI-Enabled Workflow
Designing a Simple AI Pilot
Goal: Scope a realistic pilot project using the Capstone Project Model
Week 5
- 📄
Overcoming resistance
- 📄
Translating AI into team value
- 📄
How to frame AI as a co-pilot
Feb
16
How to Get Buy-In: Aligning Leadership and Frontline Staff
Building Buy-In and Aligning Teams
Goal: Learn how to get leadership and staff aligned before implementation begins using the Dual Stakeholder Alignment Method
Week 6
- 📄
Implementation do’s and don’ts
- 📄
Evaluating ROI (financial + time)
- 📄
Case studies from other teams
- ✍️
Capstone Project Stage 4: Test, Iterate & Present
Submit by Mar 2
Feb
23
Pilot and Iterate: Safely Testing Your First AI Workflow
Running and Iterating Your Pilot
Goal: Understand how to launch your pilot, assess outcomes, and iterate
Week 7
- 📄
Clone & Sandbox Deployment
- 📄
Documenting lessons learned
- 📄
Future-proofing your AI strategy
- 📄
Capstone Project Presentation
Mar
2
Showcase, Scale, and Sustain: Building a Repeatable AI Program
Scaling What Works
Goal: Embed AI into business operations and culture.
What people are saying
Shane and Anne Botting
Fleur Johnstone
Meet your instructor
Mel MacDonald
AI Transformation Strategist | Ex-Fast 100 Founder | Practical Advisor to Non-Tech Industries
I help traditional, non-tech businesses harness AI to scale what works, eliminate what doesn’t, and build the internal skills to keep evolving. My approach is grounded in 25+ years of experience across manufacturing, education, compliance, and consulting - and always focused on practical results.
I started my career as a chemist in pharmaceutical and food manufacturing before founding a nationally accredited training company, which made the Australian Fast 100 and was later acquired by a public company.
Since then, I’ve led AI transformation projects across civil construction, education, retail, childcare, and infrastructure - working hands-on with leadership and frontline teams to identify high-ROI use cases, implement automation, and upskill teams to lead their own AI adoption.
Highlights include:
- Helping a private college scale from 200 to 2,000+ students while reducing admin headcount from 7 to 2
- Automating onboarding, estimating, and safety audit workflows for construction and engineering firms
- Supporting compliance teams in highly regulated industries to use AI for real-time policy updates
I’ve developed two frameworks - The Dual Stakeholder Alignment Method and the Capstone Project Model - that turn AI adoption from a chaotic buzzword into a clear, actionable process that delivers measurable ROI and lasting cultural change.
I teach because I believe traditional industries shouldn’t be left behind. AI doesn’t have to be scary or abstract. When taught well, it becomes a powerful tool in the hands of people who know their business best.
Course schedule
4-6 hours per week
Weekly Live Group Sessions every Monday
4:00pm - 6:00pm PST
This is Tuesday mornings at 9am for the Australians!
Capstone Project
2- 4 hours per week
Allow yourself 2-4 hours each week when it suits your schedule in addition to the live session to select, evaluate, develop and launch your AI project within your organization.
Learning is better with cohorts
Active hands-on learning
This course builds on live workshops and hands-on projects
Interactive and project-based
You’ll be interacting with other learners through breakout rooms and project teams
Learn with a cohort of peers
Join a community of like-minded people who want to learn and grow alongside you