08 Jan. Tier 3 in Practice: How Process Creates Safe and Effective AI Acceleration
Once we understand both the strengths and limits of AI, the real question becomes: How do we use it responsibly and effectively in negotiations?The answer sits in something we already built earlier: Tier 2 – structure. The WIN process doesn’t just improve human preparation; it creates the governance system that enables AI use. Clear workflows, defined decision points, and shared templates become the rails that keep AI aligned with your intentions rather than its own statistical guesswork.
Here’s what that looks like in implementation:
- Structured inputs: AI modules operate on curated information – the same WIN templates, scenario plans, and stakeholder data your team already uses. This reduces the risk of hallucinations because the AI works within a controlled context rather than pulling from the entire internet.
- Role boundaries: Each WIN phase defines what AI may support (structuring, summarizing, drafting) and what remains strictly human (judgment, trade-offs, mandate decisions). Because responsibilities are explicit, over-reliance becomes far less likely.
- Human review gates: Every AI output passes through validation points built directly into the WIN flow. No dark corners. No invisible automation. But transparent, reviewable steps.
- Traceability: Because the process is documented from Probe to Pursue, AI-generated elements are anchored in the process. That’s governance by design – not after-the-fact control.
This balance isn’t just philosophical – it’s practical. The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)* stresses that AI must remain human-centered, with clear oversight and accountable decision-making. This is exactly how Tier 3 is designed: AI augments human negotiation decisions, never replaces them.
When AI operates inside a structured human process, it becomes a disciplined accelerator – reducing prep time, improving clarity, and strengthening consistency without ever taking the wheel.
Next, we’ll look at the specific modules and how they bring this philosophy to life in day-to-day negotiation work.
The story isn’t finished yet. The next step follows next week on January 15, 2025
*) NIST (2023). AI Risk Management Framework (SP 1270) – emphasizing human responsibility, governance, and controlled integration of AI in decision-critical environments
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