Frequently asked questions

What is Applied Intelligence?

Applied Intelligence is a continuous, expert-led, decision-support model that helps leaders convert insight into action adapted for your needs. It combines experienced human judgment, proprietary AI-enabled intelligence, benchmarks and 30+ years of real-world enterprise know-how to support decisions from strategy through execution. Unlike traditional research, Applied Intelligence focuses on helping leaders decide, act, and deliver measurable results.

How is Applied Intelligence different from traditional research or analyst models?

Traditional research models focus on analysts researching and publishing insights, frameworks, and reports. Applied Intelligence focuses on decision support and execution specific to your needs. Instead of consuming static research, leaders work with experts who understand your business, AskHackett^™, benchmarks, and AI-enabled intelligence to pressure-test choices, navigate trade-offs, and adjust course – continuously.

How is Applied Intelligence different from consulting?

Applied Intelligence is not project-based consulting. It is a unique model that provides continuous, expert-led decision support without episodic projects, rigid scopes, or consulting overhead. Guidance evolves as priorities change, helping leaders sustain momentum and results over time rather than delivering one-time recommendations or reports.

How does Applied Intelligence support executive decision-making?

Applied Intelligence supports executive decision-making by leveraging experienced experts, proprietary AI-enabled intelligence, and benchmarks directly into leadership decisions. Leaders receive ongoing perspective from our trusted experts to clarify options, validate assumptions, assess trade-offs and execute with confidence – before, during and after key decisions are made.

Who is Applied Intelligence designed for?

Applied Intelligence is designed for C-suite and senior enterprise leaders accountable for outcomes – strategy, transformation, risk, performance and AI adoption. It is especially valuable for leaders navigating complexity, rapid change, or high-stakes decisions where static research or internal perspectives alone are insufficient.

How does Applied Intelligence help with AI and Gen AI adoption?

Applied Intelligence helps leaders move beyond AI experimentation to responsible scale, regardless of where you are in your journey. Experts, AskHackett^™, and AI-enabled intelligence support decisions on AI readiness, governance, operating models, and ROI in ways no one else can. This ensures Gen AI investments are prioritized correctly, governed effectively and applied where they deliver measurable enterprise impact.

What is continuous decision support?

Continuous decision support is an ongoing model of guidance that evolves as priorities and conditions shift – where and when you need it. Rather than one-time advice, Applied Intelligence provides sustained insight, judgment and decision context – helping leaders adjust course, maintain alignment and deliver results over time.

How do Applied Intelligence experts work with leaders?

Applied Intelligence experts act as experienced player-coaches. They partner with executives, building trust across strategy, prioritization, execution, and optimization – helping leaders consider options, navigate trade-offs, and adapt with the environment. Experts do not replace internal teams; they strengthen judgment and decision quality.

What is AskHackett^™ and how does it work?

AskHackett^™ is a conversational Applied Intelligence agent that delivers instant, cited answers drawn from The Hackett Group’s proprietary benchmarks, best practices, and enterprise insight. Through prompting, it helps leaders validate assumptions, clarify options, and accelerate decisions – providing always-on guidance between conversations with Applied Intelligence experts.

Is Applied Intelligence suitable for long-term transformation?

Yes. Applied Intelligence is designed for sustained, long-term use. The model supports leaders throughout multiyear transformation journeys, adapting guidance as priorities shift. This helps organizations maintain momentum, course-correct confidently, and achieve lasting performance improvement.

How is Applied Intelligence delivered?

Applied Intelligence is delivered through an engagement model, combining expert-led decision support, AskHackett^™, proprietary AI-enabled intelligence, benchmarks, diagnostics, peer insight and learning – powered by the Hackett Connect^® platform. This ensures intelligence is continuously available and consistently applied across leadership teams.

Why trust Applied Intelligence?

Applied Intelligence is grounded in more than 30 years of proprietary benchmarks, Hackett-Certified^® best practices and real-world enterprise experience. Guidance is specific to your needs – practical, cited and defensible – based on how top-performing organizations actually operate, not theoretical models.

Applied Intelligence replaces static insight with relevant continuous guidance, so leaders don’t just know more, they decide better and deliver results.