Blog / Charles & Keith: A GenAI Problem-Solving Workshop with 20 Cross-Functional Staff
Charles & Keith: A GenAI Problem-Solving Workshop with 20 Cross-Functional Staff
Real problems beat hypothetical ones
Around 20 employees from Charles & Keith's Operations, Marketing, Finance and HR functions joined a two-day generative-AI workshop. Instead of generic AI instruction, cross-functional teams tackled four business-specific challenges — because real problems build more durable solutions.
The four challenges the teams prototyped
- Stock imbalance — an AI assistant flagging inventory mismatches across stores
- Marketing approvals — a GenAI brief assistant to speed up multi-stage approvals
- Talent retention — a manager-support tool synthesising feedback patterns (deliberately avoiding predictive-termination modelling)
- Finance reporting — a workflow drafting variance commentary and surfacing anomalies
The lesson that mattered most
Beyond building, participants learned what GenAI should not do — refusing an inappropriate predictive model in favour of an ethical alternative. Cross-functional teams consistently produced the most durable solutions. The same approach powers our public WSQ Innovative Problem Solving with Generative AI course.
Bring this to your team
Run it as a public WSQ class or an on-site corporate cohort built around your real problems. As a WSQ-accredited course it attracts up to 70% funding, staff can use SkillsFuture Credit, and companies stack SFEC plus absentee payroll. View dates and register.
FAQ
Should we send one team or a mix?
A cross-functional mix works best — Charles & Keith spanned Ops, Marketing, Finance and HR, and the diversity produced stronger solutions.
Can we bring our own problems?
Yes — on-site cohorts are built around your live business challenges.
Is it funded?
Yes — WSQ funding, SkillsFuture Credit and SFEC all apply.
What to do next
- Shortlist three real problems across different functions
- Reserve seats in the WSQ Innovative Problem Solving with Generative AI class, or ask about an on-site cohort
- Leave with working prototypes for your own business problems




