Planning window
1–2 weeks, depending on access
Planning estimate, not a delivery promiseWho to involve
Sponsor · Data owner · Process owner · IT/security · Finance
Take a focused inventory
List systems, document owners, data categories, permissions, representative samples and known quality gaps. Do not collect more data than the pilot needs.
Observe the workflow
Record volumes, handling time and rework with the team. Note bottlenecks that software alone cannot fix, including unclear decisions or duplicate entry.
Document constraints
Check integration methods, identity controls, processor terms, staff capacity and both setup and operating budgets. Flag unknowns with an owner and deadline.
What you leave with
- Five-dimension readiness profile
- Data and system inventory
- Gap register with owners
Common mistakes
- Scoring by intuition without checking evidence
- Assuming cloud access means data permission
- Budgeting only for model usage