Reviewed and updated October 8, 2026. Prepared and maintained by ALLTIPLY.
Start with the decision: Compare AI investments against a defined business problem, a documented baseline and the full cost of operating the proposed system.
Define the work before choosing the tool
Describe the workflow, who uses it, where it fails and what a useful change would look like. Identify the systems and data involved, the owner of the result and the errors that would require human review.
Compare options on the same terms
- Automation: Map repeated steps, exceptions and approval points. Evaluate whether rules, existing software or AI best fit each step.
- Predictive analytics: Define the decision a forecast would change, the available historical data and the cost of an incorrect prediction. Compare the proposed approach against the current planning method.
- Assistants: Define the questions or tasks the system should handle, the sources it may use and the point at which it must hand work to a person. Evaluate answer usefulness and source accuracy alongside response time.
Build the business case from traceable inputs
Record the current workload and costs, then estimate the change using inputs whose sources can be inspected. Separate observed data, stakeholder statements, external evidence and assumptions. Show uncertainty as ranges, and test which assumptions change the decision.
Include data preparation, integrations, infrastructure, model usage, evaluation, human review, training and ongoing support. Keep speculative benefits separate from the core case. Agree on the operational measures and review period before implementation.
Option-comparison worksheet
| Option | Evidence and assumptions to record |
|---|---|
| Keep or improve the current process | Baseline, avoidable handoffs, cost and remaining constraints |
| Use existing software | Fit to the task, integrations, permissions, recurring charges and supplier limits |
| Build an AI workflow | Data readiness, evaluated outputs, human review, implementation and operating costs |
For each option, name the owner, evidence source and unresolved assumption. Compare the same workload and period. Treat released staff time separately from cash savings or new revenue.
Decide what evidence permits the next step
A scoped first phase should resolve the questions that matter to the investment: whether the data supports the task, whether the proposed system clears the acceptance criteria and who will operate it. Give the business sponsor and technical owner the same evidence and cost model.
Related reading
The business-case evidence review in the production-gap field report describes how draft claims were checked against meeting transcripts and how model inputs were labeled. It documents a built model, with the method and limitations stated.
For delivery scope, see AI business-case and ROI modeling, workflow automation and enterprise knowledge assistants. Request a project review to discuss the decision you need to support.
