AI readiness isn't about technology
The businesses that get the most from AI aren't necessarily the most technically sophisticated. They're the ones with clean processes, accessible data, and clear problems to solve.
Here's how to assess where you stand.
The checklist
1. Data accessibility
- Can your team access the data they need without asking IT?
- Is your data stored in structured, queryable formats?
- Do you have a single source of truth for key business metrics?
2. Process documentation
- Are your core business processes documented?
- Can you identify which tasks are repetitive and rule-based?
- Do you know where your team spends the most time on manual work?
3. Clear business objectives
- Can you articulate specific outcomes you want from AI?
- Do you have metrics to measure success?
- Is there executive buy-in for AI investment?
4. Data quality
- Is your data clean, consistent, and up to date?
- Do you have processes for data validation?
- Are there known data quality issues you need to address first?
5. Team readiness
- Is your team open to adopting new tools?
- Do you have internal champions who can drive adoption?
- Are there training needs to address?
Scoring your readiness
4-5 areas strong: You're likely at Tier 1 or higher on the AI maturity curve. The next move is a Workflow Phase engagement — moving people from chat habits to integrated workflows with shared context and skills.
2-3 areas strong: You're close. Discovery will calibrate the strategy to your specific gaps and produce a workflow priority list.
0-1 areas strong: You're at Tier 0. The path forward bundles Set AI Up Phase with Workflow Phase — getting tools deployed alongside a plan to use them well.
The good news
No business starts perfectly ready. The point of this checklist isn't to gatekeep — it's to help you locate yourself on the curve. Wherever you are, Discovery is the entry point.
Start with Discovery — one to three weeks, a strategy specific to your firm, calibrated to the work your team actually does.