The AI Automation Readiness Checklist

Before you automate anything, run the process through these 12 questions. It's the same scoping check I do on the first call of every engagement — now a one-page PDF you can fill in yourself.

  • Score any process out of 12 in about five minutes
  • Six areas: value, feasibility, data, team, economics, vendor
  • Built from real client engagements, not theory

Get the checklist (free PDF)

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What's inside

Twelve checkboxes, grouped into the six things that actually determine whether an automation project succeeds:

01

Is this process worth automating?

Volume, frequency, and the real hours it eats — the three numbers that decide whether a build ever pays back.

02

Is it actually automatable?

Rule-based vs. judgment (both are fine — that's what agents are for), stable inputs, and a clear definition of “done.”

03

Is your data ready?

Whether the information lives in systems with APIs, and whether access can be granted without a security fight.

04

Is your team ready?

Someone who owns the process and can explain it, buy-in from the people who touch it, and a fallback when the automation is down.

05

Do the economics work?

A back-of-envelope hours-saved × loaded-cost calculation, a payback window, and budget for build plus monitoring.

06

Choosing who builds it

Six red flags in an automation vendor — from “automate everything” pitches to keeping the infrastructure off your accounts.

Why a checklist and not a sales call

Most automation projects that fail were doomed at scoping — the process wasn't high-volume enough, the data was trapped in someone's head, or nobody had done the payback maths. A good partner tells you that on the first call. This checklist lets you get most of the way there on your own.

If it turns out the process is ready, book a free audit and I'll map it properly and give you a fixed-scope proposal. If it isn't, I'll say so. See what I build and what it costs in 2026.

Checklist FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the AI Automation Readiness Checklist?
A one-page PDF with 12 yes/no questions across six areas — process value, feasibility, data, team, economics, and vendor selection. You score a specific process out of 12; 8 or higher means it's worth scoping properly.
Is it really free?
Yes. Enter your email and the PDF is sent to you and available to download immediately. You'll get occasional notes on AI automation afterwards, and you can unsubscribe from any of them.
Who is it for?
Operations leads, founders, and managers at B2B companies who are weighing an AI automation project and want a sober way to check whether a process is ready — instead of automating something that shouldn't be.
What if I score low?
That's a useful result — it usually points at a data or process problem worth fixing first. Book a free audit and I'll tell you honestly whether to automate now, fix the groundwork first, or leave it manual.

Scored a process 8 or higher?

That's worth a conversation. Book a free audit — no cost, no obligation.

Book Your Free Audit