Resources / Guide · 7 min read
AI Workflow Audit: 12 Questions Before You Build
Run this 12-question audit on any workflow before committing to a build. Each "no" is a risk. Three or more means fix the gap first.
Why audit before you build
Most AI projects that fail were predictably wrong from the start — the workflow was too irregular, the data was inaccessible, or there was no one to own the outcome. This audit takes twenty minutes and surfaces those blockers before you spend a dollar. Each "no" is a risk. Three or more "no" answers means fix the foundation before starting the build.
Part 1 — Workflow shape (Q1–Q4)
Q1: Is this workflow repeated at least weekly? Q2: Does it follow a consistent enough pattern that a smart new hire could learn it from a written process doc? Q3: Is the input structured or structurable — text, a form, a document, a spreadsheet row? Q4: Is a human currently doing this manually today? All four should be "yes" for a clean sprint. One "no" is workable. Two means rethink the scope.
Part 2 — Data and systems (Q5–Q8)
Q5: Is the data this system needs accessible via an API or a regular export — without a three-month procurement process? Q6: Is that data recent — updated at least monthly, ideally continuously? Q7: If the system needs to write back to a system of record, is there a write API or is this a blocker? Q8: If PII is involved, is your data processing agreement in order and has legal signed off?
Part 3 — Business case (Q9–Q12)
Q9: Can you put a dollar figure on this workflow today — loaded labor cost, error rate, or revenue impact? Q10: Is there an executive sponsor who has committed time, can unblock decisions, and will attend the Day 5 demo? Q11: Will the team that actually uses this system be involved in testing it before it ships? Q12: Is there a realistic, already-agreed plan to measure ROI after launch?
Scoring and next steps
12 of 12: Start the sprint. 9–11: Start the sprint, fix the "no" answers in parallel. 7–8: Do a one-week Strategy Sprint first to resolve the blockers, then build. Under 7: Come back when the foundation is stronger — rushing now creates expensive rework. The audit is not a gate to keep you from building; it is a map to what needs to happen before building is safe.
Take it with you
Download the full template
Get the full template as a text file — ready to copy into your own docs, share with your team, or use offline.
Want help applying this to your stack?
That's exactly what an AI Sprint is for. Bounded scope, fixed price, working system in two weeks.
Talk to usRelated guides
The AI Sprint Brief Template
The one-page brief we fill in with every client before writing a line of code. Use it to scope your project, brief a vendor, or build the internal case.
The AI Readiness Checklist
Twelve things to true up before you spend a dollar on an AI project — from data hygiene to executive sponsorship.
The AI Sprint Playbook
How we ship a working AI system in a two-week sprint — Day 5 demo, Day 10 ship — and what we ask of you to make it possible.