AI Readiness Sprint
A fixed-scope review of a company’s operations, data, systems, people and governance that returns the use cases worth funding first.
- Time2–4 weeks
- FeeFrom €5,000, fixed
- OutputBusiness case and 90-day plan
Why a sprint
Most leadership teams have more AI ideas than budget. The sprint decides which ones earn it.
- 01Pilots that never reached daily use. Proofs of concept that impressed once and then stalled.
- 02Tools arriving before the problem is clear. Vendors pitching platforms while the business case is still open.
- 03A board asking for an AI plan with numbers. Leadership needs cost, return and risk on one page.
What the sprint delivers
Six outputs, ready for a leadership decision.
Built for one meeting: the leadership readout where the company decides what to fund. All of it is the company’s to keep.
Funded first: Supplier invoice matching (88), Customer email triage (76), Demand forecast refresh (70). Later: Contract clause review, Sales call summaries, HR policy assistant.
- 01Opportunity mapEvery process in scope reviewed and scored on value, effort and risk.
- 02Use-case shortlistThe three to five worth funding first, each with an owner.
- 03Business caseCost, expected return and payback for the top three.
- 04Data and systemsWhat the data supports today and what needs fixing first.
- 05Risk and governanceWhich AI rules apply where the company operates, and the controls each use case needs.
- 0690-day roadmapA sequenced plan with budget ranges, team and first milestones.
How it runs
Two to four weeks, set by the teams in scope.
One team takes two weeks. Each additional pair of teams adds about a week of interviews and walk-throughs. The readout always closes the sprint.
Teams in scope
2 weeks
Kick-off and interviewsLeadership and team leads
Process walk-throughsHow the work runs today
Data and systems checkWhat the data supports
Scoring and business caseValue, effort and risk
Leadership readoutRoadmap and decision
A sponsor in leadershipOwns the decision at the readout.
Time with team leadsOne or two sessions with each team in scope.
Read access to key systemsOr sample exports where access takes longer.
Related work
All case studies Where the shortlist leads.
Five areas, checked against the workflows in scope.
- 01Operations
Where work waits, and which steps are reading, checking, matching or chasing.
3 questions
- Which recurring workflows take the most people-hours?
- Which number would prove a workflow improved?
- Where does the work wait?
- 02Data
Whether the data the use cases need exists, is current, is accessible and is trusted.
3 questions
- Is it in a system of record, or only in spreadsheets?
- Is it current, and who keeps it current?
- Can it be reached through an API or a warehouse?
- 03Systems
Which core systems hold it and whether an agent can read from and write to them.
3 questions
- Do the ERP, CRM and ticketing systems expose APIs?
- Who can grant access within a week?
- Where could a solution run?
- 04People
Who would own each use case and who would review the agent’s work.
3 questions
- Who owns the workflow and reviews the agent?
- Does the team have capacity next quarter?
- Which teams already use AI for whole tasks?
- 05Governance
What data may be used where, who approves a new use, which rules apply.
3 questions
- Which data may go to which AI provider?
- Who approves a new AI use, and how fast?
- Which AI rules apply, and at what risk level?
How the sprint compares with other assessments.
| Compared on | AI Readiness Sprint | Readiness assessment | Maturity model | Online self-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Input | Interviews with workflow owners, data and system checks, leadership priorities | Interviews, data checks, system access | Survey against a framework | A questionnaire |
| Output | Shortlist, business case, 90-day plan, in a leadership read-out | Shortlist, business case, plan | A score and a benchmark | A score and a sales call |
| Specific to the company | Yes, to the workflow and the number it moves | Yes, to the workflow | Partly, to the function | No |
| Duration | 2–4 weeks | 2–4 weeks | 4–8 weeks | 20 minutes |
| Cost | Fixed fee from €5,000 | Varies | Often part of a strategy engagement | Free |
| Decision it enables | What to prove first, and what to fix before it | What to fund first | Where the company stands | Whether to talk to the vendor |
Questions
About the AI Readiness Sprint.
What is an AI readiness assessment?
An AI readiness assessment is a fixed-scope review of a company’s operations, data, systems, people and governance that returns the use cases worth funding first and what has to be true for them to work. Twistag’s AI Readiness Sprint delivers it in two to four weeks for a fixed fee from €5,000, with a business case and a 90-day plan for leadership. The guide to what an AI readiness assessment should include sets out each part.
What does the AI Readiness Sprint cost?
From €5,000. The fee is fixed and agreed before the start, based on the number of teams and processes in scope.
How does the sprint compare with an online AI readiness assessment?
Online assessments score maturity from a questionnaire. The sprint reviews the company’s own processes and data with the teams involved and ends with a business case and a roadmap that leadership can fund. The comparison table sets the sprint against the other three. For companies weighing a larger programme, see Sprint vs a full AI strategy engagement.
Is there a free way to check readiness first?
Yes. The AI Readiness Check is a 15-question, two-minute self-assessment that scores five areas and returns the first fixes. It is a starting point; the sprint is the decision.
How long does it take?
Two to four weeks, depending on the company and the number of teams involved. One or two teams usually take two weeks.
Who needs to be involved?
A sponsor in leadership, the leads of each team in scope, and someone who can give read access to the main systems or sample exports.
What does the company receive at the end?
The opportunity map, the use-case shortlist, a business case for the top three, the data and systems check, risk and governance notes, and a 90-day roadmap, presented at a leadership readout. All documents are the company’s to keep.
Does the sprint commit the company to a build with Twistag?
No. The roadmap can be delivered by Twistag, another partner or an internal team.
Does it cover AI regulation?
Yes. Each shortlisted use case gets a risk classification under the AI rules that apply where the company operates, such as the EU AI Act, and the controls it would need.
Two ways inFind the first use case
Find the first use case
worth funding.
Ready to scope it
Book a sprint.
Two to four weeks, from €5,000, fixed. A business case and a 90-day plan at the end.
Book a sprint
A senior lead replies within one working day.
Still deciding
Take the 2min check.
Fifteen yes/no questions across the same five areas, with a score and the first fix for the two weakest.