Business fit
What specific problem will it solve, who will use it, and how will you recognize useful results?
RESOURCE / AI READINESS
Evaluate the work before you evaluate the AI.
A useful platform decision connects business value with data protection, security controls, human accountability, and the realities of ongoing operation.
THE FIRST QUESTION
What worthwhile problem are we solving?
A polished demonstration is not a business case. Start with the work, the people it affects, and the outcome worth measuring.
Then examine what the platform needs to see, what it can do, and what your organization must govern after the initial rollout.
SIX REVIEW AREAS
A complete evaluation, not a feature comparison.
Use these areas to structure discovery with internal stakeholders and potential vendors.
Data protection
What information can it access, where is that data stored, how long is it retained, and can it be used to improve the vendor’s models?
Security & compliance
Does it support SSO, MFA, role-based access, encryption, audit logs, appropriate hosting, and the assurances your organization requires?
Human oversight
Which outputs or actions require review, who is accountable, and how can a workflow be paused or corrected?
Workflow integration
How will it connect to existing systems, responsibilities, approvals, and daily work without creating a shadow process?
Cost & lifecycle
Consider licensing, usage, implementation, training, monitoring, administration, renewal, data export, and exit costs.
USE-CASE RISK
Match scrutiny to consequence.
Risk changes with the information involved, the audience, the action the system can take, and the cost of a wrong answer.
OFTEN LOWER RISK
Good places to learn
- Brainstorming and outlining
- Drafting internal, non-sensitive content
- Meeting summaries using approved tools
- Research assistance with source verification
- Process documentation
- Internal workflow support with limited access
NEEDS MORE REVIEW
Higher-consequence uses
- Customer-facing automation
- Confidential or regulated information
- Financial, legal, employment, or safety content
- Automated decisions about people or customers
- Production integrations and system changes
- Work that carries contractual or professional obligations
QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR
Go beyond “Is our data secure?”
Identity & access
Does the platform support SSO, MFA, role-based access, least privilege, and timely offboarding?
Data handling
Where is information processed and stored? What are the retention, deletion, residency, export, and model-training terms?
Assurance
Which certifications, audits, subprocessors, encryption practices, and incident-response commitments can the vendor document?
Administration
Can your team view usage, control integrations, preserve meaningful logs, set spending limits, and disable risky features?
Lifecycle
What happens to data and integrations at renewal, cancellation, vendor acquisition, or product retirement?
BEFORE ROLLOUT
A practical readiness checklist.
The platform is only part of the decision. Ownership, training, boundaries, and continued review determine whether adoption remains useful.
A defined business owner and measurable outcomeApproved teams, tools, data types, and use casesDocumented prohibited uses and informationHuman review for consequential outputs or actionsEmployee training and a reporting pathOngoing review of usage, cost, value, and risk
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