1. Problem
□ Process owner and decision maker identified.
□ Current flow, bottlenecks and out-of-scope items recorded.
□ Baseline has a measurement method, period and confirming person.
2. Data & integration
□ Data set cleared for use; unnecessary data removed.
□ Data dictionary and business answer key available.
□ APIs, test accounts and connection limits checked.
□ Permissions, retention, deletion, backup and recovery agreed.
3. Pilot plan
□ Functions, deliverables, resources and schedule fixed realistically.
□ Configuration data separated from the acceptance test set.
□ Every KPI has a definition, pass threshold, sample size and confirming person.
□ Tests cover wrong permissions, missing data, exceptions and interruptions.
4. Acceptance & operations
□ Pilot results measured on a set not used for configuration.
□ Operating docs, training and post-handover responsibility signed off.
□ Scale-up plan and AI running costs determined separately.