AI-Readiness Assessment — know what it'll actually take, before you commit the budget.
A 6 to 8 week engagement that maps your current data platform, identifies what's blocking AI readiness, and delivers an exec-ready roadmap your team can execute.
Hire this if you are…
- A VP of Data, CTO, or Head of Platform at a tech scaleup (200–2,000 employees, Series B through pre-IPO)
- Being asked by your board or CEO what it would take to "be ready for AI" — and you don't have a confident answer
- Sitting on a data platform that grew organically and is now slowing the business down
- Considering a multi-year platform re-architecture but not ready to commit budget until you understand the shape of the work
- Looking for an outside perspective that isn't tied to a vendor product roadmap
Don't hire this if…
- You already have a clear, validated plan and just need execution capacity. Look at the Fractional Head of Data instead.
- You're an SMB or early-stage startup with no data team yet. The playbook is built for organizations with existing data infrastructure that needs to scale.
- You expect a deliverable in under 30 days. Real assessments take time.
Deliverables
By the end of the engagement, you have everything you need to walk into a board meeting and defend a multi-quarter data platform investment.
1. System map
A documented view of your current data platform — ingestion, transformation, storage, serving, ownership. Includes a ranked list of fragile components and the trust gaps that are actually costing the business speed.
2. 90-day stabilization plan
Concrete actions your team can take in the next quarter to reduce pipeline failures, clarify ownership, and restore baseline trust in the platform.
3. AI-readiness roadmap
A phased plan covering architecture decisions, sequencing, team capability gaps, and budget — written for executive sponsors, not engineers.
4. Executive presentation
One slide deck you can take to your CEO, CFO, or board to align on the work and unlock funding.
5. Three workshops
Working sessions with your engineering, data, and product leaders — used to build alignment, not just gather information.
Three phases over 6–8 weeks
Phase 01
Diagnose (Weeks 1–2)
Map how the system actually works today. Interviews with engineering, data, product, and exec stakeholders. Review of architecture docs, dashboards, pipeline failures, and budget.
Output: System map + ranked list of fragile components, end of week 2.
Phase 02
Stabilize (Weeks 3–5)
Translate diagnosis into a 90-day stabilization plan. Identify quick wins, clarify ownership, and sequence the foundation work that has to happen before AI ambitions are realistic.
Output: 90-day plan, end of week 5.
Phase 03
Build for growth (Weeks 6–8)
Convert the stabilized foundation into an AI-readiness roadmap covering architecture, sequencing, team gaps, and budget.
Output: Final roadmap + exec presentation, week 8.
What your team contributes
- Two named stakeholders for weekly check-ins (typically VP Data + a tech lead)
- Access to architecture docs, dashboards, and key team members for interviews
- Two hours per workshop, three workshops total
- Decision authority on scope changes if the assessment surfaces something unexpected
What this is not
Setting expectations matters more than overselling.
- Not implementation. I deliver the roadmap. Your team — or a dedicated Fractional Head of Data engagement — executes it.
- Not a vendor evaluation. No kickbacks, partnerships, or reseller agreements with platform vendors. Recommendations are based on fit, not commission.
- Not a hiring plan. Capability gaps are surfaced and quantified, but I don't run your hiring process.
- Not an audit. The deliverable is a roadmap, not a compliance report or security review.
Investment
Starts at $15,000.
Final price depends on scope — primarily the size of your platform, number of teams involved, and how much existing documentation exists. Most engagements land in the $15,000 to $30,000 range. The discovery call confirms scope and exact pricing.
- Payment
- 50% on signature, 50% on delivery
- Timeline
- 6 to 8 weeks from kickoff
FAQ
- Can you start sooner than 2 weeks?
- Occasionally, depending on current pipeline. The discovery call confirms timeline.
- What if we want to extend into ongoing work after the assessment?
- About half of assessment clients roll into a Fractional Head of Data engagement to execute the roadmap. That conversation happens in the final week.
- Do you sign NDAs?
- Yes, before any sensitive material is shared.
- Can you work with our existing consultants or vendors?
- Yes. The assessment is vendor-neutral by design.
- What if our platform is mostly built on a specific vendor stack?
- The playbook works across modern data stacks — Snowflake, Databricks, BigQuery, Redshift, on-prem Hadoop legacy estates. Specific technology doesn't change the diagnostic approach.
- What if we already know the answer is "rebuild everything"?
- Then you don't need this engagement. Hire the Fractional Head of Data instead and start executing.
- Do you offer this remote or on-site?
- Both. Default is remote with one optional on-site week. Travel costs billed separately.
Ready to find out what's actually blocking your AI ambitions?
30 minutes, no pitch deck. Structured conversation about your current state, your AI goals, and whether this engagement is the right fit.