Begin with a portfolio, not a favorite idea
List recurring workflows across the business, then compare them using the same criteria. This prevents novelty or vendor pressure from deciding the roadmap.
Score four dimensions
A strong first project balances operational value, technical feasibility, manageable risk, and adoption readiness.
- Value: frequency, delay, and business consequence
- Feasibility: available data, integrations, and clear outputs
- Risk: reversibility, sensitivity, and oversight
- Adoption: ownership, incentives, and fit with current work
Prefer a narrow project with a complete outcome
Choose a workflow that can reach production, collect feedback, and show whether the approach works. The first project should create organizational learning as well as a useful capability.