Discipline
Evidence discipline
To make the method repeatable you need a few distinctions, applied every time.
Five distinctions
- 1
Expected and achieved
Simulation guides the decision; verification uses results observed after the intervention.
- 2
Measured, estimated and declared
State how each value arises. A cost calculated from observed times and configured rates still embeds a valuation assumption.
- 3
Freed capacity and spending savings
Hours saved can improve service or absorb volume without reducing outgoings. A spending reduction requires specific confirmation from the customer.
- 4
Operating benefit and return on investment
Include the relevant costs of implementation, platform, AI, integrations, support and human review. Declare the horizon and scope, counting each item only once.
- 5
Projection and closed period
Keep the expectation for the current period distinct from results already consolidated.
Few indicators, well chosen
Each project selects a few indicators suited to the need: one primary result, at least one quality check and one measure of how much the solution is actually used. Volume automated and number of AI calls help explain how things work; judging success depends on the useful outcome of the process.
Comparable before/after comparisons
A before/after comparison must use comparable periods and populations. Changes in volume, seasonality, complexity or organization must be declared; a change coinciding with the release does not by itself prove its cause. Benefits shared across several initiatives are attributed only once.
Existing capability
The public FAQ on measuring ROI describes times, configured costs, baselines and verification of results.