---
title: "AI Initiative Rubric"
date: 2025-06-14
description: A scoring rubric that tests every AI initiative for real value across strategic alignment and capability impact before it earns investment.
author: Mario Thomas
canonical: https://mariothomas.com/remake/library/ai-initiative-rubric/
---

## What it is {#what-it-is}

Pilot portfolios fail quietly when initiatives are chosen by enthusiasm: the loudest sponsor wins, value concentrates in one dimension, and capability building never happens. The rubric forces every candidate through the same gate before money moves.

## What it examines {#what-it-examines}

Each candidate initiative, scored against the five Well-Advised strategic priorities — is the value real in every dimension, or a cost-reduction case wearing a business case's clothes? — and the Five Pillars capability areas: what the initiative builds for the organisation beyond its own delivery.

## The readings {#the-readings}

A suitability verdict per initiative: balanced value creation, strategic alignment, and capability contribution — or the specific dimension where the case falls short. Read across a portfolio, it shows where your pipeline is over-weighted and what the next pilot should deliberately build.

## Running it {#running-it}

Score one initiative at a time, ideally with its sponsor in the room: each Well-Advised priority and each capability area in turn. A portfolio pass — every candidate through the same gate in one session — is where the rubric earns its keep: the over-weighting shows immediately.

The interactive rubric runs in MyMT, my members' workspace. Score your candidate initiatives and see the portfolio picture assemble.

The rubric walked through on camera: one candidate initiative scored on strategic alignment and capability building, then the portfolio picture, with the full transcript on the watch page.