US workflow prioritization framework for pilot selection
US workflow prioritization framework for pilot selection
Last Updated: February 2026
9 Pages
https://sg1consulting.us
Start with a repetitive, rule-based workflow that happens weekly, causes visible admin drag, and has clear human approvals. The best first pilots are high-volume enough to show ROI, but low-risk enough to supervise.
| Criterion | Score 1 | Score 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | Few times per month | Daily / high volume |
| Repetition | Handled differently each time | Consistent repeat steps |
| Rule clarity | Heavy judgment required | Clear decision rules |
| Data quality | Messy/incomplete inputs | Consistent structured inputs |
| Risk | High legal/safety impact | Low impact if supervised |
| Payback visibility | Hard to measure | Hours/errors/cycle time easy to measure |
| Adoption readiness | Strong team resistance | Team wants relief now |
Scoring threshold
| Business type | Good first pilots | What to avoid first |
|---|---|---|
| Professional services | Client intake, document filing, follow-up reminders | Advice drafting or complex client strategy decisions |
| Healthcare admin teams | Referral intake routing, appointment reminders, document prep | Clinical decisions or unsupervised patient messaging |
| Operations/manufacturing | Work order intake, exception alerts, report compilation | Autonomous production control |
| Finance/back office | Invoice intake, reconciliation prep, approvals routing | Unreviewed postings or compliance sign-off |
| Criterion | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | 5 | New requests arrive daily across multiple channels |
| Repetition | 4 | Most submissions follow a standard pattern |
| Rule clarity | 4 | Routing rules exist with known exceptions |
| Data quality | 3 | Some free-text cleanup needed |
| Risk | 3 | Needs human approval for exceptions |
| Payback visibility | 5 | Handling time and SLA are measurable |
| Adoption readiness | 4 | Team wants backlog reduced |
Total: 28/35 (strong pilot candidate)
Use the winner to estimate ROI with our pilot ROI methodology, then define the supervision model using the compliance-aware automation design guide. For US teams, document who approves exceptions before any pilot goes live.
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