An Open GenAI Business Case Analysis Best Practice: A Methodology for Data Program Transformation

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• Method Phases: Phase 1: Initiation & Scoping | Phase 2: Business Analysis | Phase 3: Technical & Data Analysis | Phase 4: Modernization Blueprint | Phase 5: Governance & Improvement

Appendix B: Templates and Checklists

This appendix contains templates and checklists to support the key activities outlined in the GenAI Business Case Analysis methodology. These tools are intended to provide structure and consistency to the analysis process.

Template B.1: Stakeholder Analysis Matrix

Purpose: This matrix is a foundational tool to be used during Phase 1: Initiation and Scoping. Its purpose is to systematically identify all individuals, groups, or organizations that have an interest in or will be affected by the GenAI project. By analyzing their interests, influence, and needs, the project team can develop a targeted engagement strategy to foster buy-in, manage expectations, and ensure the final solution is user-centric and meets genuine business needs.

Instructions:

1. Identify Stakeholders: Brainstorm and list all potential stakeholders in the first column. Consider internal groups (e.g., different departments, leadership) and external groups (e.g., partner agencies, public users). The wildland fire reports identify stakeholders such as National/Regional Planners, Incident Command, and Incident Operations. 
2. Analyze Interest and Influence: For each stakeholder, assess their level of interest in the project and their degree of influence over its outcome, using the 1-5 scoring key. This helps prioritize engagement efforts.
3. Define Key Interests/Needs: Document what each stakeholder cares about most in relation to the project. What are their primary needs, goals, or potential concerns?
4. Develop Engagement Strategy: Based on the analysis, determine the most appropriate strategy for engaging each stakeholder. This is not a one-size-fits-all approach; different groups require different levels and methods of communication.
5. Define Key Messages: Outline the core messages that need to be communicated to each stakeholder group to ensure alignment and manage expectations.

Interest Scoring Key:

• 1: Very Low (Minimal interest in the project’s outcome)
• 3: Medium (Aware of the project and its potential impact)
• 5: Very High (The project’s success is critical to their own success)

Influence Scoring Key:

• 1: Very Low (No ability to affect project decisions or outcomes)
• 3: Medium (Can influence opinions and some decisions)
• 5: Very High (Has direct authority or significant power to halt or advance the project)

Having established a strong set of templates in Appendix B, we will now proceed to Appendix C. This section will formally tie the methodology back to the provided OGC reports, demonstrating how they serve as a successful, real-world application of these principles. This directly addresses your original request to consider the steps taken in the creation of those reports. This checklist is a crucial tool for operationalizing the data analysis phase. Here is a draft of that template.

Template B.2: GenAI Use Case Prioritization Matrix

Purpose: This matrix is a tool to be used during Phase 2: Business Analysis to objectively evaluate and rank potential GenAI use cases. It helps the analysis team focus on initiatives that offer the highest potential mission impact and the greatest likelihood of success.

Instructions:

1. List all brainstormed use cases in the first column.
2. For each use case, provide a brief, one-sentence description.
3. Score each use case from 1 to 5 for each of the evaluation criteria, using the scoring key below.
4. Sum the scores for each use case to get a Total Score.
5. Rank the use cases based on their Total Score to determine their priority.
6. Provide a brief justification for the scoring and any relevant notes.

Scoring Key:

• 1: Very Low / Negligible
• 2: Low
• 3: Medium
• 4: High
• 5: Very High / Critical

Template B.3: Data Readiness Checklist

Purpose: This checklist is a detailed tool to be used during Phase 3: Technical and Data Analysis. It provides a systematic framework for evaluating the suitability of individual data sources for the GenAI project. By completing this checklist for each potential dataset, the project team can ensure a consistent and thorough assessment, identify data-related risks early, and accurately scope the effort required for data engineering and integration.

Instructions:

1. Use a separate copy of this checklist for each individual data source being evaluated.
2. Thoroughly investigate each question, consulting data owners, documentation, and performing technical tests where possible.
3. Document all findings, especially any identified issues, gaps, or required actions in the “Findings and Required Actions” section.
4. Assign an overall readiness score to summarize the dataset’s suitability for immediate use.
5. The findings from these checklists should be used as direct inputs into the project’s overall Risk Assessment Matrix (Template B.2) and implementation plan.

Data Source Identification

• Data Source Name:
• Data Owner / Steward:
• URL / Endpoint:
• Brief Description:

Summary Assessment

• Overall Readiness Score (1-5): (1=High Risk/Not Ready, 5=Low Risk/Ready to Use)
• Summary Findings: (Briefly summarize the key strengths and weaknesses of this data source.)
• Required Actions: (List the critical next steps, e.g., “Develop ETL script for cleaning,” “Finalize data use agreement,” “Add ‘PII de-identification’ to risk matrix.”)

Template B.4: Risk Assessment and Mitigation Matrix

Purpose: This matrix is a critical tool for Phase 3: Technical and Data Analysis. It provides a structured framework to systematically identify, analyze, prioritize, and plan for the mitigation of risks associated with a GenAI project. Proactively managing risks is essential for ensuring project success and building stakeholder trust.

Instructions:

1. Identify Risks: Brainstorm potential risks and list them in the Risk Description column. Consider all categories: Technical, Operational, Ethical, and Security. The “Challenges” and “Key Considerations” sections of the source reports provide excellent starting points for common GenAI risks.
2. Categorize: Assign each risk to a Risk Category.
3. Analyze and Score:
   • Assess the Likelihood of each risk occurring, using the 1-5 scoring key.
   • Assess the potential Impact on the project or mission if the risk occurs, using the 1-5 scoring key.
   • Calculate the Risk Score by multiplying Likelihood x Impact. This score helps to prioritize which risks require the most attention.
4. Plan Mitigation:
   • For each high-priority risk, define a specific Mitigation Strategy. This strategy should be an actionable plan to either reduce the likelihood of the risk or lessen its impact.
   • Assign an Owner responsible for implementing the mitigation strategy.
   • Track the Status of the mitigation action (e.g., Not Started, In Progress, Complete).
5. Review Regularly: This matrix should be a living document, reviewed and updated regularly by the project team and stakeholders.

Likelihood Scoring Key:

• 1: Rare (Unlikely to occur)
• 2: Unlikely
• 3: Possible (May occur)
• 4: Likely
• 5: Almost Certain (Expected to occur)

Impact Scoring Key:

• 1: Insignificant (No notable impact on cost, schedule, or mission)
• 2: Minor
• 3: Moderate (Noticeable impact on cost, schedule, or mission)
• 4.: Major
• 5: Critical/Catastrophic (Threatens project success or mission objectives)

Template B.5: Capability-to-Use-Case Mapping Matrix

Purpose: This matrix is a strategic tool for Phase 4: Modernization Blueprint and Business Case. Its purpose is to create a clear, traceable link between the prioritized business use cases (the “why”) and the specific technical capabilities that need to be built to address them (the “what”). This ensures that all development effort is justified by a business need, aids in creating a logical implementation roadmap, and helps communicate the solution structure to both business and technical stakeholders.

Instructions:

1. In the first column, list the highest-priority use cases identified in the Use Case Prioritization Matrix (Template B.1).
2. For each use case, identify one or more specific Required Capabilities needed to make it successful. The capabilities listed in the OGC reports (such as “Risk Assessment Modeling” or “Automated Claims Processing”) serve as excellent examples.
3. Briefly describe what the capability does in the context of the use case.
4. Identify the core
   Enabling Technology (e.g., LLM, RAG, GAN) required to build the capability.
5. Assign a Development Priority (High, Medium, Low) to each capability to help sequence the work in the implementation roadmap.

Template B.6: Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) Worksheet

Purpose: This worksheet is a key component of Phase 4: Modernization Blueprint and Business Case. It provides a structured format to estimate the costs and benefits associated with the proposed GenAI initiative over a defined period (typically 3-5 years). A thorough CBA is essential for justifying the investment and enabling leadership to make a sound financial decision.

Instructions:

1. Work with representatives from finance, IT, and the business unit to identify and estimate all potential costs and benefits.
2. Estimate Costs: Document all one-time (Capital Expenditures/CapEx) and recurring (Operational Expenditures/OpEx) costs. Be as comprehensive as possible.
3. Estimate Benefits: Document both tangible (quantifiable in monetary terms) and intangible (qualitative but mission-critical) benefits.
   • For tangible benefits, clearly state the assumptions used to calculate the monetary value (e.g., “Saves 200 person-hours per year at a blended rate of $75/hour”).
   • For intangible benefits, describe the positive impact on the organization’s mission or strategic goals.
4. Calculate Financial Metrics: Use the total costs and tangible benefits to calculate summary financial metrics such as ROI and Payback Period.
5. Review and Refine: The CBA should be reviewed for completeness and reasonableness by all relevant stakeholders.

Part 1 – Costs

Part 2 – Benefits

Part 3 – Summary

Template B.7: Example Plan Activities

Purpose: This template is designed to translate the high-level implementation roadmap from Phase 4 into a detailed, short-term (e.g., 3-6 month) action plan. It helps teams organize their work into thematic streams, define concrete activities, and align them with measurable outcomes for a specific phase of the project.

Instructions:

1. Define the Phase: Give the current implementation phase a clear, descriptive name (e.g., “Phase I – Foundational Investigation,” “Phase II – Prototype Development”).
2. Set the Timeframe: Define the duration for this action plan (e.g., “Next 3-6 months”).
3. Structure Activities by Theme: For each of the core themes (Business Value, Data, Technology, Management), list the specific, actionable tasks to be completed within the timeframe. Use action verbs (e.g., “Hold workshop,” “Inventory data,” “Pilot tools”).
4. Define Maturity Goal and Outcomes:
   • For the Maturity Space, describe the overall goal for this phase in terms of capability growth (e.g., “Discover Chasm Depths,” “Build the Bridge,” “Scale the Solution”).
   • For the Outcomes, clearly state what will be achieved and understood by the end of the phase for each theme. This ensures the work is tied to tangible results.

Example Plan Activities

Next 3-6 months

Next 6-18 months

12-24 months and Beyond