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Know exactly where you stand before you spend a pound more.

The Foundation Review is a structured four-week diagnostic across all four AI readiness layers. It produces specific findings, not generic recommendations — and a sequenced roadmap you can act on the day after the readout.

⏱ 3–4 weeks 📋 Fixed price 👤 Senior-led No vendor agenda No obligation to proceed Deliverables yours to keep
Foundation Review
£7,500 + VAT
Fixed price — agreed in writing before any work begins
Duration 3–4 weeks
Layers assessed All four
Deliverables Report + roadmap + readout
Prerequisite None
Obligation after None
Deliverable ownership Yours entirely
Request a Foundation Review → Not sure? Take the free Scorecard first
Pricing can flex to £6,500 for businesses where budget is a genuine constraint. Raise it during the scoping call — we will always tell you directly whether it is possible.
Why this exists

Most AI programmes fail before the first tool is deployed.

The failure happens in the gap between AI ambition and operational reality. The tools are capable. The use cases are legitimate. But the data, systems, processes, and governance structures the tools depend on are not in the state the vendor assumed when they made the sale.

The Foundation Review exists because that gap is both diagnosable and fixable — but only if you know specifically where it is, how wide it is, and in what sequence to address it. Generic advice does not produce that picture. A structured diagnostic does.

The AI tool performs as specified — and still underdelivers Because the data it is consuming is inconsistent, incomplete, or structured in a way the model cannot interpret reliably.
The pilot works. The rollout does not. Because the pilot operated on clean, curated data in controlled conditions. The broader operational environment does not share those conditions.
The integration is built. It breaks repeatedly. Because the integration was built on data that was structurally inconsistent on both sides — and the inconsistency was never surfaced before build began.
The process is automated. The outputs are wrong. Because the process that was automated was never fully documented — the automation inherited assumptions that experienced employees knew not to follow literally.
What we assess

All four foundation layers, in a single engagement.

The four foundation layers represent the operational domains that AI performance depends on. We assess all four simultaneously — because understanding the dependencies between them is essential to sequencing the roadmap correctly.

L1
Data Infrastructure

The quality, structure, accessibility, and governance of the data your AI tools will consume. The floor everything else rests on.

  • Data quality and completeness
  • Structural consistency across systems
  • Data ownership and provenance
  • Unstructured data volume and handling
L2
Systems & Integration

The connectivity between platforms, the reliability of integrations, and the accessibility of your operational data to AI tools in real time.

  • Integration architecture and documentation
  • API availability and stability
  • Data latency and synchronisation
  • Integration monitoring and ownership
L3
Workflow & Process

The degree to which your operational processes are documented, consistent, and explicit enough for AI to follow, augment, or automate reliably.

  • Process documentation completeness
  • Decision logic explicitness
  • Cross-team process consistency
  • Exception and escalation handling
L4
Governance & Risk

The policies, accountability structures, and oversight mechanisms that allow AI deployment to scale without accumulating regulatory or reputational exposure.

  • AI use policy and enforcement
  • Output accountability and audit trails
  • Regulatory obligation mapping
  • Vendor assessment process
How it works

What happens, week by week.

The engagement runs for three to four weeks from the point of scoping sign-off. Every stage has a defined output. Nothing is left open-ended.

Week one

Scoping & kickoff

We agree the precise scope, confirm access requirements, and brief the stakeholders we will need to speak with. You receive a project plan.

  • Scoping call and SOW sign-off
  • Stakeholder map agreed
  • Document and access requests sent
  • Project timeline confirmed in writing
Week two

Structured interviews

We work through structured interviews with the people closest to operations in each layer domain — not just leadership. This is where the real picture surfaces.

  • Layer-by-layer interview programme
  • Technical and operational stakeholders
  • Documentation review in parallel
  • Gap hypotheses developed
Week three

Analysis & scoring

We score each layer against defined readiness criteria and map the dependencies between findings. Specific gaps are identified, evidenced, and prioritised.

  • Layer-by-layer readiness scoring
  • Dependency mapping across layers
  • Root cause identification per gap
  • Roadmap sequencing drafted
Week four

Report & readout

You receive the written report. We then deliver a senior readout session — structured for your leadership team, with time for questions and next-step discussion.

  • Written report delivered
  • Senior leadership readout session
  • Q&A and next-step discussion
  • All materials transferred to you
What you receive

Three deliverables. All included. All yours.

Every deliverable is produced by the consultant leading the engagement, not synthesised from a template. The report is specific to your business. The roadmap is sequenced for your situation. The readout is structured for your audience.

Foundation Assessment Report

Written · PDF

A written document covering findings for each of the four foundation layers, specific to your operational state. Not a benchmark comparison — a precise assessment of what exists, what is missing, and what that means for your AI objectives.

  • Layer-by-layer readiness scores with supporting evidence
  • Specific findings per layer — named gaps with root cause analysis
  • Dependency map showing how gaps in lower layers affect higher ones
  • Executive summary suitable for board or investor presentation

Sequenced Action Roadmap

Written · PDF

A prioritised plan for addressing the gaps identified in the assessment, sequenced in the correct layer order. Each item includes the rationale for its position in the sequence — not just what to do, but why it must be done in that order.

  • Prioritised gap list with sequencing rationale per item
  • Indicative effort and complexity for each remediation
  • Dependency flags — items blocked by upstream gaps
  • Decision points requiring board or leadership input

Senior Leadership Readout

Live session · 90 min

A structured session with your leadership team presenting the findings and roadmap in full. We present the report — we do not simply email it. The readout includes time for questions, challenge, and discussion of next steps.

  • Structured walkthrough of findings by layer
  • Facilitated Q&A with leadership team
  • Discussion of roadmap priorities and sequencing decisions
  • Presented by the consultant who conducted the assessment
What findings look like — illustrative examples
Layer 1 — Data Infrastructure

Finding: Customer records are held across three systems with no defined master — CRM, billing platform, and support desk — with no documented reconciliation process. Field definitions for 'customer status' differ across all three. AI tools consuming any of these sources will produce inconsistent outputs that vary by access point.

Readiness score: 2 / 5
Layer 3 — Workflow & Process

Finding: The customer escalation process is documented at flowchart level but the decision criteria for escalation are not written down — they are held by two senior team members. Any AI augmentation of this process will require those criteria to be made explicit before automation is reliable.

Readiness score: 2.5 / 5
Layer 4 — Governance & Risk

Finding: Three AI tools are currently in operational use with no formal adoption process having been followed for any of them. No vendor data handling review has been conducted. In the context of the FCA's current guidance on AI in financial services, this represents an active compliance gap.

Readiness score: 1.5 / 5
What the Foundation Review does not include
  • Recommendations for specific AI vendors, platforms, or tools
  • Implementation planning, project management, or build work
  • Benchmarking against peer organisations or industry averages
  • Legal, regulatory, or compliance advice — we identify gaps, not provide counsel
  • Commitments about what will be delivered by any subsequent engagement
Is it right for you?

The Foundation Review works best in specific circumstances.

Well suited

Clients who get the most from a Foundation Review

Businesses with a concrete AI use case in view — not at the general exploration stage, but with a specific objective they are ready to invest in
Operations or technology leads who suspect AI has underperformed because of an operational gap — not a technology one — and need that evidenced before taking it to leadership
Leadership teams preparing a board-level AI investment case who need an independent assessment to credibility-check their assumptions before committing budget
Businesses whose first AI deployment has underdelivered and whose vendor's explanation does not satisfy them
Organisations in regulated sectors — financial services, professional services, healthcare — where governance and compliance gaps in AI deployment carry specific regulatory risk
Less suited

Where we will tell you the Review is probably not the right step yet

Businesses at the early general exploration stage — if your question is still "should we invest in AI at all?", the Foundation Review addresses a different question
Businesses where senior leadership is not meaningfully involved — the readout requires decision-makers in the room, and the roadmap requires authority to act on it
Organisations where the outcome of the assessment has been predetermined — if the aim is to validate a decision already made rather than honestly assess readiness
Businesses that need implementation help immediately — the Foundation Review produces a plan; it does not execute one
Common questions

What people usually ask before committing.

If your question is not here, ask it during the scoping call. We answer everything directly.

Three to four weeks from engagement start to final readout. The timeline is fixed — we do not extend engagements. The only variable is when we receive documentation and access from your side; the sooner those arrive, the sooner the process runs.
No. The Foundation Review is appropriate both for businesses planning their first significant AI investment and for those who have already begun deployment and want to understand why results are not matching expectations. The starting point changes what the findings look like — not the structure or value of the assessment itself.
We design the engagement to minimise disruption. The main time commitment is the interview programme in week two — typically four to six structured sessions of 60–90 minutes each, with the relevant stakeholders per layer. Beyond that, we need access to existing documentation and systems, not ongoing involvement. The leadership team is required for the readout in week four.
We tell you clearly, and we explain precisely what needs to be in place before the investment will produce the results you are aiming for. That finding has value — it prevents a larger misallocation of budget. The roadmap will sequence the remediation work required and give you a realistic view of what it involves. We do not soften findings to make subsequent work seem more appealing.
None. The Foundation Review is a standalone deliverable. You can act on the roadmap with your own team, with another partner, or with us through a Layer Build programme. The report and all materials produced are yours outright. We do not use proprietary frameworks that require our ongoing presence to interpret or apply.
The consultant you speak with during scoping is the consultant who conducts the assessment and delivers the readout. We do not use junior analysts or subcontractors to conduct the actual diagnostic work. The engagement is senior-led throughout — which is part of why we can keep the scope tight and the timeline fixed.
Yes, and this is one of the most common uses of the report. The executive summary is written specifically for non-technical audiences. The full report is structured so that individual sections can be extracted and shared with relevant stakeholders. We can also deliver a condensed board briefing version of the readout if required — discuss this during scoping.
We invoice 50% on engagement start and 50% on delivery of the written report. Both invoices are due within 14 days. The full price and payment schedule are confirmed in the Statement of Work before any engagement begins. There are no additional charges — the readout session, all report revisions, and all materials are included in the stated price.
Ready to proceed?

Start with a scoping call. No commitment required.

Tell us about your situation using the Get Started form. We will review it and come back to you within one business day to arrange a 30-minute scoping conversation.

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Response within one business day Named consultant, not a team inbox No obligation after scoping call Price confirmed in writing first