AACF
Strategy & Value ยท STR-04

Organisation-level value case

The organisation has stated the value it expects from AI across its work, by type of value, with the assumptions behind each estimate written down.

Why it matters

An organisation-level value case lets leaders judge whether the overall investment is worth making and which kinds of value to pursue first. Writing the assumptions down means they can be tested later, so the case improves rather than becoming a figure nobody can check.

Levels
0 AbsentConfirmed absent: the evidence shows nothing is in place. Not known is recorded as insufficient evidence, not 0.
1 InitialNo organisation-level view of expected value; benefits are claimed use by use, if at all.
2 DevelopingExpected value is described in general terms, without estimates, assumptions or a split by type of value.
3 DefinedAn approved, owned value case states the gains expected from AI and the assumptions behind them, and is used in strategy and funding decisions.
4 ManagedThe value case is compared with tracked benefits from live uses, and assumptions that prove wrong are reported and corrected.
5 OptimisingThe value case is refined each cycle from measured outcomes, and its accuracy over time is itself tracked.
Level 3 criteria

Level 3 is met when every applicable criterion is met. Criteria marked with an overlay apply only to organisations with that characteristic (overlays).

  1. STR-04.1 An approved value case sets out the efficiency, quality, service and capability gains expected from AI.
  2. STR-04.2 The value case states the assumptions behind the expected gains.
  3. STR-04.3 The value case has a named owner.
  4. STR-04.4 Strategy and funding decisions refer to the value case.
Assessment questions
  • What value does the organisation expect from AI overall, and of what kinds?
  • What assumptions sit behind those estimates, and who owns them?
  • When did you last check the value case against what live uses have actually delivered?
Evidence an assessor would expect
  • The organisation-level value case, with assumptions recorded
  • Strategy or funding papers that draw on it
  • A comparison of the value case with tracked benefits
How to reach Level 3
  1. Estimate the value expected from AI under four headings: efficiency, quality, service and capability.
  2. Write down the assumptions behind each estimate, including what the comparison is and how confident the estimate is.
  3. Name an owner for the value case and get it approved alongside the AI ambition (STR-01).
  4. Use the value case when making strategy and funding decisions (STR-03), and set up tracking of whether benefits arrive through MON-03.

Common pitfalls

  • Counting only time saved and ignoring quality, service and capability gains.
  • Leaving assumptions unstated, so estimates cannot be challenged or checked later.

Starter artefacts

  • Organisation-level AI value case with assumptions log
  • Value type definitions for efficiency, quality, service and capability
Ownership and sequence
Accountable
executive sponsor
Contributors
business owner, ai governance lead
Depends on
STR-01
Roadmap step
3
Lifecycle
strategy
Cross-references
MITRE AI Maturity ModelP2.1 partial; P6.1 partial
NIST AI RMF 1.0MAP 1.4 partial; MAP 3.1 partial
UNESCO AI Maturity Framework1.4 partial

direct: this control at Level 3 meets the item. partial: it covers part of it.