The Imbila AI Readiness Assessment is grounded in established frameworks from the world's leading research institutions and consulting firms. We don't reinvent the wheel—we apply proven methodologies used by Fortune 500 companies globally, adapted for the South African context.

Built on Industry-Standard Frameworks

Our assessment methodology aligns with AI readiness frameworks from:

Gartner — Global leader in technology research and advisory
McKinsey & Company — Leading management consulting firm
Deloitte — Big Four professional services firm
Cisco Systems — Global technology infrastructure leader
Microsoft Corporation — Cloud and AI platform provider
UNESCO — United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

These organizations have collectively assessed thousands of companies worldwide, establishing the industry standard for measuring AI readiness.

The Four Pillars of AI Readiness

Our assessment evaluates your organization across four critical dimensions—the same dimensions identified by leading research as essential for successful AI adoption.

1. Strategy & Governance

What we measure: Do you have a clear AI strategy aligned with business priorities? Is there executive sponsorship? Have you identified and prioritized use cases? Do you have governance policies and risk assessments in place?

Why it matters: Organizations without strategic alignment and governance frameworks experience 3x higher AI project failure rates.

Industry validation: This dimension appears in 100% of major frameworks (Gartner's "Strategy & Governance," McKinsey's "Strategy," Deloitte's "Strategic Alignment").

Questions evaluated: 6 questions, maximum 18 points

2. Data & Infrastructure

What we measure: Is your data centralized and accessible? Do you have data quality processes? Are you compliant with POPIA and relevant regulations? Do you have the technical infrastructure to support AI workloads?

Why it matters: Poor data quality is the #1 cited barrier to AI implementation, identified by 34% of organizations globally.

South African context: We specifically evaluate POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act) compliance—a requirement often overlooked by global frameworks.

Industry validation: Cisco, Microsoft, Gartner, and McKinsey all identify data quality and infrastructure as foundational requirements.

Questions evaluated: 5 questions, maximum 15 points

3. People & Capability

What we measure: Does your team have AI skills in-house? Have you provided training? Is there cross-functional collaboration? Do you have a culture that supports experimentation? Do employees understand AI's impact on their roles?

Why it matters: 86% of organizations cite lack of skills and organizational readiness as barriers to AI adoption.

Industry validation: Deloitte's research shows that "Transformers" (successful AI adopters) invest 2-3x more in capability building than "Starters."

Questions evaluated: 5 questions, maximum 15 points

4. Execution & Measurement

What we measure: Have you successfully implemented AI in production? Do you measure ROI and business impact? Can you scale successful pilots? Can you iterate and improve based on feedback?

Why it matters: Gartner research shows that 45% of high-maturity organizations keep AI projects operational for 3+ years, compared to only 20% of low-maturity organizations.

Industry validation: The ability to execute and measure results separates successful AI adopters from those stuck in "pilot purgatory."

Questions evaluated: 4 questions, maximum 12 points

Your AI Maturity Stage

Based on your total score (0-60 points), we classify your organization into one of four maturity stages. These stages align with the progression models used by Microsoft, Deloitte, and Gartner.

Stage 0: Exploring (0-15 points)

You're in the very early stages of AI adoption with scattered experiments and little coordination. You need foundational work on strategy, data, and governance before major AI investments.

Industry benchmark: ~20-25% of organizations

Recommended action: Start with an AI Readiness Assessment to build your roadmap

Stage 1: Experimenting (16-30 points)

You have some AI activity, but it's uncoordinated. Heroic individual efforts with no clear ROI. You're experiencing "AI Chaos"—the most common stage for organizations today.

Industry benchmark: ~60-70% of organizations (Cisco 2024 AI Readiness Index)

Recommended action: Engage Fractional AI Leadership to organize efforts and build structured capability

Stage 2: Structured Adoption (31-45 points)

You're making real progress with governance frameworks and successful implementations. You have the foundation but need to scale what works and optimize performance.

Industry benchmark: ~10-15% of organizations

Recommended action: Focus on AI Implementation & Integration for priority use cases

Stage 3: Scaling & Optimizing (46-60 points)

You're ahead of the curve with mature AI practices, clear ROI, and scaling capabilities. You maintain AI projects in production for 3+ years and continuously optimize.

Industry benchmark: ~2-5% of organizations (Cisco: only 14% globally are "fully ready")

Recommended action: Consider Enterprise AI Platform for organization-wide deployment

Research Validation

Global Statistics That Inform Our Assessment:

Cisco AI Readiness Index (2024):

• Only 14% of organizations worldwide are fully prepared to integrate AI
• 86% of organizations need structured readiness assessments
• Data quality and infrastructure are top implementation barriers

Gartner Research (2025):

• 45% of high-maturity organizations keep AI projects running for 3+ years
• 91% of high-maturity organizations have dedicated AI leaders
• Organizations that measure AI success through multiple metrics achieve better outcomes

McKinsey Global Survey (2023):

• 70% of AI initiatives fail to move beyond pilot stage
• Organizations with cross-functional AI teams are 2x more likely to succeed
• Strategic alignment is the #1 predictor of AI success

Why Our Assessment is Different

Adapted for South Africa

Unlike generic global assessments, we incorporate:

POPIA Compliance — Protection of Personal Information Act requirements
Local Infrastructure Context — Understanding SA's connectivity and cloud constraints
Budget Realities — Practical recommendations for resource-constrained environments
Industry Relevance — Examples from South African companies across sectors

Fast & Actionable

3-5 minutes to complete — We respect your time
Instant results — See your score, stage, and gap analysis immediately
Personalized recommendations — Specific next steps based on your weakest areas
No fluff — Direct, practical guidance you can act on

Benchmarked & Transparent

Clear scoring methodology — Every question has defined point values
Section-level insights — See exactly where your gaps are
Industry comparison — Understand how you compare to peers
Honest assessment — Most organizations score Stage 1 (16-30), and that's okay

How We Keep Our Assessment Current

We commit to continuous improvement and validation:

Annual Framework Review — Update based on latest research from Gartner, McKinsey, Deloitte, and others

Benchmark Updates — Incorporate new industry statistics and trends

Regulatory Monitoring — Stay current with POPIA, EU AI Act, NIST AI RMF, and other emerging standards

Client Feedback — Refine questions based on real-world assessment results

South African Context — Monitor local AI adoption trends and challenges

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this assessment scientifically valid?

Yes. Our methodology is based on peer-reviewed research and frameworks used by thousands of organizations globally. Every question maps to dimensions validated by academic studies and industry practice.

How does it compare to Gartner or McKinsey assessments?

Our 4-pillar framework directly aligns with Gartner's 7-dimension model and McKinsey's 5-dimension framework. We've synthesized the best of multiple frameworks into a practical 20-question assessment that takes 3 minutes instead of 3 hours.

Why only 20 questions?

Research shows that comprehensive assessments need 15-40 questions to cover critical dimensions. We chose 20 as the optimal balance: thorough enough to provide meaningful insights, short enough to respect your time.

Can I trust my results?

Your score is based on your honest answers about your current state. The assessment doesn't judge—it helps you see clearly where you are and what to focus on next. Most organizations score Stage 1 (16-30 points), which is completely normal.

What happens with my assessment data?

We store your results securely and use aggregate, anonymized data to improve our benchmarks. Your specific responses are never shared with third parties.

How is this different from free online quizzes?

Most "AI readiness quizzes" are lead-gen tools with arbitrary scoring. Ours is based on established research, provides section-level gap analysis, and offers industry-benchmarked insights. The methodology is transparent and defensible.

Can my team take this together?

Yes! We recommend having multiple stakeholders (executives, IT leaders, business unit heads) take the assessment individually, then compare results to see where perceptions differ.

Who Should Take This Assessment?

Enterprise Organizations:

• CEOs and executives exploring AI strategy
• CIOs and CTOs planning AI initiatives
• Business unit leaders identifying opportunities

Mid-Market Companies:

• Leadership teams building AI capability
• Operations managers seeking efficiency gains
• Innovation leaders exploring competitive advantage

Professional Services & Consultancies:

• Firms evaluating AI for client delivery
• Agencies modernizing service offerings
• Independent consultants exploring AI leverage

Ready to Assess Your AI Readiness?

Take the 3-minute assessment and discover where you stand—and what to do next.

Start Your Assessment →

Learn More About AI Adoption

Articles & Resources:

The Playbook for AI Leadership: Key Takeaways from OpenAI’s Guide

AI Strategy & Implementation That Delivers ROI

Imbila.AICraig Leppan (Imbila)

The Rise of the Chief AI Officer: From Experiment to Imperative

NTT’s recent decision to appoint Abhijit Dubey as both CEO and Chief AI Officer marks a new phase in corporate leadership. It’s a public signal that AI is no longer a technical layer managed at the edges of an organisation—it has moved to the centre of business

Imbila.AICraig Leppan (Imbila)

The GenAI Divide: Why 95% of Enterprise AI Pilots Are Failing

AI Strategy & Implementation That Delivers ROI

Imbila.AICraig Leppan (Imbila)

Services:

• Enterprise AI Services — Assessment, Fractional Leadership, Implementation
• Studio Services — For independent consultants and small businesses
• Imbila Dojo — Free resources and community

References & Research

Our methodology draws from the following sources:

1. Gartner Inc. (2025). AI Maturity Model and AI Roadmap Toolkit.
2. McKinsey & Company (2023). The AI Adoption Curve: Industry Trends and Insights. McKinsey Digital.
3. Deloitte Insights (2024). AI Readiness Framework: Governance, Ethics, and Compliance.
4. Cisco Systems (2024). AI Readiness Index Global Survey.
5. Microsoft Corporation (2024). A Strategic Approach to Assessing Your AI Readiness. Microsoft Cloud Blog.
6. UNESCO (2023). Readiness Assessment Methodology: Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.
7. Cisco (2024). Global AI Readiness Report: Only 14% of Organizations Fully Prepared.
8. Gartner (2025). Survey: 45% of High-Maturity Organizations Keep AI Projects Operational 3+ Years.

Questions about our methodology? Contact us →