Constraint Map
Visual overview of your Value Stream and Capability Lens, highlighting blocked and constrained areas.
Getting Started
Ready to identify what’s blocking your AI value delivery? The AIVA assessment provides a structured way to diagnose constraints and prioritize improvements.
What is the AIVA Assessment?
Section titled “What is the AIVA Assessment?”The AIVA assessment evaluates your organization across the six capability layers and four value stream phases. It identifies:
- Current flow states - Where is work flowing? Where is it blocked?
- Capability constraints - Which capabilities are limiting throughput?
- Priority interventions - What should you address first for maximum impact?
- Benchmark comparisons - How do you compare to similar organizations?
Who Should Take the Assessment?
Section titled “Who Should Take the Assessment?”The AIVA assessment is designed for cross-functional participation. Different perspectives provide a more complete picture.
Recommended Participants
Section titled “Recommended Participants”| Role | Value Contributed |
|---|---|
| Engineering Leadership | Technical platform, delivery flow, ways of working |
| Product Leadership | Discovery process, validation, strategy alignment |
| Data/ML Leadership | Technical capabilities, skills, infrastructure |
| Operations/Platform | Foundations, governance, external interfaces |
| Executive Sponsor | Strategy, culture, organizational context |
Team Size Considerations
Section titled “Team Size Considerations”| Organization Size | Recommended Approach |
|---|---|
| < 50 people | 3-5 key leaders complete assessment together |
| 50-200 people | Department heads + 2-3 individual contributors per area |
| 200+ people | Sample across business units; aggregate for org-wide view |
What to Expect
Section titled “What to Expect”Time Commitment
Section titled “Time Commitment”| Activity | Duration |
|---|---|
| Initial Assessment | 30-45 minutes per participant |
| Results Review | 60 minutes (group discussion recommended) |
| Intervention Planning | 60-90 minutes (follow-up session) |
Assessment Flow
Section titled “Assessment Flow”- Context Setting - Basic information about your organization and AI initiatives
- Capability Evaluation - Assess each of the six capability layers
- Flow Assessment - Evaluate the state of each value stream phase
- Priority Identification - Flag areas of greatest concern or opportunity
- Results & Recommendations - AI-assisted analysis and suggested interventions
How Assessment Works
Section titled “How Assessment Works”Capability Layers
Section titled “Capability Layers”For each capability layer, you’ll evaluate five dimensions. Each dimension is assessed on a scale that reflects both presence and effectiveness.
Example: Technical Platform - Data Platform
- How accessible is data for new AI initiatives?
- How long does it take to get data access for a new project?
- What percentage of data quality issues block AI work?
Value Stream Phases
Section titled “Value Stream Phases”For each phase, you’ll identify the current flow state:
| State | Description |
|---|---|
| Blocked | Work cannot proceed; critical blockers exist |
| Constrained | Work proceeds slowly; bottlenecks limit throughput |
| Flowing | Work moves steadily; predictable delivery |
| Accelerated | Work moves faster than baseline; improvements compound |
AI-Assisted Analysis
Section titled “AI-Assisted Analysis”GuideMode uses AI to:
- Identify patterns across responses
- Highlight discrepancies between perspectives
- Suggest prioritized interventions based on constraint analysis
- Provide benchmarks from similar organizations
After the Assessment
Section titled “After the Assessment”Results You’ll Receive
Section titled “Results You’ll Receive”Priority Matrix
Recommended interventions ranked by impact and feasibility.
Benchmark Comparison
How your organization compares to similar companies on key dimensions.
Action Plan
Specific next steps for addressing top-priority constraints.
Recommended Next Steps
Section titled “Recommended Next Steps”- Review results with stakeholders - Ensure shared understanding of constraints
- Select 1-2 priority interventions - Focus on the current constraint (Theory of Constraints)
- Define success metrics - How will you know if the intervention worked?
- Set review cadence - Schedule follow-up assessment (typically 90 days)
- Connect GuideMode analytics - Track delivery flow in real-time
Connecting to GuideMode Analytics
Section titled “Connecting to GuideMode Analytics”The AIVA assessment provides diagnostic insight. GuideMode analytics provides ongoing measurement.
Integration Benefits
Section titled “Integration Benefits”| Assessment | Analytics |
|---|---|
| Point-in-time diagnosis | Continuous measurement |
| Qualitative (perception) | Quantitative (behavior) |
| Cross-functional view | Team-level detail |
| Strategic constraints | Tactical bottlenecks |
What GuideMode Tracks
Section titled “What GuideMode Tracks”- Discovery Flow - Research validation rates, discovery duration, handoff times
- Delivery Flow - Cycle time, PR efficiency, deployment frequency
- Deployment Flow - DORA metrics with industry benchmarks
- Team Health - Survey feedback, engagement, satisfaction
Starting Your Assessment
Section titled “Starting Your Assessment”Sign Up for GuideMode
Create a GuideMode account to access the AIVA assessment and ongoing analytics. Create account
Explore the Framework
Learn more about the Value Stream and Capability Lens before taking the assessment. Value Stream →
Frequently Asked Questions
Section titled “Frequently Asked Questions”How often should we reassess?
Section titled “How often should we reassess?”We recommend reassessing quarterly. This cadence allows enough time to implement interventions while maintaining momentum. Some organizations prefer monthly check-ins on specific dimensions.
Can we assess individual teams separately?
Section titled “Can we assess individual teams separately?”Yes. For larger organizations, team-level assessments can reveal variation in constraints. The platform supports both organization-wide and team-specific views.
How is the assessment data used?
Section titled “How is the assessment data used?”Your assessment data is used to:
- Generate your results and recommendations
- Provide anonymized benchmarks (if you opt in)
- Improve AI-assisted analysis (aggregate patterns only)
Your specific responses are never shared with other organizations.
What if different participants have different perspectives?
Section titled “What if different participants have different perspectives?”This is expected and valuable. Discrepancies between perspectives often highlight communication gaps or different experiences within the organization. The analysis surfaces these differences as discussion points.
Do we need to connect integrations before assessing?
Section titled “Do we need to connect integrations before assessing?”No. The assessment is standalone and can be completed without connecting GitHub, Jira, or other tools. However, connecting integrations enables ongoing analytics that complements assessment insights.
Next Steps
Section titled “Next Steps”- Value Stream - Deep-dive into the four phases
- Capability Lens - Understand the six layers
- Why Acceleration - The philosophy behind AIVA
- Analytics Overview - GuideMode’s flow analytics