Author and editorial responsibility
Tim Jamboula, Founder of Corporathon. Last reviewed 24 August 2026.
Summary
Most AI training fails on preparation, not on the trainer. Clarify roles, processes, data approval and an owner first, and you get a program that still works after 30 days. This checklist makes a company's readiness measurable before budget flows, and sorts whether classic training is enough or a hands-on hackathon is the stronger first step.
Table of contents
- The real question before booking
- The four readiness dimensions
- The checklist as a score
- Decision framework: training, hackathon, or clean up first
- Honest cost logic
- A worked ROI example (model)
- EU AI Act: what to document
- What to do next
- FAQ
1. The real question before booking
"Which AI training is right for us" is the second question. The first is: are we even ready to act on it? A perfect seminar delivered to a team with no approved data, no named owner and no concrete process mostly produces notes. Readiness decides the return, not the provider name.
A program is only as good as the process it is applied to. Without a real case, any training stays theory. – Tim Jamboula, Founder of Corporathon
2. The four readiness dimensions
| Dimension | What is checked | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| People | baseline, time budget, owner named | no owner, no transfer after the session |
| Processes | one concrete recurring pain is named | application needs a real target |
| Data | approval possible in principle, GDPR frame clear | building on the real case needs real data |
| Goal | measurable "different afterwards", not just "know more" | defines training vs hackathon |
3. The checklist as a score
Give one point per yes. The total gives a rough placement.
People
- There is a named owner who carries the result forward.
- Participants have a real weekly time budget for application.
- At least one subject-matter expert per target process takes part.
- Leadership visibly backs the program.
Processes
- A recurring manual process is named concretely.
- The process costs measurable time (hours per week known).
- There is no blocker that legally prohibits implementation.
Data
- Relevant data is findable and can be approved in principle.
- The GDPR framework for use is clarified.
- Access to the necessary systems can be arranged.
Goal and record
- The desired result is framed as "different afterwards".
- A success criterion is measurable (time, errors, throughput).
- The competence record for the EU AI Act is a goal.
Scoring: 11 to 13 yes means ready for a hands-on hackathon. 7 to 10 yes means training as the entry point, then hackathon. Below 7 means clarify basics and data questions first.
Let's work out your readiness score together
Two paths, depending on maturity level.
- Book directly: Book a discovery call. 30 minutes, we go through the checklist on your own case.
- Read first: Enter your email and get the checklist as a fillable PDF plus ROI template. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
4. Decision framework: training, hackathon, or clean up first
Visualisation: readiness score against recommended format (schematic, illustration without measured values).
Format
Hackathon | ##### (11 to 13 yes)
|
Training | ##### (7 to 10 yes)
first |
|
Clean up | ##### (under 7 yes)
first |
+--------------------------------------> Readiness score
low medium high
5. Honest cost logic
A flat price per head sounds convenient, but it hides the real drivers.
- Group size and format. An awareness day for 30 people costs differently than a focused sprint for two teams.
- Preparation. Data approval, scope and access are effort before the session and part of the value.
- Depth of result. Pure knowledge is cheaper than a prototype with a handoff.
- Follow-up. Anyone who takes adoption seriously plans in rebuild weeks.
We quote prices personally. The right scope emerges in conversation, from these variables.
6. A worked ROI example (model)
Purely illustrative model, replace it with your own numbers. Say five clerks each spend three hours per week on a manual quoting process.
- Starting load: 3 hours × 5 people = 15 hours per week.
- A hackathon prototype removes two thirds of that: 10 hours saved per week.
- Across 45 working weeks: 450 hours per year.
- At a 55 EUR internal hourly rate: roughly 24,750 EUR of modelled annual value in this one process.
The figure is not a guarantee and not a client number. It shows the order of magnitude against which a one-off investment can honestly be tested.
7. EU AI Act: what to document
Since 2 February 2025, Article 4 requires sufficient, role-based AI literacy. Record participants, roles, content, and any resulting artifact. This can evidence a competence measure but is not an official certificate and does not guarantee automatic compliance. The company itself must assess whether this is adequate.
8. What to do next
Pull the score honestly. High readiness: straight into a hackathon, knowledge and application in one step, one week from first contact to prototype. Medium readiness: a compact training first, then the hackathon. Low readiness: fix owner, process and data approval first, otherwise you are paying for notes.
Next step
- Book directly: Book a discovery call. We check your readiness against a real process.
- Read first: Enter your email and get the readiness checklist as a PDF. Double opt-in, unsubscribe any time.
Related terms
AI hackathon · AI adoption · AI training vs AI hackathon · AI training cost · EU AI Act
FAQ
How do we know we are ready for AI training? Four things: a named owner, a concrete process with pain, data that can be approved in principle, and a measurable goal. If one is missing, fix it first, otherwise the program fizzles.
How many employees should attend? For awareness the group can be large. For a hackathon, focused teams of a few people per challenge beat a broad mass without a concrete case.
What happens to our company data? In the hackathon you build on your data in your environment, with the frame agreed up front. You control access and approvals, and the results stay with you.
Is the checklist enough as an EU AI Act record? No. It helps you prepare. Article 4 turns on the documented, role-appropriate adequacy of the overall program, which the company owns.
Legal note: A documented AI training or hackathon can evidence AI literacy measures, but are not an officially mandated certificate and do not automatically guarantee compliance with Article 4.