ROI with honest assumptions
ROI stories sell internally until cash fails to arrive. Tie benefits to measurable baselines—hours saved × loaded wage, defect reduction × warranty cost—not wishful multiples.
Time horizon
Payback in eighteen months reads differently than ROI averaged over five years. State the window and when costs are incurred (year zero vs spread).
Sensitivity
Which input moves the outcome most? If ROI only works when conversion doubles, leadership needs that fragility on slide two, not in the appendix.
Not a commitment
Simulated ROI is a decision support memo. Capital allocation still needs governance, contracts, and post-implementation tracking against the original model.