The hub · method
The DRIVE method: five phases from idea to value.
Diagnose, Resource, Implement, Validate, Expand. A cycle, not a line. Every life cycle runs inside it.
Updated
Five phases
What each phase does, and the tool you use.
From The AI Flywheel, Chapters 9 to 13.
- D
Diagnose
Pick the right opportunity, pass the data gate and write success first.
- Opportunity Selection Matrix
- Data-Readiness Checklist
- Success-Definition One-Pager
Ch 9
- R
Resource
A small, right team and a neutral architecture. Own the road, rent the car.
- Build-vs-Buy Decision Aid
- Architecture-Neutrality Checklist
Ch 10
- I
Implement
Redesign the workflow and build to production grade. Bring the people along.
- Implementation Readiness Checklist
- Agent Operating Model
Ch 11
- V
Validate
Measure honestly against the baseline. For agents, keep watching.
- Validation Scorecard
- Honest-ROI Horizon
Ch 12
- E
Expand
Standardise the win and feed the next turn. Scale the recipe, not the hero.
- Pilot-to-Platform Expansion Checklist
- Next-Turn Worksheet
Ch 13
The four life cycles (MDLC, GDLC, ADLC, RDLC) are DRIVE made specific for each stage. Learn it in DRIVE Implementer (C4).
Quick answers
DRIVE, answered.
What is the DRIVE method?
DRIVE is the AI Flywheel's five-phase method for turning an AI opportunity into value: Diagnose, Resource, Implement, Validate, Expand. It is a cycle, not a line, and every stage's life cycle (MDLC, GDLC, ADLC, RDLC) runs inside it (The AI Flywheel, Ch 3).
What are the five DRIVE phases?
Diagnose picks the right opportunity, checks the data and writes success first. Resource sets a small, right team and a neutral architecture. Implement redesigns the workflow to production grade. Validate measures honestly. Expand standardises the win and feeds the next turn.
Next
CORE, an AI governance framework: the unlock, not the brake.
Four pillars that run across every stage. The weakest pillar sets your trust ceiling.