EC-301b · Module 3

The Comparable Example

3 min read

Third-party case studies and peer examples are the most efficient form of credibility in a business case. An executive cannot argue with what another organization achieved. They can only argue with whether that organization is truly comparable. Your job is to establish comparability and let the evidence carry the weight.

The over-claiming problem: citing 'Company Y achieved $50M in savings from AI automation' when Company Y is a 50,000-person enterprise and you are a 500-person company. The scale mismatch invalidates the comparison without additional context, and a finance-literate executive will call it out immediately.

The right approach is to establish comparability before citing the result. 'An organization comparable in size, industry, and process complexity achieved [result range] over [time period], per [source]. We believe our situation is comparable based on [specific dimensions of comparability].'

Do not claim more than the example supports. If the case study reports a 15–30% range, use 'in the 15–30% range' — not '30%.' If the case study is from an adjacent industry, say 'adjacent industry' — not your industry. Precision in citation is credibility. Imprecision is a vulnerability.

Do This

  • "An organization comparable in size and industry achieved cost reductions in the 15–25% range, per published case study [Appendix C]"
  • State the specific dimensions of comparability: "comparable in employee count, geographic footprint, and process type"
  • Use ranges from the source, not the top of the range: "15–25%" not "25%"
  • Cite the source with enough specificity that a skeptical reader can find it

Avoid This

  • "Company X saved $50M" — without establishing whether Company X is comparable to your organization
  • "Industry leaders have achieved significant savings from AI" — vague and unverifiable
  • "Studies show AI reduces costs by 30%" — no source, no context, no credibility
  • "Based on analyst projections" — analyst projections are not case study evidence