---
id: "action-implement-objective-scoring"
type: "action-item"
source_timestamps: ["§ How the Portfolio Runs"]
source_url: "https://hbr.org/2026/01/manage-your-ai-investments-like-a-portfolio"
source_title: "Manage Your AI Investments Like a Portfolio"
tags: ["prioritization", "governance"]
related: ["concept-buy-sell-hold-scoring"]
action: "Rank AI backlog items using objective criteria: strategic alignment, feasibility, risk-reward, and resource requirements."
outcome: "Transforms subjective departmental debates into structured C-suite conversations about trade-offs and resource allocation."
speakers: ["Faisal Hoque", "Erik Nelson", "Tom Davenport", "Paul Scade"]
sources: ["spine"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-spine"
originDay: 1
articleStem: "hbr-foci-61-ai-investments-portfolio"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/01/manage-your-ai-investments-like-a-portfolio"
sourceTitle: "Manage Your AI Investments Like a Portfolio"
---
# Implement Buy/Sell/Hold Scoring for AI Backlogs

> **Action:** Rank AI backlog items using objective criteria — strategic alignment, feasibility, risk-reward, and resource requirements.
> **Outcome:** Transforms subjective departmental debates into structured C-suite conversations about trade-offs and resource allocation.

Operationalizes [[concept-buy-sell-hold-scoring]] — the first of the [[framework-three-portfolio-mechanisms]]. Advance the highest-scoring backlog entries when capacity opens up; re-score during regular portfolio reviews.