C21 · proof of concept

The scope diagnostic.

A short diagnostic to run on a specific engagement — one you have commissioned, one you have been pitched, one you are considering. Five questions, about two minutes. The output is a reading of what that engagement's shape is capable of producing. Not a verdict; a description. The diagnostic works on any consulting arrangement, not only the kind of work described elsewhere on this site.

Question 1 of 5

Question 1 What is the primary deliverable the engagement is commissioned to produce?

A research report summarizing findings from primary interviews. A strategic framework, plan, or architecture document. A fundraising plan, case for support, or funder-facing proposal. More than one of these, delivered as distinct artifacts.

Three possible readings. The one you get is a description of what the scope can produce and what it can't. It isn't a judgement about the engagement or the people running it — most engagements in the industry cover one or two legs, not three. The diagnostic's usefulness is in naming which.

Source. Diagnostic derived from the three-part method described on this site. The questions map to common structural features of consulting scopes of work: deliverable type, primary-research phase, end point, fee structure, and relationship ownership. No empirical claim attached — this is a reasoning tool, not a measurement.

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