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Patricio Rivera

Diagnostic Sprint

An operating assessment compressed into 1 to 2 weeks. Scan of the system, identification of the highest-leverage failure modes, and a signed 30/90 execution plan on exit. Decision-grade output — not a deck.

1–2 weeks·Project fee·ENTRY
Scoped after intake call
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When this is the right call

You are uncertain on two axes — what is actually wrong inside the organization, and whether engaging an outside operator is the right next move. Both are normal starting states. The Diagnostic Sprint exists to close them in two weeks, with a signed plan to act on.

  • ─Priorities feel reactive but you cannot say why.
  • ─Outputs feel thin and you cannot point at the bottleneck.
  • ─You suspect you need outside help but cannot tell what kind.
  • ─A board meeting, fundraise, or major initiative is approaching and you want a defensible read.
  • ─The team agrees something is off, but each function tells a different story about it.
  • ─You have ideas about what to fix, but no confidence in the priority order.

If you already know what is broken and need it fixed, go straight to Operating Rollout or a Special Project.

What you walk away with

  1. 01/04Day 1

    Intake and access

    Kickoff. Stakeholder shortlist confirmed, artefact access granted, scoping questions aligned. Engagement clock starts.

  2. 02/04Days 2–5

    Scan

    Structured interviews with four to six stakeholders. Artefact review: workflows, tooling, recent incident logs, KPI history. First pattern draft by end of week one.

    • ─System map
  3. 03/04Days 5–8

    Synthesis

    System map, failure mode identification, constraint inventory. Highest-leverage interventions prioritized by impact, risk reduction, effort, and dependency.

    • ─Failure mode analysis
    • ─Constraint inventory
    • ─Prioritized operating backlog
  4. 04/04Days 9–10

    30/90 plan and readout

    Executable plan with sequencing, owners, and success criteria. Live readout with the decision owner. Report signed before exit.

    • ─30/90 execution plan
    • ─Executive summary

The signed plan is the input to the next engagement — an installation, a Special Project, or your own team.

Outcomes

  • ─All key stakeholders interviewed within the first five business days.
  • ─30/90 plan delivered and signed within the agreed two-week window.
  • ─At least three high-leverage interventions identified with priority, owner candidate, and success criteria.
  • ─The decision owner confirms at readout that the plan is executable immediately — not a list of ideas.

What you commit to

Inputs

  1. 01Access to four to six key stakeholders for structured interviews during the engagement window.
  2. 02Read access to project management, documentation, and monitoring tools.
  3. 03A named decision owner available for kickoff, mid-point alignment, and readout.
  4. 04Sub-48h response on artefact requests during the two-week window.

What this is not

Out of scope

  1. 01Implementation of any recommendation — the Diagnostic Sprint produces the plan, not the execution.
  2. 02Tool procurement, license purchase, or tool selection.
  3. 03Ongoing advisory, retainer, or post-readout support beyond one clarification session.

Start with a scoping conversation.

A 30-minute call to confirm fit, map constraints, and propose the smallest viable scope for this engagement. If the context is not right for what we do, we say so before the call ends.

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