Workflow diagnostic
What Is a Workflow Diagnostic, and What Do You Get at the End?
A workflow diagnostic is a short assessment of one repeated business process before any software is proposed. Praeco maps the current steps, handoffs, bottlenecks and approval points, then identifies possible changes.
What it examines
What does a workflow diagnostic examine?
It examines what starts the work, who touches it, where information changes hands, which steps repeat and who approves the result.
Deliverables
What do you receive at the end?
Every first diagnostic includes written outputs that an owner or operations lead can use.
Written diagnostic outputs
Build / stop / test-first
Workflow mapCurrent steps, handoffs, inputs, outputs and approval points
Bottleneck listWhere work waits, repeats, breaks or depends on unclear information
ShortlistPossible process, ownership, document or software changes
RecommendationBuild, stop or test the difficult step first under a separate paid scope
Human responsibilityCommercial commitments, professional judgement, exceptions and final release
DecisionThe client can act on the written map, bottlenecks and shortlist without committing to software.
Worth diagnosing
Which workflows are worth diagnosing?
- Work that happens often and follows a recognisable pattern
- Tender responses and proposals
- Document-heavy work in architecture and interior design firms
- Work that takes real effort to review, correct or chase
What it is not
What is a workflow diagnostic not?
- It is not a promise to automate the whole process.
- It is not a software sale disguised as an assessment.
- Sometimes a smaller process change is enough.
- Sometimes the sensible answer is not to build.
After the diagnostic
What happens after the diagnostic?
Praeco's first diagnostic is free. Its purpose is to decide whether there is a case for further work.
If there is, Praeco may propose a separate paid test using real or anonymised examples. In a proposal workflow, for example, that test could check whether approved project evidence can be matched to the right questions while missing documents are clearly flagged.
Hands-on testing with files, software proof, build and handover are not included in the free diagnostic. They are separately scoped and paid, with their own boundaries, price and approval. The client can stop after the diagnostic.
Start here
Send the messy workflow.
You do not need a polished brief. Send where the work starts, who touches it, where it breaks, and what a useful output looks like.
What Praeco replies with
1. Not worth automating
2. Prove hard part first
3. Scope a 4–6 week build
4. Keep human review gates
Email the workflow
No mail app? Copy the four prompts and send them to [email protected].