Is the thing slowing you down actually fixable — or is this just how business is?

Before you start

A few things worth knowing:

• This looks at one process, not your whole business.
• It takes about 15–18 minutes. You can go back without losing answers.
• Best estimates are fine everywhere — you can select "not sure" whenever you don't have exact numbers.
• A person reviews every report before you receive it, usually the same day or next business day.

Which process is causing you the most frustration right now?

Define where this process starts and ends

This helps keep the diagnosis focused on the right stretch of work.

What specific event starts this process? What result marks this process as complete? Who or what receives the final result?

Map the major steps

Now list the major steps between the start and the finish. Short phrases are fine — you don't need any special process language. Most businesses have 5 to 8 major steps.

+ Add step

Flow markers

Using the steps you just listed, tell us where things happen. Choose "Not sure" if you genuinely don't know.

At which step does work typically wait the longest before someone acts on it? At which step do errors or corrections most often show up? At which step do you (the owner) typically get pulled in? At which step do customers or employees most often ask for a status update? Which step generates the most complaints or confusion, in your experience?

Core flow diagnosis

12 quick questions about how this process actually behaves. There's a "not sure" option on every question — use it whenever it's genuinely true.

Impact estimates

Best estimates are fine — nothing here needs to be exact. Select "not sure" wherever you don't track it.

One part deserves a closer look

Based on your answers, one part of this process deserves a closer look. There are no right answers here — specific examples will make the diagnosis more useful than general statements.