What does the SYS Readiness Check measure?

Delivery risk across 5 dimensions: Definition Clarity, System Structure, Validation Readiness, Change Exposure, and Execution Control. 12 questions, scored 0-4.

Is the SYS Readiness Check free?

Yes. Completely free. No registration or email required. Instant result.

Who created the SYS Readiness Check?

Andrew Michelis, a PMP-certified systems integration specialist with 15+ years in technical delivery leadership.

◦ Diagnostic Tools Readiness Check· 48h Review· Sample work

SYS Lane · Systems / Integration / Validation

Systems Readiness Check

A structured diagnostic intake that surfaces your system's instability patterns across five key dimensions — in under 8 minutes.

questions

<8 min

to complete

Free

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Your answers score across five dimensions: Definition Clarity, System Structure & Interfaces, Validation & Readiness, Execution Control, and Change / Risk Exposure.

This is not a quiz — it is a structured diagnostic. Answer based on your current reality, not how you would like things to be.

1Do the key stakeholders agree on what problem is actually being solved and what success looks like?

Problem definition and success criteria are written, shared, and actively referenced. 4 Mostly aligned. A few stakeholders interpret success slightly differently. 3 There's a shared surface-level goal, but concrete criteria are missing. 2 Different stakeholders have meaningfully different views on what success means. 1 The problem definition is unclear or actively contested. 0

2Are the main system boundaries and interfaces visible enough that people can name where handoffs happen?

System boundaries and handoff points are documented and referenced regularly. 4 Key boundaries are understood, but some are informal or only in people's heads. 3 Some interfaces are defined, but gaps create coordination friction. 2 Boundaries are mostly implied; handoffs happen through habit or heroics. 1 System boundaries are not clearly defined. 0

3Is there a clear owner for each critical interface or cross-functional dependency?

Each critical interface has a named, accountable owner. 4 Most interfaces have owners; a few are informally assigned. 3 Ownership is shared or unclear for several important interfaces. 2 Ownership is mostly assumed or inherited; accountability is weak. 1 Interface ownership is not explicitly defined. 0

4Are the most important assumptions documented rather than living only in conversations or memory?

Key assumptions are documented, versioned, and regularly reviewed. 4 Most important assumptions are written down, though not systematically maintained. 3 Some assumptions are written; others exist only in people's minds. 2 Most assumptions are implicit and shared only through informal communication. 1 Assumptions are not documented at all. 0

5Can the team explain what evidence would prove the system is ready for the next milestone or release?

Readiness criteria are explicit, agreed upon, and tied to specific evidence. 4 Readiness criteria exist but are not fully agreed upon or consistently applied. 3 There is a rough sense of what 'ready' means, but it is not formally defined. 2 Readiness is judged intuitively, varying by person or context. 1 The team cannot clearly articulate what milestone readiness looks like. 0

6Are validation responsibilities explicit — including who checks what and when?

Validation responsibilities are documented, assigned, and actively tracked. 4 Most validation responsibilities are assigned, with some informal coverage gaps. 3 Validation is partially planned; gaps exist in coverage or timing. 2 Validation is ad hoc; responsibility is assumed rather than assigned. 1 Validation responsibilities are not explicitly defined. 0

7When something changes, is the impact on dependent components or teams visible quickly enough to act?

Change impact is tracked systematically; affected teams are notified promptly. 4 Impact is usually visible, though detection sometimes lags by a day or two. 3 Impact is sometimes visible, but dependencies are not always understood upfront. 2 Change impact is often discovered reactively, after problems have already surfaced. 1 There is no clear mechanism to see downstream impact when something changes. 0

8Does the team have an explicit list of the top blockers, risks, or unresolved decisions affecting progress?

A maintained risk/blocker list exists, is regularly reviewed, and drives prioritisation. 4 A list exists but is not consistently updated or actively used in planning. 3 Blockers and risks are discussed in meetings but not formally tracked. 2 Blockers are known informally to a few individuals but not captured collectively. 1 There is no shared list of blockers, risks, or unresolved decisions. 0

9Can a technically literate person understand the current system state from artifacts rather than many meetings?

Yes. Current system state is captured in up-to-date, accessible artifacts. 4 Mostly. Key context is in artifacts, though some important pieces require conversations. 3 Partially. Artifacts exist but are incomplete or outdated in important areas. 2 Most understanding requires direct access to specific people. 1 Understanding the system state requires extensive oral knowledge transfer. 0

10Are the next 2–4 weeks of technical work structured around real bottlenecks rather than habit or convenience?

Work is explicitly prioritised around the identified bottlenecks and constraints. 4 Work is mostly driven by real constraints, with some legacy habit mixed in. 3 Priorities are loosely tied to bottlenecks but not rigorously structured. 2 Work flows based on what people know how to do or feel comfortable with. 1 There is no structured connection between current work and actual bottlenecks. 0

11Is progress dependent on one or two individuals holding hidden knowledge together?

No. Knowledge is documented and distributed across the team. 4 Mostly not, though some context is still person-dependent. 3 Partially. A few people carry critical knowledge not captured elsewhere. 2 Yes. One or two people are essential and their absence would cause serious disruption. 1 Yes. Progress would effectively stop if those individuals became unavailable. 0

12If the team had to explain the current system situation to leadership tomorrow, would the story be coherent and defensible?

Yes. The team can give a clear, evidence-backed account of status, risks, and next steps. 4 Mostly yes, with some areas that would require quick preparation. 3 The story would be partially defensible but would expose gaps under questioning. 2 Significant preparation would be needed, and some areas are hard to explain clearly. 1 The team would struggle to present a coherent, defensible account. 0

Optional context

Anything else that would change how this situation should be interpreted?

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SYS Readiness Check · Result

out of 100

Dimension scores

Top risk clusters

Dimensions ordered from most exposed to least, based on your answers.

Save your result as a branded PDF

Get a professional report with your score, dimension breakdown, risk clusters, and interpretation — ready to share with your team or attach to a review request.

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Suggested next step

Request the 48h Structured Review → Retake the check

What happens next

1. Submit a request → 2. Fit review → 3. Private payment link → 4. Work starts

Boundary note: This result is based on a bounded readiness check and is not a full technical assessment. It surfaces likely instability patterns based on your answers — it does not replace expert review of your actual system.