Identify structural fragility
before the market does.
The 25-point diagnostic evaluates your enterprise against all five enforcement gates of the Northbridge Standard. A full written report. One week.
What you receive
The Structural Diagnostic is the starting point for every Northbridge engagement. Most clients use the report to make one of three decisions: address the findings through the Continuity Architecture program, move directly to Narrative Architecture if the structure is already sound, or use the roadmap independently. The report tells you which path fits.
25 criteria across five enforcement gates
Each criterion is scored 1–4: Absent → Informal → Documented → Enforced. Maximum composite score: 100.
| Gate | Five Criteria Assessed | Passage Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Authority Structure | Decision rights defined by role · Business survives 30-day founder absence · Escalation thresholds documented · Pricing authority restricted · No single-person revenue dependency | Operational decisions executable without founder dependency |
| Process & Documentation | Version-controlled SOP library · Defined lifecycle execution gates · Manager replacement possible without shadow training · Institutional knowledge documented · CRM-anchored workflow tracking | Workflows executed through documented systems |
| Pricing & Margin | Model-based pricing discipline · Formal break-even floor modeling · Vendor cost indexing · Margin guardrails installed · Restricted discount authority at field level | Margin outcomes governed by structural constraints |
| Revenue & Positioning | Institutionalized contract base · Diversified client exposure · Brand-centered client interface · Reduced personality dependency · No client concentration above 20% | Client loyalty institutionalized rather than personal |
| Financial & Evidence | Independent bookkeeping · Structured normalization framework · Reproducible reporting · Contemporaneous documentation · Performance verifiable without founder context | Performance independently verifiable |
The report defines what's next.
The Tier I Diagnostic establishes structural clarity before any further work proceeds. There is no automatic commitment beyond Tier I. Many clients use the report to guide internal improvement work independently.