Assess Form

Evaluate a system's current structural form — its architecture, rigidity, pressure points, and capacity for change — to determine transformation readiness before initiating metamorphosis.

When to Use

• Before any significant architectural change to understand the starting point
• When a system feels "stuck" but the reasons are unclear
• When external pressure (growth, market shift, tech debt) is mounting but the response is uncertain
• Assessing whether a proposed transformation is feasible given the current form
• Periodic health checks for long-lived systems (annual form assessment)
• Complementing adapt-architecture — assess first, then transform

Inputs

• Required: The system to assess (codebase, organization, infrastructure, process)
• Optional: Proposed transformation direction (what might the system need to become?)
• Optional: Known pain points or pressure sources
• Optional: Previous transformation attempts and their outcomes