Survey Question Definitions

Each question below is explained in detail — what it measures, what to include or exclude, and what each answer option means. Reference this page while completing your diagnostic.

How to use this page: Click any question to expand its definition. Select the answer that most closely matches your organization — precision matters more than perfection. If you're unsure, choose the option that best describes your current state, not your aspirational state.

This helps tailor diagnostic recommendations to organizations operating at similar scale. Use your most recent full year of revenue as a guide.

Option	Description
Under $3M	Early-stage or small businesses with limited staff and relatively simple technology environments.
$3M – $15M	Growing small businesses that typically operate multiple systems but may not yet have formal IT architecture.
$15M – $75M	Mid-sized companies with multiple departments and a larger software portfolio.
$75M+	Larger organizations that often have formal IT governance, infrastructure teams, and enterprise platforms.

The number of people employed by the organization. This value is used to estimate technology density using the Portfolio Density Ratio (PDR).

Include

Full-time employees
Part-time employees
Contractors who regularly use company systems

These platforms typically provide email, calendars, documents, and collaboration tools. Select the one your organization primarily uses.

Option	Description
Google Workspace	Cloud productivity platform including Gmail, Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Meet.
Microsoft 365	Cloud productivity platform including Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, Excel, and Word.
Both	Your organization actively uses both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.
Neither	Your organization primarily uses other productivity platforms or on-premise systems.

Estimate the number of software tools used to run the business. When in doubt, count higher — shadow IT and forgotten subscriptions are common.

Include

SaaS tools
Internal systems
Marketing tools
Financial tools
Collaboration tools
AI tools

Exclude

Personal productivity tools not used by the company

Option	Description
1 – 5	Very small technology environment with only essential tools.
5 – 10	Small but growing stack, usually covering core functions.
10 – 25	Typical range for growing small and mid-sized companies.
25+	Complex technology environments with multiple systems across departments.

The approximate total cost of all business software subscriptions per month. An estimate is fine — the range matters more than the exact figure.

Include

SaaS subscriptions
Automation platforms
Marketing software
CRM licenses
Analytics tools

Exclude

Employee salaries
Hardware purchases
Internet service

Option	Description
Under $500	Small technology footprint with only essential tools.
$500 – $2,000	Moderate stack typical for early growth companies.
$2,000 – $10,000	More sophisticated stack with multiple departments using software.
$10,000+	Large technology environment often involving enterprise systems.

This question measures how connected your systems are to each other — how data moves between tools and how much of that movement is automated vs. manual.

Option	Description
Mostly native integrations	Applications connect directly through built-in integrations provided by the vendors.
Some middleware (Zapier, Make)	Some integrations rely on automation platforms to move data between systems.
Heavy integration layer	Many integrations rely on automation tools, custom APIs, or integration platforms.
Manual exports	Data is frequently moved between systems manually using spreadsheets or downloads.

Automation refers to workflows where systems automatically perform tasks instead of requiring manual actions — for example, automatically sending follow-up emails, creating invoices after purchases, or routing support tickets.

Option	Description
Minimal automation	Most processes require manual steps or staff coordination.
Some automation	A few processes are automated, usually marketing or notifications.
Core processes automated	Important business processes such as sales, marketing, or onboarding include automation.
Extensive automation	Automation is used widely across departments and integrated with multiple systems.

AI refers to tools that use machine learning or generative models to assist with tasks — for example, writing content, summarizing documents, analyzing data, or automating workflows.

Option	Description
Not used	No AI tools are used in day-to-day workflows.
Ad hoc tools	Individual employees use AI tools occasionally, without a coordinated approach.
Embedded in workflows	AI is integrated into existing tools such as CRM or marketing systems.
Formal AI strategy	The organization actively plans and manages AI usage across systems.

This refers to where the organization's infrastructure and applications are hosted. If you're not certain, select "Unsure" — that itself is a useful diagnostic signal.

Option	Description
AWS	Amazon Web Services cloud platform.
Azure	Microsoft Azure cloud platform.
Google Cloud	Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
Hybrid	Combination of cloud infrastructure and on-premise systems.
On-premise	Systems hosted primarily on internal company servers.
Unsure	You are not certain where systems are hosted.

A central data layer consolidates information from multiple systems into one location for reporting or analytics — for example, a data warehouse like Snowflake or BigQuery, or a centralized analytics database.

Option	Description
Yes (data warehouse)	Data from multiple systems is consolidated into a formal warehouse such as Snowflake or BigQuery.
Yes (database)	Data is consolidated into a central database but not a formal warehouse.
No	Data remains distributed across individual systems.
Unsure	You are not certain how data is consolidated.

Security tools help protect company systems and data — for example, identity protection, threat monitoring, and compliance management.

Option	Description
Unified platform	Security tools are managed through one integrated platform.
Layered tools	Multiple specialized security tools are used together.
Minimal tools	Only basic security protections are in place.
Unsure	Security architecture is managed by another team.

Application rationalization is the process of reviewing software systems to eliminate redundancy and reduce complexity. A formal process means this happens on a defined schedule with documented criteria — not just when something breaks.

Option	Description
Yes	The organization regularly reviews and evaluates its technology portfolio.
No	Software systems are adopted without a formal review process.
Unsure	You are not certain whether a formal review process exists.

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