Product-org-os scale-check

Document Intelligence

This skill supports three modes: Create, Update, and Find.

Mode Detection

Signal	Mode	Confidence
"update", "reassess", "refresh" in input	UPDATE	100%
File path provided	UPDATE	100%
"create", "new", "assess" in input	CREATE	100%
"find", "search", "list"	FIND	100%
"the scale check", "our assessment"	UPDATE	85%
Just process/system/initiative	CREATE	60%

Threshold: ≥85% auto-proceed | 70-84% state assumption | <70% ask user

Mode Behaviors

CREATE: Generate complete new scale check using template below.

UPDATE:

1. Check document registry first, then search user's structure
2. Preserve investment roadmap and historical assessments
3. Update scale readiness or bottleneck analysis
4. Show diff summary

FIND: Check registry, then search user's folders for scale checks.

---

Gotchas

• Process recommendations must match organizational maturity — Level 1 orgs need lightweight processes
• Scalability is not about size — it's about whether processes work as the organization grows

Assess scalability of a process, system, or initiative at 2x, 10x, and 100x scale, validating Principle #8 (Scalable Systems).

Vision to Value Phase

Cross-phase - This skill validates scalability when designing processes, systems, or operational approaches at any phase.

Purpose

Scalable Systems means processes that work as the organization grows. This skill stress-tests approaches at multiple scale levels to identify breaking points before they become problems.

Output Structure

# Scale Check: [Subject]

**Date**: [Date]
**Subject**: [Process/System/Initiative being assessed]
**Current Scale**: [Baseline metrics - team size, volume, etc.]

## Scale Dimensions

Define what "scale" means for this subject:

| Dimension | Current | 2x | 10x | 100x |
|-----------|---------|-----|------|------|
| [Users/Customers] | [N] | [2N] | [10N] | [100N] |
| [Team size] | [N] | [2N] | [10N] | [100N] |
| [Transaction volume] | [N] | [2N] | [10N] | [100N] |
| [Product lines] | [N] | [2N] | [10N] | [100N] |
| [Markets/Regions] | [N] | [2N] | [10N] | [100N] |

## 2x Scale Assessment

**Scenario**: [Describe what 2x looks like]

### What Works at 2x
- [Element that scales well]
- [Element that scales well]

### What Strains at 2x
| Element | Current State | 2x Impact | Severity |
|---------|---------------|-----------|----------|
| [Process/System] | [How it works now] | [What happens at 2x] | Low/Med/High |
| [Process/System] | [Current] | [2x impact] | Severity |

### 2x Verdict
**Status**: [Ready/Minor Adjustments/Significant Changes Needed]

**Immediate actions required**:
- [Action 1]
- [Action 2]

## 10x Scale Assessment

**Scenario**: [Describe what 10x looks like]

### What Works at 10x
- [Element that still scales]
- [Element that still scales]

### What Breaks at 10x
| Element | Current State | 10x Impact | Severity |
|---------|---------------|------------|----------|
| [Process/System] | [How it works now] | [What breaks at 10x] | Low/Med/High |
| [Process/System] | [Current] | [10x impact] | Severity |

### 10x Redesign Required
- [Major change needed]
- [Major change needed]

### 10x Verdict
**Status**: [Ready/Partial/Requires Fundamental Redesign]

**Medium-term investments required**:
- [Investment 1]
- [Investment 2]

## 100x Scale Assessment

**Scenario**: [Describe what 100x looks like - may be hypothetical]

### What Survives at 100x
- [Core principle that endures]
- [Fundamental approach that scales]

### What's Completely Different at 100x
| Element | Current Approach | 100x Approach |
|---------|------------------|---------------|
| [Process] | [Manual/Semi-auto] | [Fully automated/AI-driven] |
| [Structure] | [Current] | [Required at 100x] |

### 100x Vision
[Describe what success looks like at 100x scale]

## Hero Dependency Analysis

"Heroes" are individuals whose personal effort makes a non-scalable process work.

| Process | Hero Dependency | Impact if Hero Unavailable | Scale Limit |
|---------|-----------------|---------------------------|-------------|
| [Process 1] | [Name/Role] | [What breaks] | [When it breaks] |
| [Process 2] | [Name/Role] | [What breaks] | [When it breaks] |

**Hero-dependent processes must be systematized before scaling.**

## Bottleneck Analysis

| Bottleneck | Current Capacity | Scale at Which It Breaks | Mitigation |
|------------|------------------|--------------------------|------------|
| [Bottleneck 1] | [Capacity] | [2x/10x/100x] | [How to address] |
| [Bottleneck 2] | [Capacity] | [Scale] | [Mitigation] |

## Complexity vs. Maturity Match

| Org Maturity Level | Appropriate Complexity | Current Complexity | Match? |
|--------------------|------------------------|-------------------|--------|
| Enabling | Low | [Current] | Yes/No |
| Established | Medium | [Current] | Yes/No |
| Company Leading | High | [Current] | Yes/No |
| Market Leading | Variable | [Current] | Yes/No |

**Assessment**: [Is current complexity appropriate for current maturity?]

## Investment Roadmap

### Immediate (Enable 2x)
| Investment | Cost | Impact | Priority |
|------------|------|--------|----------|
| [Investment 1] | [Effort/Cost] | [Scale enabled] | High/Med/Low |
| [Investment 2] | [Effort/Cost] | [Scale enabled] | Priority |

### Medium-term (Enable 10x)
| Investment | Cost | Impact | Priority |
|------------|------|--------|----------|
| [Investment 1] | [Effort/Cost] | [Scale enabled] | High/Med/Low |
| [Investment 2] | [Effort/Cost] | [Scale enabled] | Priority |

### Long-term (Enable 100x)
| Investment | Cost | Impact | Priority |
|------------|------|--------|----------|
| [Investment 1] | [Effort/Cost] | [Scale enabled] | High/Med/Low |

## Scalability Score

| Scale Level | Readiness |
|-------------|-----------|
| 2x | [Ready/Partial/Not Ready] |
| 10x | [Ready/Partial/Not Ready] |
| 100x | [Ready/Partial/Not Ready] |

**Overall Scalability Assessment**: [Highly Scalable/Moderately Scalable/Scale-Limited]

## Recommendations

### Do Now (2x enablement)
1. [Action]
2. [Action]

### Plan For (10x enablement)
1. [Action]
2. [Action]

### Keep in Mind (100x vision)
1. [Principle to preserve]
2. [Direction to head]

Instructions

1. Ask what process, system, or initiative to assess
2. Define the relevant scale dimensions
3. Assess what works and what breaks at 2x
4. Assess what works and what breaks at 10x
5. Envision what 100x looks like
6. Identify hero dependencies and bottlenecks
7. Match complexity to maturity level
8. Provide investment roadmap and recommendations

Validation Questions

• Does this work at 2x current scale?
• What breaks at 10x?
• What's fundamentally different at 100x?
• Are we dependent on heroes?
• Is complexity appropriate for our maturity?

Red Flag Triggers

Immediately flag if:

• Process requires specific individuals to function
• No path to automation exists
• Complexity exceeds current maturity level
• Breaking point is before 2x scale

When to Use

• When designing new processes
• When evaluating operational approaches
• Before making infrastructure decisions
• During strategic planning
• When assessing readiness for growth

Related Skills

• /maturity-check

  - Assess current maturity level

• /commitment-check

  - Includes scalability consideration

• /strategic-bet

  - Should consider scale implications

Operating Principle

"Design for 10x, deliver for 2x, dream about 100x. Don't over-engineer for today, but don't paint yourself into a corner either."