Separate the urgent issue from the missing responsibility.

This is an orientation tool, not a technical diagnosis or risk score. Answer from observable facts and keep secrets out of the worksheet.

TodayRestore a person’s workflow

Next monthAssign recurring ownership

Defined briefScope a review, decision, or relationship

Entry 01 Start here

Which responsibility cannot wait?

Register of routes · select one R1 – R5 · what should the first conversation own?

Restore blocked work Access, mail, Teams, accounts, devices, files, or another user issue. Steward Microsoft 365 Tenant care, lifecycle administration, hygiene, controls, or a posture question. Own recurring IT Managed service, coordination, devices, vendors, and day-to-day technology responsibility. Make or deliver a decision A review, roadmap, vendor choice, project, or fractional IT leadership question. Extend partner delivery Fulfilment for an agency, consultant, VAR, or IT practice—not direct end-client support.

Preferred public route language

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Entry 02 Prepare the conversation

Bring facts a provider can act on.

People or business area affected
Tool, tenant, device, or relationship in scope
When the issue or pattern began
Who currently owns the work
What has already been tried or decided
The outcome that would make the next step useful

When all three routes apply

Restore blocked work first. Then decide who should own recurring health. Scope specialist work around a named question or deliverable. Sequencing the conversations avoids forcing every need through one generic support request.

Compare the matching doors

Entry 03 Readiness examples

Turn a broad concern into an actionable first route.

“Our IT is unreliable.”

List current blockers separately from recurring tasks without an owner. Support handles the former; managed IT evaluation addresses the latter.

“We need better security.”

Name the environment, business decision, control question, and expected artifact. Avoid treating fear or a product name as a complete scope.

“We need help behind our brand.”

Define client ownership, service boundary, intake, communication, evidence, and escalation before choosing a partner-delivery route.

Entry 04 Before provider selection

Questions your brief should make easier to answer.

What will you own first?

Look for a direct answer tied to the issue, recurring responsibility, or named deliverable.

What information is still missing?

A credible next step should identify discovery needs without asking for secrets in an initial enquiry.

What remains outside scope?

Ask about third-party vendors, internal approvals, retained decisions, and emergency paths.

What artifact or outcome comes next?

Confirm whether the next step produces restored work, an ownership plan, findings, a roadmap, or a partner brief.