Most Data Architects Work in 2D.
PRISM Works in Three Dimensions.
A 2D architecture map shows you what exists. It cannot tell you what breaks when a system is replaced, which integrations carry the highest risk, or what your migration will actually cost to execute. PRISM adds the third dimension: a structured, evidence-based assessment that answers those questions before you commit to a plan.
Start a ConversationThe Problem
Most Data Architecture Work Is Two-Dimensional.
Architects map what exists. They document integrations, draw diagrams, catalogue systems. Then a migration hits and the diagram cannot tell you what breaks, what the impact costs, or in what order to cut things over.
It shows structure but not risk. Connections but not consequence. Current state but not migration impact.
This is not a skills problem. It is a methodology problem. And adding more detail to a 2D diagram will not solve it.
No zones
No risk classification
No change impact
Classified by zone
Change impact on every line
Replacement systems flagged
Who This Is For
You Have Been Handed a Complex Engagement. You Need a System.
A platform migration, a system replacement, a data estate nobody fully understands. You know the answer is in the architecture. You just need a systematic way to extract it.
Data architects
Working on enterprise system migrations where the integration map is incomplete or outdated.
Integration architects
Managing platform replacements where every connection needs to be assessed for change impact.
Technical consultants
Modernising legacy data estates where nobody has a complete picture of the current architecture.
Programme leads
Who need evidence-based architecture assessments they can present to a board, not a diagram on a whiteboard.
The Methodology
Three Dimensions. One Assessment.
Where a 2D diagram shows you what you have, PRISM shows you what it means. Platform, Risk, Integration and Systems Methodology.
System Landscape
What exists. Every system catalogued by category and zone.
Change Impact
What moves, what breaks, what stays. 22 deterministic rules.
Architecture Health
What is missing, what is fragile, what should be automated.
The Five Zones
Data enters the system
Web apps, payment gateways, identity providers
Data is processed and routed
APIs, middleware, core platforms
Intelligence feeds back in
Analytics, AI/ML, monitoring
Results delivered to consumers
Reports, notifications, exports
Access and security controls
Auth, SSO, permissions
How It Works
Five Steps to a Complete Assessment.
Intake
15 minutesClient name, size, engagement type, primary objective. Five questions that frame the entire assessment.
Discover
1-2 hoursEvery system in the landscape registered with its category, zone, API status, and replacement status.
Map
2-4 hoursEvery integration between systems defined: method, frequency, data entities, PII, financial flags, and indirect dependencies.
Assess
Instant22 deterministic rules fire automatically. Change impact, architecture health, automation gaps, and platform recommendations generated.
Deliver
Same dayProfessional PDF report with executive summary, diagrams, integration assessment, detailed recommendations, and priority actions.
What PRISM Produces
Real Deliverables. Not Just Documentation.
Architecture Diagram
Five-zone swim lane diagram with every system classified. Current state and future state, side by side.
Integration Assessment
Every integration classified by change impact, complexity, PII, financial risk, and automation opportunity.
Health Report
Findings prioritised by severity. Platform recommendations right-sized to your organisation. Ready to present.
Beyond the Assessment
Assessment is Step One. Migration Planning is Step Two.
Most consultancies stop at the assessment. PRISM produces a complete migration planning toolkit - phased roadmap, risk scoring, dependency analysis, test plans, cutover runbook, compliance mapping, and RACI matrix. All deterministic. All auditable.
Migration Risk Score
Quantified Risk
A single number your steering committee can act on. Weighted across complexity, PII exposure, financial risk, automation gaps, and architecture health.
Migration Roadmap
Dependency warning: 2 Phase 1 integrations depend on systems with Phase 3 changes. Consider resequencing.
Phased Migration Plan
Every integration assigned to a migration phase with cross-phase dependency validation. Drag-and-drop phase assignment for workshop collaboration.
Blast Radius Analysis
Impact Analysis
Select any system and see exactly what breaks if it goes down during cutover. BFS traversal up to 3 levels deep with severity classification.
RACI Matrix
Governance Matrix
Auto-generated RACI from system ownership data. Every Change integration has a named Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed.
Cutover Runbook
Cutover Sequence
Auto-generated migration sequence sorted by criticality. Pre/post validation steps and rollback triggers for every integration.
Compliance Impact
Regulatory Mapping
Every integration tagged by compliance framework. Impact report grouped by regulator with PII and financial exposure per framework.
Test Plan
Testing Checklist
Deterministic test requirements per integration based on PII, financial, real-time, SLA, and compliance flags. Exportable as PDF.
The 10 Golden Rules
Non-Negotiable Principles.
No silos. All data lives in one system.
Deterministic first, AI second.
Every component belongs to one of five zones: Input, Transform, Loop, Output, Interface.
Every pipeline needs at least one feedback loop.
Right-size the platform. Snowflake is not the answer for a small business.
Consolidate redundant processes. Three payment portals doing the same job is one process waiting to be built.
No manual processes. Everything should be automated.
AI is never used unsupervised at runtime.
Log everything. Support tickets, errors, user behaviour. All of it is signal.
Every data pipeline follows the Bronze, Silver, Gold medallion pattern.
Track Record
Built From Real Engagements. Not a Textbook.
25 years designing data systems across enterprise gaming, fitness, retail, and professional services. PRISM was not adapted from a generic framework. It was built from the ground up across real client engagements.
Government Gaming
Architecture assessment and full migration planning for a government lottery operator replacing a 19-year core platform. 470+ retail locations, real-time financial settlement, player registration, identity verification, and grants management. Three-phase roadmap with compliance mapping across Gambling Commission and ATO frameworks.
32
Systems
62
Integrations
19 yrs
Platform age
Fitness Analytics
Multi-tenant analytics platform serving 205+ studios across 9 countries and 350 active users. Deterministic reporting with zero AI at runtime, full data ownership per client, and automated content generation pipelines.
205+
Studios
9
Countries
350
Active users
Marketing Services
Deterministic reporting platform used by marketing agencies across Australia. Automated data ingestion, template-driven report generation, and client-facing dashboards built on first-party analytics.
Multiple
Agencies
Automated
Reports
Zero
AI at runtime
Scott Dudley, 25+ years in data architecture
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is PRISM?+
How long does an assessment take?+
What kind of engagements is PRISM designed for?+
Do I need to provide technical documentation upfront?+
What does the output look like?+
How is this different from a standard architecture review?+
What industries have you worked in?+
What You Get
Not a Diagram. Not a Spreadsheet. A Complete Assessment.
Ready to See Your Architecture in Three Dimensions?
Whether you are planning a migration, replacing a platform, or assessing an existing data estate, start with a conversation.
Start a ConversationNo pitch. No pressure. Just a conversation to see if PRISM fits your engagement.