As-is vs to-be
Contrast current behavior with the operating shift you want.
Related: Comparison (2–3 options) · Numbered process
When to use
Use when the change is a behavior, not a feature list. Do not use for three options (comparison). Do not use architecture boxes unless the shift is topological — then prefer as-is/to-be still in two columns of prose, or two architecture slides.
Guidelines
Two columns, same criteria implied. Title is the shift.
Example
Harbor operating shift
Stop reconciling clipboards at close; Harbor writes the ledger at scan.
As-is
Paper dock log. Nightly spreadsheet. Disputes hit finance at month end.To-be
Scan is the ledger. Exceptions only. Finance sees the same object Ops sees.If it is not a behavior change, it is not a to-be
Clipboard vs scan-as-ledger. Steal behavior contrast, not a capability matrix.
Rules
- Two columns only: as-is and to-be.
- Title states the behavior change.
- To-be is marked recommended.
- No third “in progress” column on this pattern.
User recipe
Goal: show an operating shift.
Inputs: current behavior, future behavior.
Constraints: As-is vs to-be Rules.
Prompt skeleton: “Make an as-is vs to-be slide in family consulting-exhibit using the As-is vs to-be rules. As-is: [behavior]. To-be: [behavior].”
Anti-patterns
- Feature dump in the to-be column.
- Architecture icons in one column and a table in the other.