Getting Started

How to begin a Platform Architecture Authority engagement with Crimson Owl Technologies.

Starting a PAA engagement is straightforward. We’ve designed the onboarding process to deliver value quickly while building the deep understanding necessary for effective long-term guidance.

Initial conversation

Every engagement begins with a conversation. We want to understand:

Your current technology landscape
The challenges driving your interest in PAA
Your team structure and decision-making processes
Your goals for the next 6-12 months

This is not a sales pitch. It’s a genuine assessment of fit. PAA works best when there’s alignment between what you need and what we provide. We’ll be direct if we don’t think it’s the right fit.

Discovery phase

Once we agree to proceed, we conduct a focused discovery:

Technical inventory — We map your systems, dependencies, and data flows
Team interviews — We speak with key engineers and stakeholders
Process review — We understand how decisions get made today
Risk assessment — We identify immediate concerns and opportunities

Discovery typically takes 2-3 weeks depending on platform complexity.

Engagement kickoff

After discovery, we present:

Current state assessment — Where you are today
Recommended engagement model — How we’ll work together
Initial focus areas — What we’ll tackle first
Success metrics — How we’ll measure impact

From there, we begin regular engagement according to the agreed cadence.

What to prepare

Before our initial conversation, it helps to have:

A high-level architecture diagram (even if informal)
List of major systems and their purposes
Any existing technical documentation
Understanding of upcoming initiatives or concerns

Don’t worry if documentation is sparse—that’s common and something we can help address.

Next steps

Ready to explore PAA for your organization?