Frequently Asked Questions
General
What is Fogsift?
Fogsift is an independent consulting practice specializing in diagnostic problem-solving. We help organizations find the root causes of complex, ambiguous problems.
What does "Fogsift" mean?
Fog represents the confusion, ambiguity, and noise that surrounds complex problems. We sift through that fog to find clarity.
Who runs Fogsift?
Christopher Tavolazzi. Background spans manufacturing diagnostics, process engineering, quality systems, and strategic consulting.
Engagement
How do I know if I need Fogsift?
You might benefit from our help if:
- You've tried multiple solutions and the problem persists
- You're not sure what the actual problem is
- Your internal teams disagree about the cause
- The "obvious" fix didn't work
- You need an outside perspective
What industries do you work with?
We work across industries because diagnostic principles are universal. Past engagements have included manufacturing, logistics, software development, healthcare operations, and professional services.
How long do engagements take?
It depends on the problem:
- Diagnostic sessions: 2-4 hours
- Deep dives: 1-2 weeks
- Complex investigations: 4-8 weeks
- Retainer relationships: Ongoing
What does it cost?
We price based on complexity and duration, not billable hours. We'll give you a fixed price before we start.
Do you work remotely?
Yes. Most diagnostic work can be done remotely through video calls, document review, and structured interviews. Some engagements benefit from on-site observation.
Process
What happens in the first conversation?
We talk about your situation. What's going on? What have you tried? What constraints exist? By the end, we'll both know whether it makes sense to work together.
How do you maintain confidentiality?
Everything shared with us stays confidential. We never share specifics about engagements, and any case studies are anonymized and approved by the client.
What if we disagree with your findings?
Our job is to find the truth, not to tell you what you want to hear. We'll present our evidence and reasoning. You might have context we don't. Disagreement is productive if it leads to better understanding.
Do you implement solutions or just recommend them?
We primarily diagnose and recommend. Implementation is usually done by your team. We can advise during implementation and help troubleshoot if things don't go as planned.
Results
What's your success rate?
We don't track "success rate" because that metric is meaningless without context. What we can say: we've never failed to find the root cause. Whether organizations act on our findings is another matter.
Can you guarantee results?
We guarantee rigorous investigation and honest findings. We can't guarantee you'll like what we find, or that you'll implement our recommendations.
What if the problem comes back?
If we identified the root cause correctly and the solution was implemented properly, the problem shouldn't recur. If it does, we'll investigate why at no additional cost.
Weird Questions
What's the strangest problem you've solved?
Can't share specifics due to confidentiality, but let's just say not all problems are what they appear to be.
Do you work on personal problems, not just business ones?
The same diagnostic principles apply. If you've got a weird personal problem that defies simple solutions, we can talk about it.
What if I don't have a specific problem, I just want to talk?
Use the Weird Question Hotline. It exists for exactly this purpose.
Still have questions? Get in touch.