Current and Future State Diagram
Put today's estate, the target and the work between them side by side, and keep each system's risk, owner and plan one click behind it.
Free forever on the Personal plan
Current and future state: an example
As-is and to-be, side by side
The same rows on both sides, so each change reads straight across.
Risks you can see
Red marks what makes the current state risky, with the reason behind it.
The work in between
Streams of work that close the gap, each with a sponsor and an end date.
The basics
What is a current and future state diagram?
A current and future state diagram, also called an as-is and to-be diagram, compares how an organisation's systems or processes work today with how they should work after a change programme, and shows the work that closes the gap.
It is often the first picture in a transformation proposal or business case, because it answers three questions at once: what is wrong today, what good looks like, and how to get there. It reads best when both states use the same rows, so each change reads straight across.
In Blueprintr each system and each stream of work opens a stratum with its risk, owner, cost and plan, and the diagram can sit beside the business case in the same blueprint.
Why Blueprintr
Proposals that make the case at a glance
Today, the target and the route on one diagram, with the detail behind it.
Three columns, shared rows
Draw current, transition and future as containers with matching rows, using Azure, AWS, Microsoft and Lucide icons, and colour the risks.
VellumRisk and plan behind each box
Give every system and stream a stratum with its risk, owner, cost and plan, so the diagram stays clean and the case stays complete.
StratumStart the current state from a scan
On the Team plan, Continuum Cloud draws an existing AWS or Azure estate from a read-only scan; on Enterprise, Continuum Local discovers the on-premise network.
ContinuumThe business case beside it
Keep the business case, costs and timeline as rich text tabs in the same blueprint, next to the diagram they argue for.
Present it to the board
On Premium, Podium turns framed parts of the diagram into slides: the risks first, then the target, then the route.
PodiumShared with the client only
Share the proposal privately with named people, or send an unlisted link with a password on Premium and above.
How to
How to draw a current and future state in Blueprintr
Create a blueprint
Sign up free and create a blueprint for the proposal.
Draw the current state
Add the systems in rows by subject, and colour the ones that put the business at risk.
Draw the future state
Draw the target with the same rows, so each change lines up with what it replaces.
Add the transition
Put a stream of work between the two for each row, with its sponsor and end date.
Add the detail and present
Add strata with risks, owners and costs, then share or present the proposal.
FAQ
Questions about current and future state
Is this current and future state tool free?
Yes. The Vellum editor, the icon packs and strata are on the free Personal plan. Continuum Cloud is part of Team, Continuum Local is Enterprise, and Podium presentations need Premium.
What is the difference between current state and future state?
The current state, or as-is, is how things work today, including the risks. The future state, or to-be, is how they should work after the change. The gap between them is the work the proposal asks the client to fund.
How do I show the gap between the two states?
Put a column of work streams between them, one per row, each with a sponsor and an end date. The example above uses four: applications, integration, data and identity, and hosting.
Can Blueprintr draw the current state automatically?
Partly. On the Team plan, Continuum Cloud draws AWS and Azure resources from a read-only scan, and on Enterprise, Continuum Local discovers on-premise networks. Applications and processes you draw yourself.
How much detail should a future state diagram show?
The same level of detail as the current state, so the two compare fairly. Put deeper design in a high-level or low-level design, and link to it from the stratum.
Can I present the diagram in a board meeting?
Yes. Share the blueprint and click through it, or on Premium build a Podium presentation from the same canvas, so the slides and the diagram never differ.