The Constraint Audit: A Diagnostic Protocol for Analysing and Improving Complex Systems Across Domains

Constraint Theory (CT) establishes that constraint is the ontological primitive constitutive of determinate existence, and that the distinction between constitutive and merely restrictive constraint recurs across every domain in which organised systems succeed or fail (Prideaux, 2026a, 2026c). Prior papers have applied this framework across philosophy, policy, and human flourishing (Prideaux, 2026b, 2026d, 2026e). The present paper translates the CT framework into a structured diagnostic protocol — the Constraint Audit — that practitioners in any domain can use to systematically map the constraint structure of a system, identify the sources and direction of its dysfunction, and design interventions that address constraint structure rather than symptoms. The Constraint Audit consists of five phases: (1) mapping the current possibility space of the system; (2) identifying the active constraint layers and their character; (3) diagnosing the direction of constraint dysregulation — overclosure, insufficiency, or miscalibration; (4) classifying current interventions as constitutive or merely restrictive; and (5) designing constitutive responses. Each phase is presented with guiding questions, diagnostic indicators, and worked examples drawn from education, healthcare, organisations, relationships, and policy. A condensed one-page audit template is provided for field use.