Definition

Readiness assessment

A readiness assessment is a rehearsal before the real audit, where a specialist checks whether your controls and evidence would hold up under formal scrutiny. The team reviews your policies, tests key controls, and flags the gaps you still need to close, all without issuing an opinion that becomes part of the record. Companies use it before a first SOC 2, ISO 27001, or CMMC engagement to avoid surprises and a failed result. Think of it as a dress rehearsal: it turns the audit from a stressful unknown into a confirmation of work you have already done, which usually saves both time and cost.