Terms of use.

Use of this site

This website is published by The Trestle Group as a description of the practice and its services. By using the site you agree to the terms below. The site is provided as-is, on a best-efforts basis. We may add, remove, or change content at any time without notice.

No advice; no client relationship

The content on this site, including the methodology descriptions, the field notes, and the self-assessment, is general in nature. It is not legal, financial, accounting, audit, regulatory, tax, or investment advice. It is not a substitute for advice from a qualified professional in your jurisdiction.

Reading the site, taking the assessment, sending the contact form, or having a scoping call does not create a client relationship between you and The Trestle Group. A client relationship is established only when a written engagement contract is signed by both parties.

The self-assessment

The 5-minute self-assessment is a diagnostic tool. The score, stage assignment, and recommendations it produces are informational. They are based on a fixed rubric applied to your own responses. They are not a verified audit of your operations and should not be relied on as one. The assessment is offered free of charge and without warranty as to accuracy or fitness for any particular purpose.

Intellectual property

The contents of this site (text, methodology descriptions, field notes, the visual design system, the logo, and the code that runs the site) are the intellectual property of The Trestle Group or its licensors.

• You are welcome to read, link to, quote briefly with attribution, and share the material for non-commercial purposes.
• You may not reproduce the material in full for commercial publication or for resale.
• You may not use the material as training data for machine-learning models without our written permission.
• You may not use The Trestle Group name or logo to imply endorsement of products, services, or organizations.

Quotations from the field notes for editorial purposes (research, criticism, journalism) are permitted with attribution.

Engagements

Every paid engagement is governed by a written engagement contract signed before any work begins. The engagement contract is the controlling document for the work it covers. In the event of any conflict between these site terms and an engagement contract, the engagement contract prevails for that engagement.

The engagement contract sets out scope, deliverables, timeline, pricing, data handling, the 30-day stabilization window, and termination provisions. See the Engagement page for the typical structure.

Third-party links

This site links to third-party services (Calendly for scheduling, Google Fonts for typography, possibly other vendors named in field notes). We do not control those services, do not endorse their content, and are not responsible for their availability, accuracy, or terms.

Disclaimers

The site and its content are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. To the maximum extent permitted by law, The Trestle Group disclaims all warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, and non-infringement.

We do not warrant that the site will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure against attack, or free of viruses or other harmful components. You access and use the site at your own risk.

Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, The Trestle Group, its directors, employees, and contractors are not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for any loss of profits, revenue, data, goodwill, or business, arising out of your use of, or inability to use, the site or its content. The total aggregate liability of The Trestle Group for any matter arising from the use of this site is limited to one hundred US dollars or the maximum amount permitted by applicable law, whichever is greater.

Liability under a paid engagement is governed by the engagement contract, not by this paragraph.

Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold The Trestle Group harmless from any claim or demand, including reasonable legal fees, made by any third party arising out of your misuse of the site, your violation of these terms, or your violation of any law or third-party right.

Governing law and disputes

These terms are governed by the law of the jurisdiction in which The Trestle Group is constituted, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles. Any dispute arising under these terms is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts in that jurisdiction, unless mandatory consumer-protection law in your jurisdiction requires otherwise.

Engagement contracts may specify their own governing law and dispute resolution clauses (often arbitration with a named seat). Those provisions control for matters arising from the engagement.

Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. Material changes are reflected in the "last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of the site after a change indicates acceptance of the updated terms. If you do not agree with a change, the remedy is to stop using the site.

Contact

Questions about these terms or about how to use site content in a way not covered above: hello@trestlegroup.com.