This is an extract from a plan outlining key tasks I use as a guide to technology consuting in a new organisation. Depending on the nature of the engagement, there are some elements that are more prominent than others, but it’s a starting point for getting stuff ‘DONE’ in the first 3 or so months of an engagement. It needs to be culled depending on role i.e. General technology consulting of specific enterprise architect.
Key Area | Details | Specific Deliverables |
---|---|---|
Understanding Business Objectives | Gain a deep understanding of the company’s strategic goals, revenue model, market position, and how IT can support the business in achieving these goals. | - Meetings with leadership team, and department heads to understand business challenges. - Deliver a business-aligned IT strategy presentation to ensure you understand the game. |
Assess Current IT Landscape | Review the organisation’s current IT infrastructure, applications, and service delivery capabilities. Understand existing pain points and operational issues. | - Comprehensive IT audit report. - Map of IT assets and applications against fit/capability. - Risk assessment for outdated or vulnerable systems. |
Stakeholder Engagement | Build relationships with key stakeholders including business unit leaders, vendors, and customers to understand their expectations from IT. | - Formalised communication plan with internal stakeholders. - Vendor relationship assessment report. - Customer feedback on IT-related services (if such exists, if not get it happneing). |
Team Evaluation | Evaluate the current IT team structure, capabilities, and skills. Identify gaps in expertise, leadership, or operational capacity. | - Talent assessment report. - Skills gap analysis. |
Cybersecurity Review | Conduct an in-depth analysis of the current cybersecurity posture, including data protection, disaster recovery, and regulatory compliance. | - Security audit findings. - Updated cybersecurity strategy. - Incident response plan. - Regulatory compliance roadmap (GDPR, CCPA, etc.). |
Cost and Budget Analysis | Analyse the IT budget and spend patterns. Identify opportunities for cost optimisation, including cloud adoption, vendor consolidation, or software rationalisation. | - IT financial review. - Cost savings and optimisation opportunities. - If project focus, maybe assess against proposed budget. |
Digital Transformation Opportunities | Explore opportunities for digital transformation, including automation, AI-driven tools (e.g., chatbots, RPA), and cloud migration to modernise operations. | - Digital transformation roadmap. - Pilot project proposal (e.g., automation of a key process). - Cloud migration feasibility study. |
Governance and Risk Management | Implement or review IT governance frameworks to ensure alignment with business priorities, control costs, and mitigate risks. | - Updated IT governance policies. - IT risk management framework. - Defined KPIs for monitoring IT performance and alignment with business objectives. |
Technology Roadmap | Develop a forward-looking technology roadmap that outlines key investments in infrastructure, platforms, security, and innovation for the next 3-5 years. | - 3-5 year technology roadmap. - Prioritisation of initiatives based on business impact. - Present to leadership for approval. |
Cloud and Infrastructure Strategy | Review current infrastructure and explore potential for cloud adoption, hybrid models, or upgrading on-premise infrastructure for greater scalability and flexibility. | - Infrastructure modernisation plan. - Cloud adoption strategy (if relevant). - Vendor and platform recommendations. |
Data Strategy and Analytics | Establish a clear data management strategy that enables better decision-making through analytics, business intelligence, and data governance practices. | - Data strategy blueprint. - Business intelligence (BI) tool assessment. - Roadmap for improving data accessibility and insights. |
Quick Wins Identification | Identify opportunities for immediate improvements in efficiency, customer experience, or cost savings that can be implemented quickly to build credibility. | - 60-90 day quick wins plan. - List of short-term initiatives (e.g., software upgrades, process optimisations). - KPIs for tracking early successes. |
IT and Business Alignment | Ensure IT’s alignment with business processes and that technology investments directly support business outcomes such as operational efficiency or customer service. | - IT/business alignment report. - Workshops with business units to identify collaborative opportunities. - Regular feedback loop with business units. |
Vendor and Contract Review | Assess existing contracts with technology vendors, including terms, SLAs, and alignment with business needs. Renegotiate where necessary. | - Vendor contract review. - Recommendations for renegotiations or contract terminations. - New vendor relationship framework. |
Change Management Plan | Create a change management strategy to address potential resistance to IT changes or new technology implementations, ensuring smooth transitions across teams. | - Change management strategy document. - Stakeholder communication plan. - Training and adoption plan for new tools or processes. |
This list needs to be modified depending on the nature of the engagement. If it’s a single task outcome, pick and mix to focus on the required deliverables. Each one of the above has drill down lists to provide more focus where needed.