Major information technology expenditure is often the consequence of business decisions made much earlier.
That is why my assessment begins with the business.
What business decision created the need for this investment. Is that decision still justified?
Should we be doing this at all?
When the underlying investment is justified, I then assess whether the supporting I.T. program is:
a) managed effectively,
b) is realistic, and
c) meets the business objectives.
I do not presume to know every business better than the people who run it.
I lead the examination, ask the questions that need to be asked, and draw on the company’s own expertise — supplemented by independent specialists when necessary.
The objective is not to confirm the decision. It is to determine whether the decision withstands independent examination.