Technology consulting
Independent advice for technology decisions that are hard to reverse
Architecture, platform selection, build-or-buy and vendor decisions evaluated against cost, risk and what your team can support, with the reasoning written down.
For leadership teams facing a technology decision with long-term cost, and who want a second opinion that is not selling the answer.
- Output
- A written recommendation with options compared
- Independence
- No commission from vendors or platforms
- Commitment
- Standalone work, no obligation to continue
- Option A: extend current platform Lowest cost
- Option B: buy a SaaS product Fastest
- Option C: build a custom system Best fit
- Integration risk Assessed
- Three-year cost Estimated
- Recommendation Written
Independent
No vendor commissions.
Written
Reasoning documented.
Practical
Sized to your team.
The business problem
Most expensive technology decisions are made with incomplete information.
A platform is chosen because a vendor presented well. A rebuild is approved because the current system is frustrating, not because the alternative was costed. The people with an opinion usually also have something to sell.
- A major platform or vendor decision is due and nobody internal has made one before
- Advice so far has come from vendors who benefit from the answer
- The choice between building, buying or extending has not been costed
- Leadership and the technical team disagree and need an independent view
- An architecture that worked early is now limiting growth
- There is no senior technical person to review proposals from providers
Outcomes
What consulting should change.
- 01
Options compared fairly
Each alternative assessed against the same criteria, including doing nothing.
- 02
Costs beyond the first year
Licensing, integration, maintenance and staffing estimated over a realistic horizon.
- 03
Risks named
What could go wrong with each option and how it would be mitigated.
- 04
A decision you can defend
A written recommendation leadership can review, question and approve.
Scope
What we advise on.
Build, buy or extend
Whether to develop a system, adopt a product or improve what you have.
Platform and vendor selection
Requirements, shortlists, demos and a scored comparison.
Architecture review
Whether the current architecture can support the next stage of growth.
Proposal review
An independent read of quotes and proposals from other providers.
Cloud and cost strategy
Where systems should run and what they should cost to operate.
Fractional technical leadership
Ongoing senior technical input for companies without a CTO.
Fit
Who this service is for.
A good fit when
- A decision with multi-year cost has to be made in the next few months.
- The company has no senior technical leader, or wants a second opinion.
- Leadership needs a recommendation in business terms, not technical ones.
- The people who know the current systems can make time for interviews.
Probably not the right fit when
- The decision has already been made and needs to be justified.
- The need is hands-on implementation. That is a development or managed service.
- An independent review of what currently exists is needed first. That is an IT audit.
Process
How a consulting engagement runs.
The question is agreed before any analysis starts.
- 01
Frame the decision
The question, constraints, criteria and who decides, written down.
- 02
Gather evidence
Interviews, system review, vendor information and cost data.
- 03
Compare options
Each option scored on cost, risk, fit and effort, including doing nothing.
- 04
Recommend
A written recommendation presented to the people who decide.
The recommendation
Advice you can read, question and keep.
Every engagement ends with a written recommendation. It states the question, the options considered, how they compare and why one is recommended, so the decision can be reviewed later by people who were not in the room.
Criteria agreed first
How options will be judged is decided before they are compared.
Assumptions stated
Every estimate lists what it depends on, so it can be updated when facts change.
- Question
- One page
- Options
- Compared
- Cost
- Three years
- Next steps
- Sequenced
Engagement models
How the work is contracted.
Decision engagement
A defined question answered with a written recommendation.
- Fixed scope and timeline
- Presentation to decision makers
- Best for one major decision
Advisory retainer
Ongoing senior technical input for leadership.
- Agreed monthly hours
- Proposal and vendor reviews
- Best without an internal CTO
Proposal review
An independent read of a quote or plan from another provider.
- Short turnaround
- Written comments
- Best before signing a contract
FAQ
Questions about technology consulting.
Answers are written for this service. Where a figure depends on your situation, we say so instead of publishing an average.
What does consulting cost?
Decision engagements are quoted as a fixed scope once the question is agreed. Advisory retainers are quoted as monthly hours.
Will you recommend your own services?
Only when they are the best option, and the recommendation says so explicitly. Many engagements recommend a product or approach ZitDevs does not provide.
Do you receive commissions from vendors?
No. ZitDevs does not accept referral fees or commissions from the vendors it evaluates.
How long does an engagement take?
It depends on the decision and access to information. The timeline is agreed when the question is framed.
Can you act as our fractional CTO?
Yes, through an advisory retainer with agreed hours, responsibilities and reporting lines.
What if we disagree with the recommendation?
The document shows the reasoning and assumptions, so it can be challenged point by point. Revisions are part of the engagement.
Tell us which decision you are weighing.
Describe the decision, the options on the table and the deadline. ZitDevs will propose how to frame it and what the recommendation will cover.
The form is preselected for technology consulting.