Independent IT Delivery Assurance for Projects, Portfolios, and Partners

Structured independent reviews for project health, governance effectiveness, portfolio risk, and delivery performance.

Technology leaders often rely on internal reporting and PMO dashboards that do not always reflect the true state of delivery. Unlike standard reporting, our independent reviews provide impartial, evidence-based insight into the performance and risk of critical IT investments—helping organizations identify issues early and take corrective action before delivery, budget, and strategic outcomes are compromised.

Each review is designed to support a specific leadership decision—whether to continue, intervene, reprioritize, recover, or assess delivery performance.

Where to Start

Select the review that aligns with your current challenges.

Your situation

Recommended review

A project is underway, but it is unclear whether it can credibly continue as planned
IT Delivery Health Check →
Governance structures exist, but it is unclear whether delivery is under control
Delivery Governance Assurance →
Multiple initiatives compete for resources, and it is unclear where risk and priority truly sit
Portfolio Risk Assurance →
A project is delayed or under scrutiny, and leadership needs a clear recovery path
Project Recovery Diagnostic →
A partner is delivering critical work, but performance and alignment are uncertain
Vendor Contract Assurance →

Assessment Approach

All reviews follow a structured, independent delivery assurance approach that assesses five critical dimensions of execution — schedule realism, governance, risk control, dependencies, and delivery readiness — across projects, portfolios, and vendor engagements. This provides a consistent basis for judging delivery confidence, surfacing hidden risk, and identifying where intervention may be required.

Dimension

What we assess

Credibility of milestones and timelines, aligned to scope, dependencies, and forward-looking resource capacity and skill-set availability.
Schedule realism
Governance structure, decision forums, escalation paths, accountability, and financial oversight, including budget alignment and cost control.
Governance effectiveness
Quality, visibility, and active management of risks and issues, including mitigation effectiveness and clear ownership.
Risk control
Identification, ownership, and active management of cross-team, vendor, and integration dependencies, including their impact on schedule and delivery risk.
Dependencies
Preparedness for upcoming milestones and releases, including planning completeness, resourcing, requirement traceability, and quality assurance standards.
Delivery readiness

Select the Right Delivery Assurance Review

Choose the review that aligns with the decision you need to make—based on delivery context, risk exposure, and the level of independent oversight required.

Our reviews apply across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMO environments. Each engagement is scaled to the complexity, risk, and visibility of the initiative—providing leadership with a clear source of truth, deeper risk insight, and the confidence to act decisively.

IT Delivery Health Check Delivery Governance Assurance Portfolio Risk Assurance Project Recovery Diagnostic Vendor Contract Assurance
Engagement Type Rapid delivery validation Governance and control assurance Portfolio risk and prioritization Recovery and turnaround diagnostic Vendor performance and contract assurance
Duration (by level) Focused: ~2 weeks
Integrated: ~4 weeks
Strategic: ~6 weeks*
Focused: ~2 weeks
Integrated: ~4 weeks
Strategic: ~6 weeks*
Focused: ~3 weeks
Integrated: ~4–6 weeks
Strategic: ~6–8 weeks*
Focused: ~2 weeks
Integrated: ~4 weeks
Strategic: ~6 weeks*
Focused: ~2 weeks
Integrated: ~4 weeks
Strategic: ~6 weeks*
Typical Indicators (Observable Signals) Reported status does not reflect underlying delivery risk
Risks not clearly articulated
Early signs of slippage
Decisions delayed or unclear despite governance forums
Controls inconsistently applied
Limited linkage between reporting and action
Too many concurrent priorities
Frequent resource conflicts
Limited visibility into portfolio risk
Milestones repeatedly missed
Cost/schedule variance increasing
Confidence in delivery declining
Vendor engagement becoming transactional rather than collaborative
Missed milestones
Quality or SLA concerns
Decision Supported Continue or intervene now Are governance controls sufficient? Where should leadership focus? Recover, reset, or stop? Is vendor delivering and what action is required?
Assessment Focus Milestones, risks, dependencies, reporting accuracy Governance forums, controls, reporting, decision flow Dependencies, capacity, prioritization, portfolio risk Root causes, recovery feasibility, execution model Vendor performance, SLAs, scope, commercial alignment
Evidence Reviewed Delivery plans, RAID logs, reporting artefacts+ Targeted stakeholder validation+ Leadership validation of actual delivery status Governance artefacts, dashboards, change logs+ Decision flow analysis+ Assessment of decision-making effectiveness Portfolio data, dependencies, resource allocation+ Cross-program risk patterns+ Executive alignment on priorities and investment Baselines, contracts, performance data+ Leadership and team alignment on recovery viability Contracts, SOWs, SLAs, performance data+ Commercial position and risk exposure analysis+ Stakeholder alignment and commercial position review
Assessment Output (by level) Focused: Delivery Insight Brief
Integrated: Delivery Performance Assessment
Strategic: Delivery Viability Roadmap
Focused: Governance Insight Brief
Integrated: Governance Performance Assessment
Strategic: Governance Decision Framework
Focused: Portfolio Insight Brief
Integrated: Portfolio Performance Assessment
Strategic: Portfolio Investment Strategy
Focused: Recovery Insight Brief
Integrated: Recovery Performance Assessment
Strategic: Intervention & Pivot Blueprint
Focused: Vendor Insight Brief
Integrated: Vendor Performance Assessment
Strategic: Commercial Position and Exit Strategy
Typical Effort (by level) Focused: ~5–7 days
Integrated: ~10–12 days
Strategic: ~15–18 days
Focused: ~5–7 days
Integrated: ~10–13 days
Strategic: ~15–20 days
Focused: ~8–10 days
Integrated: ~12–16 days
Strategic: ~18–25 days
Focused: ~6–9 days
Integrated: ~12–15 days
Strategic: ~16–22 days
Focused: ~5–7 days
Integrated: ~10–14 days
Strategic: ~15–20 days
Assurance Depth (by level) Focused: Delivery Risk Signal
Integrated: Delivery System Assessment
Strategic: Delivery Viability Verdict
Focused: Governance Risk Signal
Integrated: Governance System Assessment
Strategic: Governance Viability Verdict
Focused: Portfolio Risk Signal
Integrated: Portfolio System Assessment
Strategic: Portfolio Viability Verdict
Focused: Recovery Risk Signal
Integrated: Recovery System Assessment
Strategic: Recovery Viability Verdict
Focused: Vendor Risk Signal
Integrated: Vendor System Assessment
Strategic: Vendor Viability Verdict
Best Used When (Trigger) Before a major funding gate or when reported status does not reflect delivery reality When governance structures exist, but decision-making authority and outcomes remain unclear During planning cycles or when investment decisions require prioritization under constraints When a project has missed key milestones and confidence in the recovery plan is low When a contract renewal is approaching, vendor alignment has weakened, or a major contract change request (CR) is received
Next Step Start Health Check Briefing → Start Governance Briefing → Start Portfolio Briefing → Start Recovery Briefing → Start Vendor Briefing →

IT Delivery Health Check

Engagement TypeRapid delivery validation
Duration (by level)Focused: ~2 weeks
Integrated: ~4 weeks
Strategic: ~6 weeks*
Typical Indicators (Observable Signals)Reported status does not reflect underlying delivery risk
Risks not clearly articulated
Early signs of slippage
Decision SupportedContinue or intervene now
Assessment FocusMilestones, risks, dependencies, reporting accuracy
Evidence ReviewedDelivery plans, RAID logs, reporting artefacts+ Targeted stakeholder validation+ Leadership validation of actual delivery status
Assessment Output (by level)Focused: Delivery Insight Brief
Integrated: Delivery Performance Assessment
Strategic: Delivery Viability Roadmap
Typical Effort (by level)Focused: ~5–7 days
Integrated: ~10–12 days
Strategic: ~15–18 days
Assurance Depth (by level)Focused: Delivery Risk Signal
Integrated: Delivery System Assessment
Strategic: Delivery Viability Verdict
Best Used When (Trigger)Before a major funding gate or when reported status does not reflect delivery reality

Delivery Governance Assurance

Engagement TypeGovernance and control assurance
Duration (by level)Focused: ~2 weeks
Integrated: ~4 weeks
Strategic: ~6 weeks*
Typical Indicators (Observable Signals)Decisions delayed or unclear despite governance forums
Controls inconsistently applied
Limited linkage between reporting and action
Decision SupportedAre governance controls sufficient?
Assessment FocusGovernance forums, controls, reporting, decision flow
Evidence ReviewedGovernance artefacts, dashboards, change logs+ Decision flow analysis+ Assessment of decision-making effectiveness
Assessment Output (by level)Focused: Governance Insight Brief
Integrated: Governance Performance Assessment
Strategic: Governance Decision Framework
Typical Effort (by level)Focused: ~5–7 days
Integrated: ~10–13 days
Strategic: ~15–20 days
Assurance Depth (by level)Focused: Governance Risk Signal
Integrated: Governance System Assessment
Strategic: Governance Viability Verdict
Best Used When (Trigger)When governance structures exist, but decision-making authority and outcomes remain unclear

Portfolio Risk Assurance

Engagement TypePortfolio risk and prioritization
Duration (by level)Focused: ~3 weeks
Integrated: ~4–6 weeks
Strategic: ~6–8 weeks*
Typical Indicators (Observable Signals)Too many concurrent priorities
Frequent resource conflicts
Limited visibility into portfolio risk
Decision SupportedWhere should leadership focus?
Assessment FocusDependencies, capacity, prioritization, portfolio risk
Evidence ReviewedPortfolio data, dependencies, resource allocation+ Cross-program risk patterns+ Executive alignment on priorities and investment
Assessment Output (by level)Focused: Portfolio Insight Brief
Integrated: Portfolio Performance Assessment
Strategic: Portfolio Investment Strategy
Typical Effort (by level)Focused: ~8–10 days
Integrated: ~12–16 days
Strategic: ~18–25 days
Assurance Depth (by level)Focused: Portfolio Risk Signal
Integrated: Portfolio System Assessment
Strategic: Portfolio Viability Verdict
Best Used When (Trigger)During planning cycles or when investment decisions require prioritization under constraints

Project Recovery Diagnostic

Engagement TypeRecovery and turnaround diagnostic
Duration (by level)Focused: ~2 weeks
Integrated: ~4 weeks
Strategic: ~6 weeks*
Typical Indicators (Observable Signals)Milestones repeatedly missed
Cost/schedule variance increasing
Confidence in delivery declining
Decision SupportedRecover, reset, or stop?
Assessment FocusRoot causes, recovery feasibility, execution model
Evidence ReviewedBaselines, contracts, performance data+ Leadership and team alignment on recovery viability
Assessment Output (by level)Focused: Recovery Insight Brief
Integrated: Recovery Performance Assessment
Strategic: Intervention & Pivot Blueprint
Typical Effort (by level)Focused: ~6–9 days
Integrated: ~12–15 days
Strategic: ~16–22 days
Assurance Depth (by level)Focused: Recovery Risk Signal
Integrated: Recovery System Assessment
Strategic: Recovery Viability Verdict
Best Used When (Trigger)When a project has missed key milestones and confidence in the recovery plan is low

Vendor Contract Assurance

Engagement TypeVendor performance and contract assurance
Duration (by level)Focused: ~2 weeks
Integrated: ~4 weeks
Strategic: ~6 weeks*
Typical Indicators (Observable Signals)Vendor engagement becoming transactional rather than collaborative
Missed milestones
Quality or SLA concerns
Decision SupportedIs vendor delivering and what action is required?
Assessment FocusVendor performance, SLAs, scope, commercial alignment
Evidence ReviewedContracts, SOWs, SLAs, performance data+ Commercial position and risk exposure analysis+ Stakeholder alignment and commercial position review
Assessment Output (by level)Focused: Vendor Insight Brief
Integrated: Vendor Performance Assessment
Strategic: Commercial Position and Exit Strategy
Typical Effort (by level)Focused: ~5–7 days
Integrated: ~10–14 days
Strategic: ~15–20 days
Assurance Depth (by level)Focused: Vendor Risk Signal
Integrated: Vendor System Assessment
Strategic: Vendor Viability Verdict
Best Used When (Trigger)When a contract renewal is approaching, vendor alignment has weakened, or a major contract change request (CR) is received

Request an Independent Delivery Assurance Review

Get a clear, independent view of delivery health, governance strength, and portfolio risk across your initiatives.

We review your context and recommend the appropriate engagement—covering scope, timing, and level of assurance required.

Confidential

Independent

No obligation