09 / 09 · Capability
Advisory
A straight answer about what to build, what to buy, and what to stop.
What this is
AI readiness and automation opportunity assessments, tech stack rationalisation, build-versus-buy analysis and digital roadmaps. Available as a one-off assessment or a fractional retainer. The most common outcome is a shorter list than the one you arrived with.
Included under this pillar
- AI readiness and transformation audits
- Automation opportunity assessments
- Tech stack rationalisation
- Fractional CTO and Head of AI retainers
- Team AI training and workshops
- Build-versus-buy analysis
- Digital strategy roadmaps
- Ongoing advisory retainers
The process
How advisory actually gets built.
| Step | Phase | What happens | You get | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Intake | The decision you are actually trying to make, and what happens if you make it wrongly. | Scoped question and success criteria | Week 1 |
| 02 | Assessment | Interviews, system access, spend review and a look at what is really being used. | Findings pack with evidence | Weeks 2–3 |
| 03 | Findings Workshop | We present, you push back, and the uncomfortable items get discussed rather than buried. | Workshop and revised findings | Week 4 |
| 04 | Roadmap | Sequenced recommendations with cost, effort and dependencies. Ordered, not listed. | Prioritised roadmap | Week 4 |
| 05 | Decision Support | Vendor comparison, build-versus-buy numbers and help running the procurement. | Comparison matrix and recommendation | Week 5 |
| 06 | Retainer | Optional. Standing access for the decisions that come up between projects. | Monthly advisory sessions | Ongoing |
What you get
Everything below, every time.
0Deliverables
- 01Written findings pack with evidence
- 02Prioritised roadmap with cost and effort
- 03Build-versus-buy analysis
- 04Vendor comparison matrix
- 05Findings workshop with your team
- 06Team training or workshop session
- 07Executive summary for the board
- 08Optional monthly advisory retainer
How it is scoped
A fixed-fee assessment. If you go on to build with us, the fee is credited against the first engagement.
Questions
Asked and answered.
Will you tell us not to build something?
Regularly. It is the most valuable thing an assessment produces and the reason it is worth paying for.
Do we have to build with you afterwards?
No. The roadmap is written so any competent team can execute it, and it is yours either way.
How long does an assessment take?
Four to five weeks. Faster than that and we would be guessing rather than assessing.