Case Study: Strategic IT Review

Sector: Not for Profit

Client: Under NDA

Model: Associate Partnership

Headquarters: Los Angeles, USA

Operations: 20+ countries around the world

Headcount: Employed 300, Volunteer 2500+

Group of happy african volunteers hugs in park. Africa volunteering, charity, people and ecology concept.

Background

A non-governmental organisation (NGO) delivering aid to over 20 countries around the world, found that an over-focus on operational matters had led to a situation whereby information technology was no longer enabling people to do their job.  Significant technical debt and a continued failure to connect with internal stakeholders led the NGO's board to require a review of operational I.T. and a roadmap on how I.T. should be managed in the future to align to organisational goals and objectives.

Having successfully bid for the work with a partner organisation, our specialist fractional CIO team delivered the work under the partner's brand to the NGO client.

What We Did

Using a combination of supplied documentation, questionnaires and individual / group meetings, and following our standard process, relevant information was collated to inform the status quo and the requirements of all key stakeholders.  The work was undertaken remotely and was completed over 30 days in 2022.

What We Delivered

A report, backed up with the findings of the review, and a roadmap was presented to the NGO board recommending that IT move away from a reactive, break / fix team to an organisation focussed on data and communications.

To deliver this, the following was recommended

  • Creation of an IT Steering Group
  • Implementation of appropriate IT Governance
  • Development of an appropriate IT Strategy
  • Identification and remediation of technical debt
  • Sourcing grants and awards to fund the new approach to I.T.

What Happened

After peer review and internal discussion, the report's findings and recommendations were accepted and adopted.

An IT Steering Committee, comprising internal stakeholders from the 20+ countries around the world was formed with clear targets and direction from the board, with appropriate KPIs.