How I work with clients and IT vendors

I start with the problem, not the technology

First I establish what you want to achieve, how the current process works, who uses it and where costs, errors or delays arise.

I do not assume a new application is the answer. Integrating existing tools, automating part of a process, changing configuration or improving data may work better.

Work in stages

1. Diagnosis. I identify the problem, goal, stakeholders, constraints and risks, organise existing knowledge and highlight unknowns requiring analysis.
2. Preparation. I describe processes, requirements, priorities and acceptance criteria. The material can support vendor selection, a backlog or an ongoing project.
3. Vendor selection. I compare scope, costs, assumptions, teams and working models, prepare questions, run workshops and identify risks to address before signing.
4. Delivery. I track scope, budget, schedule, decisions, risks and communication. Progress is verified through outcomes that can be demonstrated and tested.
5. Acceptance and launch. I prepare UAT, issue classification, acceptance conditions and documentation handover, assess launch readiness and plan stabilisation.

Recovery — when I join during a crisis

The path above begins with diagnosis. In practice, I also join projects already in difficulty, with delays, growing costs or vendor disputes.

The starting point is then not a new project plan, but an independent project health check: what exists, what completion will cost and which options remain realistic. This provides the basis for delivery, acceptance or, where justified, a controlled exit from the current vendor.

Clear information rather than project theatre

A report should support decisions, not merely look reassuring. I focus on where we stand, what has been delivered, what is at risk, which decisions are needed and the current completion cost.

I do not hide problems behind a green status, nor turn every deviation into a crisis. Proportion, impact and practical options matter.

Working with vendors

Independent oversight does not mean seeking conflict. Vendors need timely decisions, access to the right people and stable priorities. Clients need transparent progress, early risk information and outcomes matching the agreement.

When disagreements arise, I return to goals, requirements, criteria and recorded decisions, separating the problem to solve from the search for blame.

Tools that fit the situation

• Workshops and process mapping.
• Backlogs, user stories and acceptance criteria.
• MoSCoW, dependency maps and phased plans.
• Risk, decision and change logs.
• Business and management status reports.
• UAT scenarios and acceptance matrices.
• Proposal comparisons and cost forecasts.
• Existing client and vendor tools where they meet the need.

Working principles

• Clear responsibilities and expected outcomes.
• Direct communication about problems and limitations.
• Decisions based on value, risk and available evidence.
• Enough documentation for control and knowledge transfer.
• Recommendations independent of selling a particular technology or vendor.