Technical audits are an assessment of the technology infrastructure of an organisation. The goal is identify strengths and weaknesses in the tech stack and to ensure that it is in line with your business goals. This is a vital step to take before beginning the next project. It gives invaluable insight into how technology will perform.
Tech audits differ from IT reviews and security assessments which are focused on assessing the systems’ compliance and security. Tech audits evaluate all the tools your company uses to perform work, and analyze their effectiveness, cost, as well as integrations with other technologies.
The details of a technology review depend on the person conducting it. It could be requested by a CFO who is seeking to reduce software costs or motivated by a leadership team who want to be more flexible and productive.
A tech stack audit typically shows that different tools are employed for the same purpose. For instance, engineering may employ Jira and marketing teams utilize Asana and Wrike. This means that the data isn’t flowing smoothly across departments and creating a single source of truth.
Another common finding is that un-sanctioned apps are being used by specific departments or teams. Certain apps could be beneficial and bring value but they can also be a source of risk, especially if security and integrations are not vetted. A tech audit could give leadership visibility into what these tools are and how they’re being employed, allowing them to decide whether they can be integrated into the larger technology stack.