Technology consulting and architecture review
Some of the most valuable technical advice is that a project should not go ahead, or that an off-the-shelf product already solves the problem. That advice is hard to get from a supplier whose revenue depends on the build.
Consulting engagements are priced and scoped separately from delivery work precisely so the recommendation is not shaped by what would be profitable to build next.
This covers architecture reviews, build-versus-buy analysis, technical due diligence and short-term advisory for teams without a full-time technical lead.
What you get
Architecture review
Assessment of your current system against where the business is heading, with the real constraints identified.
Build versus buy analysis
Honest comparison of building against existing products, including the maintenance cost of building that is usually left out.
Technical due diligence
Independent code and infrastructure assessment for investment or acquisition decisions.
Advisory retainer
Ongoing technical guidance for teams that need senior input without hiring a full-time lead.
How it works
- 1
Context
Understanding the business direction first — a technically elegant answer aimed at the wrong goal is still the wrong answer.
- 2
Assessment
Review of code, infrastructure, team structure and delivery process. Constraints are usually organisational as much as technical.
- 3
Recommendation
Written findings with options, trade-offs and costs stated openly — including the option of doing nothing.
- 4
Support
Optional help executing the recommendation, whether that is with us, your team, or another supplier.
Frequently asked questions
How is consulting priced?
Fixed fee for a defined scope such as an architecture review or due diligence assessment, or a monthly retainer for ongoing advisory. Pricing is deliberately separated from any delivery work that might follow, so the recommendation is not influenced by what would be lucrative to build.
Will you tell us not to build something?
Yes, and it happens regularly. If an existing product covers your requirement, or the problem is really a process issue rather than a software one, that is the finding we report. It is the main reason to bring in an outside view at all.
What does technical due diligence cover?
Code quality and maintainability, architecture and its scaling limits, infrastructure and its running cost, security posture, dependency and licensing risk, and how much of the system's knowledge sits with individual people rather than in documentation. That last point is frequently the largest hidden risk in an acquisition.
Can you advise a team that already has developers?
Yes. A common engagement is reviewing an in-house team's architecture decisions and giving them a second opinion, without taking over delivery. We work with your developers rather than around them.
How quickly can a review be turned around?
An architecture review of a single system typically takes one to two weeks. Full technical due diligence for an acquisition usually takes two to four, depending on codebase size and how quickly access can be arranged.
Talk to us about technology consulting
Describe what you need and we will reply within one working day. You will get a written scope and a fixed estimate before committing to anything.
- digital strategy consulting
- technology assessment
- software architecture review
- CTO advisory
Other services
Web applications, internal tools and integrations built around how your business actually works.
Cross-platform apps from a single codebase, shipped to both the App Store and Google Play.
Migration to AWS or Azure, automated deployment pipelines, and infrastructure you can actually reason about.