Need an independent third party to audit your digital projects?
Our independent verification and validation services offer more than an expert technical review: they give you a powerful ally for the success of your projects.
Let's discuss your project
Why call on an independent technology auditor?
The Gallant report, issued by the commission of inquiry into the modernization of the SAAQ's information systems, recommends strengthening the independence of audits. The work of Quebec's Auditor General points in the same direction, for example to strengthen the ability of public bodies to objectively assess vendors' needs and proposals.
For 25 years, the finding has been the same: calling on an experienced independent advisor to audit your projects reduces the risk of cost overruns.
You need to know what you are buying and be aware of the risks. That is why we provide the technical portion of a due diligence review, covering for example the actual state of the software, its dependencies, its libraries and its technical debt.
Before renewing an agreement, it can be wise to take an objective inventory of what has been delivered and what remains to be done, so you can negotiate on objective external facts rather than internal impressions.
You do not feel entirely confident about your vendor, but you are not sure your team has the time or the skills to produce a report? An independent review confirms what is working and flags what is not, which can put you back in a position of strength.
Sometimes there is little or no senior technical team in your organization, which can be a problem depending on the type of technology involved in a project. You can then borrow senior expertise long enough to see clearly and decide with confidence.
With a large digital project, the financial stakes are high. Quebec's recent history has shown that the cost of an independent audit is nothing compared to the cost of the mistakes that audit can help you avoid.
Independent verification and validation (IV&V)
Upfront review of the architecture and technical choices
Even before signing, we provide an independent review of the proposed architecture, the selected technologies and how well they fit your long-term objectives.
Validation of deliverables at every milestone of the digital project
As the project moves forward, we compare each deliverable with what was promised. Gaps are flagged and corrected while there is still time to act.
Representation in technical discussions
You would hire a lawyer to defend you in court: having a specialist represent you with a vendor also brings its share of advantages in technical discussions.
Why audit your projects with us?
From a purely technical standpoint, there is nothing mysterious about an audit: it follows standards, steps and practices that many people know. What changes from one provider to the next is the level of expertise, experience and commitment.
With V.I.A. Solutions & Strategies, these three conditions for success are guaranteed.
Genuine independence
We sell no solutions and are tied to no vendor: our only interest is yours. You get a report and support that benefit you alone.
The 5 steps of our audit
Our mandates are modular: you choose only the steps you want.
1. Information gathering
We gather everything needed to assess the situation with evidence rather than impressions: code, architecture documents, discussions with your teams and, where applicable, with the vendor.
2. Independent analysis
Every aspect is analyzed and compared with best practices based on the issues surrounding your digital project: compliance with Law 25, architecture, scalability, extensibility, and so on.
3. Report and recommendations
Our report of concrete recommendations shows you what is already on the right track, then what would benefit from being corrected or adapted to meet the conditions for success of your digital project.
4. Presentation and representation
If you wish, we can represent you in technical discussions with the vendor to follow up on and ensure the implementation of the recommendations provided.
5. Compliance validation
We can provide a final validation confirming, point by point, that the recommendations have been taken into account, to ensure the project's sustainability and avoid unpleasant surprises down the road.
“The value of experienced teams cannot be overestimated, and yet it is systematically ignored.”
A wide range of projects behind the suit and tie
With V.I.A. Solutions & Strategies, you do not entrust your audit to a junior profile or to whoever an agency has available, but to a senior practitioner who grounds every analysis in decades of digital projects.
Our founder has also worked on dozens of major digital initiatives, each one a lesson in what makes a digital project succeed or fail.
Let's talk about your project.
What are you looking for: a vendor assessment? A report with recommendations? Cost reductions? Project follow-up?
Tell us about your objectives and your context so that together we can scope a mandate based on your needs and within your budget.