Mastering IT Due Diligence for High-Stakes Business Decisions
You’re under pressure. A major acquisition is on the table. The board is watching. The CIO has flagged potential technical debt. And you’re the one expected to deliver a clear, confident recommendation - with millions on the line. Despite your experience, the sheer complexity of modern IT environments makes traditional due diligence feel outdated, reactive, and dangerously superficial. One missed vulnerability, one hidden integration risk, and the entire deal could unravel - or worse, succeed on paper but fail in execution. This isn’t just about risk mitigation. It’s about transforming uncertainty into a strategic advantage. The ability to dissect IT assets with precision, foresee integration pitfalls, and project true operational viability is what separates trusted advisors from order-takers. That’s why we created Mastering IT Due Diligence for High-Stakes Business Decisions. This is not a theoretical overview. It’s a battle-tested, outcome-focused blueprint that enables you to go from overwhelmed and reactive to delivering board-ready, evidence-based assessments in as little as 21 days - with confidence backed by methodology, not guesswork. One Managing Director at a global private equity firm used these frameworks to halt a $120M SaaS acquisition after uncovering undocumented licensing liabilities that would have triggered a 40% EBITDA write-down post-close. She’s now leading due diligence for all tech deals in her fund - and using the Certificate of Completion from The Art of Service as proof of structured capability. No more flying blind. No more regretting what you didn’t see. You’ll gain a system that scales across industries, company sizes, and deal types - from M&A and investment to internal transformation and vendor selection. Here’s how this course is structured to help you get there.Course Format & Delivery Details Mastering IT Due Diligence for High-Stakes Business Decisions is a self-paced, on-demand professional program designed for executives, advisors, and leaders who need to make high-precision decisions under pressure. There are no fixed start dates, no mandatory live sessions, and no time commitments. You progress at your own pace, on your own schedule, with full access from anywhere in the world. Immediate & Lifetime Access
Once enrolled, you gain immediate online access to the full suite of course materials. Your progress is saved automatically, and you retain lifetime access to all content, including any and all future updates at no extra cost. The frameworks evolve with the market - and so will your access. Mobile-Friendly & Global Compatibility
Access your training from any device - desktop, tablet, or smartphone - with full functionality and responsive formatting. Whether you're preparing for due diligence in a boardroom, airport lounge, or client site, your toolkit travels with you. 24/7 access ensures global professionals across time zones can engage without friction. Completion Time & Tangible Outcomes
Most participants complete the core curriculum in 21 to 28 hours, with many applying the first assessment framework to a live business case within the first week. The design is outcome-driven - you’re not just learning, you’re building real artefacts: scorecards, risk matrices, integration heat maps, and executive summaries you can use immediately. Instructor Support & Expert Guidance
While the course is self-paced, you are not alone. Direct access to subject-matter experts provides clarity when you need it. Submit questions through the platform and receive detailed, personalised guidance within 48 business hours. This isn’t automated chat - it’s real support from seasoned due diligence practitioners with field experience across 50+ high-value transactions. Certificate of Completion Issued by The Art of Service
Upon finishing the program, you will earn a Certificate of Completion issued by The Art of Service - a globally recognised credential trusted by professionals in over 90 countries. This certification validates your mastery of structured IT due diligence, signals technical fluency to stakeholders, and enhances your credibility in deals, governance, and strategic planning. Transparent Pricing, Zero Hidden Fees
The listed price includes full access to the course, all updates, support, and certification. There are no additional charges, no subscription traps, and no surprise costs. What you see is what you get - a single upfront investment in a capability that pays dividends across your career. Accepted Payment Methods
We accept all major payment types, including Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal. Secure checkout ensures your transaction is protected with industry-standard encryption. 100% Satisfied or Refunded Guarantee
We guarantee your satisfaction. If the course does not meet your expectations, you may request a full refund within 14 days of enrollment - no questions asked. This removes all risk and places the value firmly in your hands. Easy Enrollment & Access Process
After enrollment, you will receive a confirmation email. Your course access details will be delivered separately once your registration is fully processed and your materials are ready. This ensures a seamless onboarding experience with all content properly configured for your use. This Works Even If…
You’re not an IT specialist. You’ve never led a technical audit. Your background is finance, strategy, or operations. You’re time-constrained, working across multiple deals, or transitioning into a role with greater technical accountability. This works even if you only interact with IT at the executive level. The methodology is built for non-engineers who must make engineering-grade decisions. It gives you the language, the filters, and the checklist-driven confidence to question deeply, validate rigorously, and act decisively - without needing to code or configure systems. One Financial Controller in a manufacturing group used the risk scoring model to identify a critical cloud dependency in a target company’s ERP system - a flaw previously overlooked by external consultants. Her analysis directly influenced renegotiation terms, saving $8.3M in projected integration spend. You don’t need to become a technologist. You just need to know what matters - and what to ask. This program gives you that power, with zero fluff and maximum leverage.
Module 1: Foundations of IT Due Diligence in Strategic Decision-Making - Understanding the role of IT due diligence in M&A, investment, and transformation
- Key differences between financial, legal, and IT due diligence
- The expanding scope of IT assets in modern business
- Why traditional checklists fail in complex technology environments
- The real cost of undetected technical debt
- How IT risks impact enterprise valuation and integration timelines
- Defining high-stakes decision contexts: mergers, spin-offs, IPOs, and capital raises
- Aligning IT due diligence with business strategy objectives
- Identifying stakeholders and their information needs
- The lifecycle of a due diligence engagement: phases, timelines, and escalation paths
- Establishing scope boundaries to avoid analysis paralysis
- Recognising red flags in early-stage IT assessments
- Building a due diligence success profile
- Common misconceptions that delay meaningful insights
- Integrating regulatory and compliance requirements from the start
Module 2: Strategic Frameworks for Assessing Technical Health - The 5-Dimensional Technical Health Model
- Evaluating architecture maturity and scalability
- Measuring system reliability and uptime history
- Assessing technical debt using quantifiable metrics
- Identifying symptoms of legacy system fatigue
- Mapping interdependencies across platforms and services
- Scoring vendor lock-in and exit complexity
- Analysing API exposure and integration readiness
- Reviewing disaster recovery and business continuity design
- Validating data ownership and portability
- Assessing cloud migration completeness and strategy
- Detecting under-documented customisations
- Evaluating the quality of technical documentation
- Using the Technical Debt Heat Map for visual prioritisation
- Introducing the Architecture Fitness Scorecard
Module 3: Building a Repeatable Due Diligence Methodology - The 8-Step IT Due Diligence Workflow
- Phase 1: Pre-Engagement Planning and Scoping
- Phase 2: Information Request List Development
- Phase 3: Data Collection and Validation Protocols
- Phase 4: Risk Identification and Categorisation
- Phase 5: Gap Analysis and Exposure Quantification
- Phase 6: Integration Impact Assessment
- Phase 7: Reporting and Executive Synthesis
- Phase 8: Post-Close Monitoring and Handover
- Creating role-based question sets for technical and non-technical teams
- Developing custom checklists by industry and business model
- Using workflow automation to accelerate evidence gathering
- Defining risk thresholds and escalation rules
- Building a due diligence playbook for repeatable use
- Ensuring auditability and traceability of findings
- Documenting assumptions and limitations transparently
Module 4: Data-Driven Risk Assessment Models - Introduction to the Risk Exposure Index
- Quantifying risk likelihood and business impact
- Weighted scoring models for objective comparison
- Building a Risk Heat Matrix for visual communication
- Calculating potential remediation costs and time
- Estimating integration complexity using platform diversity metrics
- Measuring team velocity and delivery predictability
- Analysing incident frequency and resolution patterns
- Validating vendor SLA performance with historical data
- Identifying single points of failure in system design
- Assessing cybersecurity posture without deep technical expertise
- Reviewing patching cadence and vulnerability backlog
- Evaluating third-party service risk exposure
- Mapping data flow for compliance and security risks
- Using control maturity assessments to predict risk behaviour
Module 5: Evaluating Software & Application Portfolios - Inventorying core business applications and their roles
- Distinguishing between off-the-shelf, custom, and hybrid systems
- Assessing software versioning and upgrade history
- Identifying unsupported or end-of-life platforms
- Verifying license compliance and entitlements
- Analysing user adoption and utilisation metrics
- Evaluating SaaS platform configuration depth
- Assessing admin access controls and governance
- Reviewing change management and release processes
- Detecting configuration drift and unapproved modifications
- Measuring time-to-resolution for application issues
- Analysing integration points and middleware usage
- Assessing scalability under peak load conditions
- Reviewing custom code quantity and maintainability
- Estimating re-implementation costs for critical apps
Module 6: Infrastructure & Cloud Environment Analysis - Mapping on-premise, cloud, and hybrid infrastructure
- Assessing cloud service model appropriateness (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS)
- Validating cloud security configuration and access controls
- Reviewing identity and access management practices
- Analysing network architecture and segmentation
- Assessing bandwidth and latency constraints
- Measuring infrastructure monitoring and alerting coverage
- Reviewing backup frequency and restore testing results
- Analysing storage utilisation and growth patterns
- Validating domain name and certificate management
- Assessing disaster recovery plan maturity
- Evaluating service provider contract terms and exit clauses
- Identifying hidden infrastructure dependencies
- Measuring automation and infrastructure-as-code usage
- Detecting cost-inefficient resource allocation
Module 7: Cybersecurity & Data Governance Evaluation - The 12-point cybersecurity due diligence checklist
- Reviewing penetration test reports and remediation status
- Assessing employee security training frequency and results
- Analysing incident response plan effectiveness
- Validating multi-factor authentication enforcement
- Reviewing data classification and handling policies
- Assessing data residency and sovereignty alignment
- Measuring encryption coverage for data at rest and in transit
- Analysing access logs and anomaly detection capabilities
- Reviewing third-party security assessments and certifications
- Evaluating insider threat detection mechanisms
- Detecting shadow IT and unauthorised software
- Assessing compliance with GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, or other standards
- Verifying security audit frequency and findings
- Mapping data lineage and retention policies
Module 8: Integration Readiness & Post-Merger Viability - Assessing technical compatibility between merging entities
- Mapping data models and schema alignment
- Identifying master data management challenges
- Reviewing identity and access convergence strategies
- Analysing integration timeline feasibility
- Estimating resource requirements for system consolidation
- Detecting conflicting business rules and logic
- Assessing cultural readiness for technical change
- Reviewing organisational alignment for integration teams
- Developing integration risk registers
- Creating integration test scenarios and success criteria
- Forecasting downtime and user impact
- Building rollback and fallback procedures
- Assessing change management capacity
- Developing a 100-day post-close integration plan
Module 9: Vendor, Partner & Third-Party Technology Assessment - Evaluating third-party development and outsourcing partners
- Reviewing service level agreements and performance history
- Assessing vendor financial stability and support longevity
- Analysing contract renewal and exit terms
- Identifying single-source dependencies
- Reviewing source code escrow arrangements
- Verifying disaster recovery and continuity planning with vendors
- Evaluating vendor security posture and compliance posture
- Assessing customisation depth and in-house control
- Determining support responsiveness and escalation paths
- Analysing integration expertise and track record
- Reviewing knowledge transfer practices
- Detecting undocumented modifications or extensions
- Assessing long-term technology roadmap alignment
- Developing vendor risk scorecards
Module 10: People, Processes & Organisational Capability Audit - Assessing IT leadership strength and continuity risk
- Reviewing team structure and role clarity
- Analysing key person dependencies and mitigation plans
- Evaluating staff certifications and technical skills
- Measuring employee retention and turnover rates
- Reviewing IT budget allocation and investment patterns
- Assessing project management methodology maturity
- Analysing incident management and resolution workflows
- Reviewing change advisory board effectiveness
- Measuring stakeholder satisfaction with IT services
- Assessing innovation pipeline and technology roadmap
- Detecting cultural resistance to change or automation
- Evaluating training and onboarding processes
- Analysing documentation completeness and accessibility
- Building team capability heat maps
Module 11: Creating Board-Ready Due Diligence Reports - Structuring findings for executive consumption
- Using the Executive Summary Triangle: Risk, Cost, Timeline
- Translating technical findings into business impact
- Developing risk matrices for visual clarity
- Creating executive dashboards with key indicators
- Drafting clear, actionable recommendations
- Presenting options with cost-benefit analysis
- Highlighting deal-breakers and negotiable risks
- Using red, amber, green (RAG) status coding effectively
- Building evidence trails for auditability
- Ensuring defensibility of conclusions
- Preparing appendix materials for deeper review
- Aligning tone and depth with audience seniority
- Incorporating visuals without oversimplification
- Finalising distribution and access controls
Module 12: Real-World Application & Capstone Project - Introducing the Capstone Due Diligence Case
- Applying the full methodology to a simulated acquisition
- Collecting and validating sample technical evidence
- Conducting risk scoring using standardised models
- Developing integration risk forecasts
- Creating a risk-adjusted valuation adjustment
- Building a negotiation leverage summary
- Preparing a board presentation from findings
- Peer-reviewing assessment approaches
- Receiving expert feedback on deliverables
- Refining conclusions based on new evidence
- Finalising a due diligence dossier
- Documenting lessons learned and improvement areas
- Linking findings to post-close monitoring plan
- Submitting for certification review
Module 13: Certification, Maintenance & Career Application - Requirements for earning the Certificate of Completion
- Submitting capstone work for evaluation
- Feedback and revision process
- Issuance of official certification by The Art of Service
- Adding the credential to LinkedIn and professional profiles
- Using certification to demonstrate due diligence rigour
- Accessing exclusive alumni resources and updates
- Receiving quarterly methodology refreshes
- Joining a network of certified practitioners
- Tracking continued professional development
- Accessing advanced templates and toolkits
- Updating skills for emerging technologies
- Applying due diligence principles beyond M&A
- Using frameworks in vendor selection and RFPs
- Guiding internal digital transformation safely
- Understanding the role of IT due diligence in M&A, investment, and transformation
- Key differences between financial, legal, and IT due diligence
- The expanding scope of IT assets in modern business
- Why traditional checklists fail in complex technology environments
- The real cost of undetected technical debt
- How IT risks impact enterprise valuation and integration timelines
- Defining high-stakes decision contexts: mergers, spin-offs, IPOs, and capital raises
- Aligning IT due diligence with business strategy objectives
- Identifying stakeholders and their information needs
- The lifecycle of a due diligence engagement: phases, timelines, and escalation paths
- Establishing scope boundaries to avoid analysis paralysis
- Recognising red flags in early-stage IT assessments
- Building a due diligence success profile
- Common misconceptions that delay meaningful insights
- Integrating regulatory and compliance requirements from the start
Module 2: Strategic Frameworks for Assessing Technical Health - The 5-Dimensional Technical Health Model
- Evaluating architecture maturity and scalability
- Measuring system reliability and uptime history
- Assessing technical debt using quantifiable metrics
- Identifying symptoms of legacy system fatigue
- Mapping interdependencies across platforms and services
- Scoring vendor lock-in and exit complexity
- Analysing API exposure and integration readiness
- Reviewing disaster recovery and business continuity design
- Validating data ownership and portability
- Assessing cloud migration completeness and strategy
- Detecting under-documented customisations
- Evaluating the quality of technical documentation
- Using the Technical Debt Heat Map for visual prioritisation
- Introducing the Architecture Fitness Scorecard
Module 3: Building a Repeatable Due Diligence Methodology - The 8-Step IT Due Diligence Workflow
- Phase 1: Pre-Engagement Planning and Scoping
- Phase 2: Information Request List Development
- Phase 3: Data Collection and Validation Protocols
- Phase 4: Risk Identification and Categorisation
- Phase 5: Gap Analysis and Exposure Quantification
- Phase 6: Integration Impact Assessment
- Phase 7: Reporting and Executive Synthesis
- Phase 8: Post-Close Monitoring and Handover
- Creating role-based question sets for technical and non-technical teams
- Developing custom checklists by industry and business model
- Using workflow automation to accelerate evidence gathering
- Defining risk thresholds and escalation rules
- Building a due diligence playbook for repeatable use
- Ensuring auditability and traceability of findings
- Documenting assumptions and limitations transparently
Module 4: Data-Driven Risk Assessment Models - Introduction to the Risk Exposure Index
- Quantifying risk likelihood and business impact
- Weighted scoring models for objective comparison
- Building a Risk Heat Matrix for visual communication
- Calculating potential remediation costs and time
- Estimating integration complexity using platform diversity metrics
- Measuring team velocity and delivery predictability
- Analysing incident frequency and resolution patterns
- Validating vendor SLA performance with historical data
- Identifying single points of failure in system design
- Assessing cybersecurity posture without deep technical expertise
- Reviewing patching cadence and vulnerability backlog
- Evaluating third-party service risk exposure
- Mapping data flow for compliance and security risks
- Using control maturity assessments to predict risk behaviour
Module 5: Evaluating Software & Application Portfolios - Inventorying core business applications and their roles
- Distinguishing between off-the-shelf, custom, and hybrid systems
- Assessing software versioning and upgrade history
- Identifying unsupported or end-of-life platforms
- Verifying license compliance and entitlements
- Analysing user adoption and utilisation metrics
- Evaluating SaaS platform configuration depth
- Assessing admin access controls and governance
- Reviewing change management and release processes
- Detecting configuration drift and unapproved modifications
- Measuring time-to-resolution for application issues
- Analysing integration points and middleware usage
- Assessing scalability under peak load conditions
- Reviewing custom code quantity and maintainability
- Estimating re-implementation costs for critical apps
Module 6: Infrastructure & Cloud Environment Analysis - Mapping on-premise, cloud, and hybrid infrastructure
- Assessing cloud service model appropriateness (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS)
- Validating cloud security configuration and access controls
- Reviewing identity and access management practices
- Analysing network architecture and segmentation
- Assessing bandwidth and latency constraints
- Measuring infrastructure monitoring and alerting coverage
- Reviewing backup frequency and restore testing results
- Analysing storage utilisation and growth patterns
- Validating domain name and certificate management
- Assessing disaster recovery plan maturity
- Evaluating service provider contract terms and exit clauses
- Identifying hidden infrastructure dependencies
- Measuring automation and infrastructure-as-code usage
- Detecting cost-inefficient resource allocation
Module 7: Cybersecurity & Data Governance Evaluation - The 12-point cybersecurity due diligence checklist
- Reviewing penetration test reports and remediation status
- Assessing employee security training frequency and results
- Analysing incident response plan effectiveness
- Validating multi-factor authentication enforcement
- Reviewing data classification and handling policies
- Assessing data residency and sovereignty alignment
- Measuring encryption coverage for data at rest and in transit
- Analysing access logs and anomaly detection capabilities
- Reviewing third-party security assessments and certifications
- Evaluating insider threat detection mechanisms
- Detecting shadow IT and unauthorised software
- Assessing compliance with GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, or other standards
- Verifying security audit frequency and findings
- Mapping data lineage and retention policies
Module 8: Integration Readiness & Post-Merger Viability - Assessing technical compatibility between merging entities
- Mapping data models and schema alignment
- Identifying master data management challenges
- Reviewing identity and access convergence strategies
- Analysing integration timeline feasibility
- Estimating resource requirements for system consolidation
- Detecting conflicting business rules and logic
- Assessing cultural readiness for technical change
- Reviewing organisational alignment for integration teams
- Developing integration risk registers
- Creating integration test scenarios and success criteria
- Forecasting downtime and user impact
- Building rollback and fallback procedures
- Assessing change management capacity
- Developing a 100-day post-close integration plan
Module 9: Vendor, Partner & Third-Party Technology Assessment - Evaluating third-party development and outsourcing partners
- Reviewing service level agreements and performance history
- Assessing vendor financial stability and support longevity
- Analysing contract renewal and exit terms
- Identifying single-source dependencies
- Reviewing source code escrow arrangements
- Verifying disaster recovery and continuity planning with vendors
- Evaluating vendor security posture and compliance posture
- Assessing customisation depth and in-house control
- Determining support responsiveness and escalation paths
- Analysing integration expertise and track record
- Reviewing knowledge transfer practices
- Detecting undocumented modifications or extensions
- Assessing long-term technology roadmap alignment
- Developing vendor risk scorecards
Module 10: People, Processes & Organisational Capability Audit - Assessing IT leadership strength and continuity risk
- Reviewing team structure and role clarity
- Analysing key person dependencies and mitigation plans
- Evaluating staff certifications and technical skills
- Measuring employee retention and turnover rates
- Reviewing IT budget allocation and investment patterns
- Assessing project management methodology maturity
- Analysing incident management and resolution workflows
- Reviewing change advisory board effectiveness
- Measuring stakeholder satisfaction with IT services
- Assessing innovation pipeline and technology roadmap
- Detecting cultural resistance to change or automation
- Evaluating training and onboarding processes
- Analysing documentation completeness and accessibility
- Building team capability heat maps
Module 11: Creating Board-Ready Due Diligence Reports - Structuring findings for executive consumption
- Using the Executive Summary Triangle: Risk, Cost, Timeline
- Translating technical findings into business impact
- Developing risk matrices for visual clarity
- Creating executive dashboards with key indicators
- Drafting clear, actionable recommendations
- Presenting options with cost-benefit analysis
- Highlighting deal-breakers and negotiable risks
- Using red, amber, green (RAG) status coding effectively
- Building evidence trails for auditability
- Ensuring defensibility of conclusions
- Preparing appendix materials for deeper review
- Aligning tone and depth with audience seniority
- Incorporating visuals without oversimplification
- Finalising distribution and access controls
Module 12: Real-World Application & Capstone Project - Introducing the Capstone Due Diligence Case
- Applying the full methodology to a simulated acquisition
- Collecting and validating sample technical evidence
- Conducting risk scoring using standardised models
- Developing integration risk forecasts
- Creating a risk-adjusted valuation adjustment
- Building a negotiation leverage summary
- Preparing a board presentation from findings
- Peer-reviewing assessment approaches
- Receiving expert feedback on deliverables
- Refining conclusions based on new evidence
- Finalising a due diligence dossier
- Documenting lessons learned and improvement areas
- Linking findings to post-close monitoring plan
- Submitting for certification review
Module 13: Certification, Maintenance & Career Application - Requirements for earning the Certificate of Completion
- Submitting capstone work for evaluation
- Feedback and revision process
- Issuance of official certification by The Art of Service
- Adding the credential to LinkedIn and professional profiles
- Using certification to demonstrate due diligence rigour
- Accessing exclusive alumni resources and updates
- Receiving quarterly methodology refreshes
- Joining a network of certified practitioners
- Tracking continued professional development
- Accessing advanced templates and toolkits
- Updating skills for emerging technologies
- Applying due diligence principles beyond M&A
- Using frameworks in vendor selection and RFPs
- Guiding internal digital transformation safely
- The 8-Step IT Due Diligence Workflow
- Phase 1: Pre-Engagement Planning and Scoping
- Phase 2: Information Request List Development
- Phase 3: Data Collection and Validation Protocols
- Phase 4: Risk Identification and Categorisation
- Phase 5: Gap Analysis and Exposure Quantification
- Phase 6: Integration Impact Assessment
- Phase 7: Reporting and Executive Synthesis
- Phase 8: Post-Close Monitoring and Handover
- Creating role-based question sets for technical and non-technical teams
- Developing custom checklists by industry and business model
- Using workflow automation to accelerate evidence gathering
- Defining risk thresholds and escalation rules
- Building a due diligence playbook for repeatable use
- Ensuring auditability and traceability of findings
- Documenting assumptions and limitations transparently
Module 4: Data-Driven Risk Assessment Models - Introduction to the Risk Exposure Index
- Quantifying risk likelihood and business impact
- Weighted scoring models for objective comparison
- Building a Risk Heat Matrix for visual communication
- Calculating potential remediation costs and time
- Estimating integration complexity using platform diversity metrics
- Measuring team velocity and delivery predictability
- Analysing incident frequency and resolution patterns
- Validating vendor SLA performance with historical data
- Identifying single points of failure in system design
- Assessing cybersecurity posture without deep technical expertise
- Reviewing patching cadence and vulnerability backlog
- Evaluating third-party service risk exposure
- Mapping data flow for compliance and security risks
- Using control maturity assessments to predict risk behaviour
Module 5: Evaluating Software & Application Portfolios - Inventorying core business applications and their roles
- Distinguishing between off-the-shelf, custom, and hybrid systems
- Assessing software versioning and upgrade history
- Identifying unsupported or end-of-life platforms
- Verifying license compliance and entitlements
- Analysing user adoption and utilisation metrics
- Evaluating SaaS platform configuration depth
- Assessing admin access controls and governance
- Reviewing change management and release processes
- Detecting configuration drift and unapproved modifications
- Measuring time-to-resolution for application issues
- Analysing integration points and middleware usage
- Assessing scalability under peak load conditions
- Reviewing custom code quantity and maintainability
- Estimating re-implementation costs for critical apps
Module 6: Infrastructure & Cloud Environment Analysis - Mapping on-premise, cloud, and hybrid infrastructure
- Assessing cloud service model appropriateness (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS)
- Validating cloud security configuration and access controls
- Reviewing identity and access management practices
- Analysing network architecture and segmentation
- Assessing bandwidth and latency constraints
- Measuring infrastructure monitoring and alerting coverage
- Reviewing backup frequency and restore testing results
- Analysing storage utilisation and growth patterns
- Validating domain name and certificate management
- Assessing disaster recovery plan maturity
- Evaluating service provider contract terms and exit clauses
- Identifying hidden infrastructure dependencies
- Measuring automation and infrastructure-as-code usage
- Detecting cost-inefficient resource allocation
Module 7: Cybersecurity & Data Governance Evaluation - The 12-point cybersecurity due diligence checklist
- Reviewing penetration test reports and remediation status
- Assessing employee security training frequency and results
- Analysing incident response plan effectiveness
- Validating multi-factor authentication enforcement
- Reviewing data classification and handling policies
- Assessing data residency and sovereignty alignment
- Measuring encryption coverage for data at rest and in transit
- Analysing access logs and anomaly detection capabilities
- Reviewing third-party security assessments and certifications
- Evaluating insider threat detection mechanisms
- Detecting shadow IT and unauthorised software
- Assessing compliance with GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, or other standards
- Verifying security audit frequency and findings
- Mapping data lineage and retention policies
Module 8: Integration Readiness & Post-Merger Viability - Assessing technical compatibility between merging entities
- Mapping data models and schema alignment
- Identifying master data management challenges
- Reviewing identity and access convergence strategies
- Analysing integration timeline feasibility
- Estimating resource requirements for system consolidation
- Detecting conflicting business rules and logic
- Assessing cultural readiness for technical change
- Reviewing organisational alignment for integration teams
- Developing integration risk registers
- Creating integration test scenarios and success criteria
- Forecasting downtime and user impact
- Building rollback and fallback procedures
- Assessing change management capacity
- Developing a 100-day post-close integration plan
Module 9: Vendor, Partner & Third-Party Technology Assessment - Evaluating third-party development and outsourcing partners
- Reviewing service level agreements and performance history
- Assessing vendor financial stability and support longevity
- Analysing contract renewal and exit terms
- Identifying single-source dependencies
- Reviewing source code escrow arrangements
- Verifying disaster recovery and continuity planning with vendors
- Evaluating vendor security posture and compliance posture
- Assessing customisation depth and in-house control
- Determining support responsiveness and escalation paths
- Analysing integration expertise and track record
- Reviewing knowledge transfer practices
- Detecting undocumented modifications or extensions
- Assessing long-term technology roadmap alignment
- Developing vendor risk scorecards
Module 10: People, Processes & Organisational Capability Audit - Assessing IT leadership strength and continuity risk
- Reviewing team structure and role clarity
- Analysing key person dependencies and mitigation plans
- Evaluating staff certifications and technical skills
- Measuring employee retention and turnover rates
- Reviewing IT budget allocation and investment patterns
- Assessing project management methodology maturity
- Analysing incident management and resolution workflows
- Reviewing change advisory board effectiveness
- Measuring stakeholder satisfaction with IT services
- Assessing innovation pipeline and technology roadmap
- Detecting cultural resistance to change or automation
- Evaluating training and onboarding processes
- Analysing documentation completeness and accessibility
- Building team capability heat maps
Module 11: Creating Board-Ready Due Diligence Reports - Structuring findings for executive consumption
- Using the Executive Summary Triangle: Risk, Cost, Timeline
- Translating technical findings into business impact
- Developing risk matrices for visual clarity
- Creating executive dashboards with key indicators
- Drafting clear, actionable recommendations
- Presenting options with cost-benefit analysis
- Highlighting deal-breakers and negotiable risks
- Using red, amber, green (RAG) status coding effectively
- Building evidence trails for auditability
- Ensuring defensibility of conclusions
- Preparing appendix materials for deeper review
- Aligning tone and depth with audience seniority
- Incorporating visuals without oversimplification
- Finalising distribution and access controls
Module 12: Real-World Application & Capstone Project - Introducing the Capstone Due Diligence Case
- Applying the full methodology to a simulated acquisition
- Collecting and validating sample technical evidence
- Conducting risk scoring using standardised models
- Developing integration risk forecasts
- Creating a risk-adjusted valuation adjustment
- Building a negotiation leverage summary
- Preparing a board presentation from findings
- Peer-reviewing assessment approaches
- Receiving expert feedback on deliverables
- Refining conclusions based on new evidence
- Finalising a due diligence dossier
- Documenting lessons learned and improvement areas
- Linking findings to post-close monitoring plan
- Submitting for certification review
Module 13: Certification, Maintenance & Career Application - Requirements for earning the Certificate of Completion
- Submitting capstone work for evaluation
- Feedback and revision process
- Issuance of official certification by The Art of Service
- Adding the credential to LinkedIn and professional profiles
- Using certification to demonstrate due diligence rigour
- Accessing exclusive alumni resources and updates
- Receiving quarterly methodology refreshes
- Joining a network of certified practitioners
- Tracking continued professional development
- Accessing advanced templates and toolkits
- Updating skills for emerging technologies
- Applying due diligence principles beyond M&A
- Using frameworks in vendor selection and RFPs
- Guiding internal digital transformation safely
- Inventorying core business applications and their roles
- Distinguishing between off-the-shelf, custom, and hybrid systems
- Assessing software versioning and upgrade history
- Identifying unsupported or end-of-life platforms
- Verifying license compliance and entitlements
- Analysing user adoption and utilisation metrics
- Evaluating SaaS platform configuration depth
- Assessing admin access controls and governance
- Reviewing change management and release processes
- Detecting configuration drift and unapproved modifications
- Measuring time-to-resolution for application issues
- Analysing integration points and middleware usage
- Assessing scalability under peak load conditions
- Reviewing custom code quantity and maintainability
- Estimating re-implementation costs for critical apps
Module 6: Infrastructure & Cloud Environment Analysis - Mapping on-premise, cloud, and hybrid infrastructure
- Assessing cloud service model appropriateness (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS)
- Validating cloud security configuration and access controls
- Reviewing identity and access management practices
- Analysing network architecture and segmentation
- Assessing bandwidth and latency constraints
- Measuring infrastructure monitoring and alerting coverage
- Reviewing backup frequency and restore testing results
- Analysing storage utilisation and growth patterns
- Validating domain name and certificate management
- Assessing disaster recovery plan maturity
- Evaluating service provider contract terms and exit clauses
- Identifying hidden infrastructure dependencies
- Measuring automation and infrastructure-as-code usage
- Detecting cost-inefficient resource allocation
Module 7: Cybersecurity & Data Governance Evaluation - The 12-point cybersecurity due diligence checklist
- Reviewing penetration test reports and remediation status
- Assessing employee security training frequency and results
- Analysing incident response plan effectiveness
- Validating multi-factor authentication enforcement
- Reviewing data classification and handling policies
- Assessing data residency and sovereignty alignment
- Measuring encryption coverage for data at rest and in transit
- Analysing access logs and anomaly detection capabilities
- Reviewing third-party security assessments and certifications
- Evaluating insider threat detection mechanisms
- Detecting shadow IT and unauthorised software
- Assessing compliance with GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, or other standards
- Verifying security audit frequency and findings
- Mapping data lineage and retention policies
Module 8: Integration Readiness & Post-Merger Viability - Assessing technical compatibility between merging entities
- Mapping data models and schema alignment
- Identifying master data management challenges
- Reviewing identity and access convergence strategies
- Analysing integration timeline feasibility
- Estimating resource requirements for system consolidation
- Detecting conflicting business rules and logic
- Assessing cultural readiness for technical change
- Reviewing organisational alignment for integration teams
- Developing integration risk registers
- Creating integration test scenarios and success criteria
- Forecasting downtime and user impact
- Building rollback and fallback procedures
- Assessing change management capacity
- Developing a 100-day post-close integration plan
Module 9: Vendor, Partner & Third-Party Technology Assessment - Evaluating third-party development and outsourcing partners
- Reviewing service level agreements and performance history
- Assessing vendor financial stability and support longevity
- Analysing contract renewal and exit terms
- Identifying single-source dependencies
- Reviewing source code escrow arrangements
- Verifying disaster recovery and continuity planning with vendors
- Evaluating vendor security posture and compliance posture
- Assessing customisation depth and in-house control
- Determining support responsiveness and escalation paths
- Analysing integration expertise and track record
- Reviewing knowledge transfer practices
- Detecting undocumented modifications or extensions
- Assessing long-term technology roadmap alignment
- Developing vendor risk scorecards
Module 10: People, Processes & Organisational Capability Audit - Assessing IT leadership strength and continuity risk
- Reviewing team structure and role clarity
- Analysing key person dependencies and mitigation plans
- Evaluating staff certifications and technical skills
- Measuring employee retention and turnover rates
- Reviewing IT budget allocation and investment patterns
- Assessing project management methodology maturity
- Analysing incident management and resolution workflows
- Reviewing change advisory board effectiveness
- Measuring stakeholder satisfaction with IT services
- Assessing innovation pipeline and technology roadmap
- Detecting cultural resistance to change or automation
- Evaluating training and onboarding processes
- Analysing documentation completeness and accessibility
- Building team capability heat maps
Module 11: Creating Board-Ready Due Diligence Reports - Structuring findings for executive consumption
- Using the Executive Summary Triangle: Risk, Cost, Timeline
- Translating technical findings into business impact
- Developing risk matrices for visual clarity
- Creating executive dashboards with key indicators
- Drafting clear, actionable recommendations
- Presenting options with cost-benefit analysis
- Highlighting deal-breakers and negotiable risks
- Using red, amber, green (RAG) status coding effectively
- Building evidence trails for auditability
- Ensuring defensibility of conclusions
- Preparing appendix materials for deeper review
- Aligning tone and depth with audience seniority
- Incorporating visuals without oversimplification
- Finalising distribution and access controls
Module 12: Real-World Application & Capstone Project - Introducing the Capstone Due Diligence Case
- Applying the full methodology to a simulated acquisition
- Collecting and validating sample technical evidence
- Conducting risk scoring using standardised models
- Developing integration risk forecasts
- Creating a risk-adjusted valuation adjustment
- Building a negotiation leverage summary
- Preparing a board presentation from findings
- Peer-reviewing assessment approaches
- Receiving expert feedback on deliverables
- Refining conclusions based on new evidence
- Finalising a due diligence dossier
- Documenting lessons learned and improvement areas
- Linking findings to post-close monitoring plan
- Submitting for certification review
Module 13: Certification, Maintenance & Career Application - Requirements for earning the Certificate of Completion
- Submitting capstone work for evaluation
- Feedback and revision process
- Issuance of official certification by The Art of Service
- Adding the credential to LinkedIn and professional profiles
- Using certification to demonstrate due diligence rigour
- Accessing exclusive alumni resources and updates
- Receiving quarterly methodology refreshes
- Joining a network of certified practitioners
- Tracking continued professional development
- Accessing advanced templates and toolkits
- Updating skills for emerging technologies
- Applying due diligence principles beyond M&A
- Using frameworks in vendor selection and RFPs
- Guiding internal digital transformation safely
- The 12-point cybersecurity due diligence checklist
- Reviewing penetration test reports and remediation status
- Assessing employee security training frequency and results
- Analysing incident response plan effectiveness
- Validating multi-factor authentication enforcement
- Reviewing data classification and handling policies
- Assessing data residency and sovereignty alignment
- Measuring encryption coverage for data at rest and in transit
- Analysing access logs and anomaly detection capabilities
- Reviewing third-party security assessments and certifications
- Evaluating insider threat detection mechanisms
- Detecting shadow IT and unauthorised software
- Assessing compliance with GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, or other standards
- Verifying security audit frequency and findings
- Mapping data lineage and retention policies
Module 8: Integration Readiness & Post-Merger Viability - Assessing technical compatibility between merging entities
- Mapping data models and schema alignment
- Identifying master data management challenges
- Reviewing identity and access convergence strategies
- Analysing integration timeline feasibility
- Estimating resource requirements for system consolidation
- Detecting conflicting business rules and logic
- Assessing cultural readiness for technical change
- Reviewing organisational alignment for integration teams
- Developing integration risk registers
- Creating integration test scenarios and success criteria
- Forecasting downtime and user impact
- Building rollback and fallback procedures
- Assessing change management capacity
- Developing a 100-day post-close integration plan
Module 9: Vendor, Partner & Third-Party Technology Assessment - Evaluating third-party development and outsourcing partners
- Reviewing service level agreements and performance history
- Assessing vendor financial stability and support longevity
- Analysing contract renewal and exit terms
- Identifying single-source dependencies
- Reviewing source code escrow arrangements
- Verifying disaster recovery and continuity planning with vendors
- Evaluating vendor security posture and compliance posture
- Assessing customisation depth and in-house control
- Determining support responsiveness and escalation paths
- Analysing integration expertise and track record
- Reviewing knowledge transfer practices
- Detecting undocumented modifications or extensions
- Assessing long-term technology roadmap alignment
- Developing vendor risk scorecards
Module 10: People, Processes & Organisational Capability Audit - Assessing IT leadership strength and continuity risk
- Reviewing team structure and role clarity
- Analysing key person dependencies and mitigation plans
- Evaluating staff certifications and technical skills
- Measuring employee retention and turnover rates
- Reviewing IT budget allocation and investment patterns
- Assessing project management methodology maturity
- Analysing incident management and resolution workflows
- Reviewing change advisory board effectiveness
- Measuring stakeholder satisfaction with IT services
- Assessing innovation pipeline and technology roadmap
- Detecting cultural resistance to change or automation
- Evaluating training and onboarding processes
- Analysing documentation completeness and accessibility
- Building team capability heat maps
Module 11: Creating Board-Ready Due Diligence Reports - Structuring findings for executive consumption
- Using the Executive Summary Triangle: Risk, Cost, Timeline
- Translating technical findings into business impact
- Developing risk matrices for visual clarity
- Creating executive dashboards with key indicators
- Drafting clear, actionable recommendations
- Presenting options with cost-benefit analysis
- Highlighting deal-breakers and negotiable risks
- Using red, amber, green (RAG) status coding effectively
- Building evidence trails for auditability
- Ensuring defensibility of conclusions
- Preparing appendix materials for deeper review
- Aligning tone and depth with audience seniority
- Incorporating visuals without oversimplification
- Finalising distribution and access controls
Module 12: Real-World Application & Capstone Project - Introducing the Capstone Due Diligence Case
- Applying the full methodology to a simulated acquisition
- Collecting and validating sample technical evidence
- Conducting risk scoring using standardised models
- Developing integration risk forecasts
- Creating a risk-adjusted valuation adjustment
- Building a negotiation leverage summary
- Preparing a board presentation from findings
- Peer-reviewing assessment approaches
- Receiving expert feedback on deliverables
- Refining conclusions based on new evidence
- Finalising a due diligence dossier
- Documenting lessons learned and improvement areas
- Linking findings to post-close monitoring plan
- Submitting for certification review
Module 13: Certification, Maintenance & Career Application - Requirements for earning the Certificate of Completion
- Submitting capstone work for evaluation
- Feedback and revision process
- Issuance of official certification by The Art of Service
- Adding the credential to LinkedIn and professional profiles
- Using certification to demonstrate due diligence rigour
- Accessing exclusive alumni resources and updates
- Receiving quarterly methodology refreshes
- Joining a network of certified practitioners
- Tracking continued professional development
- Accessing advanced templates and toolkits
- Updating skills for emerging technologies
- Applying due diligence principles beyond M&A
- Using frameworks in vendor selection and RFPs
- Guiding internal digital transformation safely
- Evaluating third-party development and outsourcing partners
- Reviewing service level agreements and performance history
- Assessing vendor financial stability and support longevity
- Analysing contract renewal and exit terms
- Identifying single-source dependencies
- Reviewing source code escrow arrangements
- Verifying disaster recovery and continuity planning with vendors
- Evaluating vendor security posture and compliance posture
- Assessing customisation depth and in-house control
- Determining support responsiveness and escalation paths
- Analysing integration expertise and track record
- Reviewing knowledge transfer practices
- Detecting undocumented modifications or extensions
- Assessing long-term technology roadmap alignment
- Developing vendor risk scorecards
Module 10: People, Processes & Organisational Capability Audit - Assessing IT leadership strength and continuity risk
- Reviewing team structure and role clarity
- Analysing key person dependencies and mitigation plans
- Evaluating staff certifications and technical skills
- Measuring employee retention and turnover rates
- Reviewing IT budget allocation and investment patterns
- Assessing project management methodology maturity
- Analysing incident management and resolution workflows
- Reviewing change advisory board effectiveness
- Measuring stakeholder satisfaction with IT services
- Assessing innovation pipeline and technology roadmap
- Detecting cultural resistance to change or automation
- Evaluating training and onboarding processes
- Analysing documentation completeness and accessibility
- Building team capability heat maps
Module 11: Creating Board-Ready Due Diligence Reports - Structuring findings for executive consumption
- Using the Executive Summary Triangle: Risk, Cost, Timeline
- Translating technical findings into business impact
- Developing risk matrices for visual clarity
- Creating executive dashboards with key indicators
- Drafting clear, actionable recommendations
- Presenting options with cost-benefit analysis
- Highlighting deal-breakers and negotiable risks
- Using red, amber, green (RAG) status coding effectively
- Building evidence trails for auditability
- Ensuring defensibility of conclusions
- Preparing appendix materials for deeper review
- Aligning tone and depth with audience seniority
- Incorporating visuals without oversimplification
- Finalising distribution and access controls
Module 12: Real-World Application & Capstone Project - Introducing the Capstone Due Diligence Case
- Applying the full methodology to a simulated acquisition
- Collecting and validating sample technical evidence
- Conducting risk scoring using standardised models
- Developing integration risk forecasts
- Creating a risk-adjusted valuation adjustment
- Building a negotiation leverage summary
- Preparing a board presentation from findings
- Peer-reviewing assessment approaches
- Receiving expert feedback on deliverables
- Refining conclusions based on new evidence
- Finalising a due diligence dossier
- Documenting lessons learned and improvement areas
- Linking findings to post-close monitoring plan
- Submitting for certification review
Module 13: Certification, Maintenance & Career Application - Requirements for earning the Certificate of Completion
- Submitting capstone work for evaluation
- Feedback and revision process
- Issuance of official certification by The Art of Service
- Adding the credential to LinkedIn and professional profiles
- Using certification to demonstrate due diligence rigour
- Accessing exclusive alumni resources and updates
- Receiving quarterly methodology refreshes
- Joining a network of certified practitioners
- Tracking continued professional development
- Accessing advanced templates and toolkits
- Updating skills for emerging technologies
- Applying due diligence principles beyond M&A
- Using frameworks in vendor selection and RFPs
- Guiding internal digital transformation safely
- Structuring findings for executive consumption
- Using the Executive Summary Triangle: Risk, Cost, Timeline
- Translating technical findings into business impact
- Developing risk matrices for visual clarity
- Creating executive dashboards with key indicators
- Drafting clear, actionable recommendations
- Presenting options with cost-benefit analysis
- Highlighting deal-breakers and negotiable risks
- Using red, amber, green (RAG) status coding effectively
- Building evidence trails for auditability
- Ensuring defensibility of conclusions
- Preparing appendix materials for deeper review
- Aligning tone and depth with audience seniority
- Incorporating visuals without oversimplification
- Finalising distribution and access controls
Module 12: Real-World Application & Capstone Project - Introducing the Capstone Due Diligence Case
- Applying the full methodology to a simulated acquisition
- Collecting and validating sample technical evidence
- Conducting risk scoring using standardised models
- Developing integration risk forecasts
- Creating a risk-adjusted valuation adjustment
- Building a negotiation leverage summary
- Preparing a board presentation from findings
- Peer-reviewing assessment approaches
- Receiving expert feedback on deliverables
- Refining conclusions based on new evidence
- Finalising a due diligence dossier
- Documenting lessons learned and improvement areas
- Linking findings to post-close monitoring plan
- Submitting for certification review
Module 13: Certification, Maintenance & Career Application - Requirements for earning the Certificate of Completion
- Submitting capstone work for evaluation
- Feedback and revision process
- Issuance of official certification by The Art of Service
- Adding the credential to LinkedIn and professional profiles
- Using certification to demonstrate due diligence rigour
- Accessing exclusive alumni resources and updates
- Receiving quarterly methodology refreshes
- Joining a network of certified practitioners
- Tracking continued professional development
- Accessing advanced templates and toolkits
- Updating skills for emerging technologies
- Applying due diligence principles beyond M&A
- Using frameworks in vendor selection and RFPs
- Guiding internal digital transformation safely
- Requirements for earning the Certificate of Completion
- Submitting capstone work for evaluation
- Feedback and revision process
- Issuance of official certification by The Art of Service
- Adding the credential to LinkedIn and professional profiles
- Using certification to demonstrate due diligence rigour
- Accessing exclusive alumni resources and updates
- Receiving quarterly methodology refreshes
- Joining a network of certified practitioners
- Tracking continued professional development
- Accessing advanced templates and toolkits
- Updating skills for emerging technologies
- Applying due diligence principles beyond M&A
- Using frameworks in vendor selection and RFPs
- Guiding internal digital transformation safely