What Is a Tech Audit?
A technical audit is an in-depth evaluation of an organization’s technology infrastructure. The goal is identify strengths and weaknesses within the tech stack and to ensure that it is in line with your business objectives. This is an important step before launching a new venture and provides valuable insight into how the technology will work.
Tech audits are distinct from IT reviews and security assessments that are focused on assessing the systems’ compliance and security. Tech audits evaluate all the tools your organization uses to complete work and examine their effectiveness, cost, and integration with other technologies.
The details of a technical review are determined by the person who is conducting it. It can be requested by a CFO, who is seeking to reduce software costs, or it may be guided by a management team seeking to be more agile and productive.
One of the most common findings of a tech stack audit is that many tools are used to perform similar functions. For instance marketing teams could utilize Asana and Wrike and engineering might utilize Jira. This means that the data isn’t flowing seamlessly across departments and creating a single source of truth.
Applications that are not sanctioned are often used by certain departments or teams. Some of these apps can be useful and add value but they can also be risky, particularly if security and integrations are not checked. An audit of technology gives the leader an understanding of these tools and the way they are used, helping determine if they are a part of the broader technology stack.