Acquisition: IT Due Diligence

Introduction:  Use the senior management insight in this book to help you conduct any IT assessment. Tools, examples, and plenty of "how to" discussion provides what you need to conduct a technology assessment efficiently and thoroughly, even a report template to help you organize your findings. 

Table of Contents
Introduction
I.    Buying a New Company  -  Exciting Times
II.   Due Diligence
              A.  Due Diligence Objective
              B.  Due Diligence Process
III.  IT Due Diligence - Tie it into the Overall Due Diligence; It's a Team Effort
IV.  The IT Due Diligence Request List
V.   What Are the Key Risks ?
              A.  Technology Stability
              B.  Technology Ownership
              C.  Software Licensure
              D.  Staff Support   
              E.  Vendor Support
              F.  Major Expense Needs
VI.   Onsite IT Review
               A.  IT Business Assessment Outline
               B.  Senior Management Interview Questionnaire
               C.  Company Department Interview Questionnaire
               D.  External Client Interview Questionnaire
VII.  Due Diligence Data Collection Templates
               A.  Business Applications
               B.  Infrastructure Templates:
                       1.  Servers
                       2.  LAN's
                       3.  WAN
               C.  IT Organization
               D.  IT Project Initiatives
               E.  Automation Capabilities
               F.  Software License Agreements / Contracts
               G.  Software License Agreements / Contracts to Other Companies
               H.  Maintenance and Support Agreements  (Hardware & Software)
                I.   Other Contracts and Leases
                J.  Capital Budget Items
               K.   Outside Consulting / Contract Work 
               L.   IT Operating Budget  (Next 12 Months)
               M.  Transition Costs (Next 12 Months)
VIII. Due Diligence Report
               A.  Executive Overview
               B.  Inventory and Status of What is There
                        1.  Business Applications
                        2.  Infrastructure
                        3.  Organization
                        4.  Processes
                        5.  Level of Automation
               C.  Risks
               D.  IT Budget  -  Next 12 Months
               E.  Capital Expenditure Needs  -  Next 12 Months
               F.  IT Project Initiatives
               G.  Leverage opportunities
               H.  Transition Plan

APPENDIX:
A.  IT Due Diligence Request List
B.  Information Technology Business Assessment Outline
C.  IT Assessment - Senior Management Questionnaire
D.  IT Assessment - Department Head Questionnaire
E.  IT Assessment - External Client Questionnaire
F.  IT Due Diligence Data Collection Templates   
                F-1    Business Applications
                F-2    Infrastructure -  Servers
                F-3    Infrastructure -  LAN's
                F-4    Infrastructure -  WAN
                F-5    IT Staff
                F-6    IT Project Initiatives
                F-7    Automation Capabilities
                F-8    Software License Agreements & Contracts
                F-9    Software License Agreements & Contracts Granted to Other Companies
                F-10  Maintenance and Support Agreements
                F-11  Other Contracts and Leases
                F-12  IT Capital Budget Needs
                F-13  Outside Consulting and Contract Work Needs
                F-14  IT Operating Budget
G.  Sample Due Diligence Report Template
H.  IT Assessment Notes List