A Founder’s Guide to Tech Stack Audits and Smarter Decisions

In this section, we’re highlighting the signs that indicate the need to perform a tech stack audit. What should be kept and what should be excluded to reduce the impact on silos?

It's Been a Long Time for a Tech Audit

If the organization continues to collaborate with the new partners, it will overlook the tool's real value. Is it really managing productivity, or is the team struggling? If you don't remember when you performed the audit, do it immediately.

Integration Disrupting Data Silos

Suppose that you need to download the weekly report to showcase a different department. 

Are you collaborating, connecting, and sharing with the same stack? 

Do you need to quickly switch the collaboration mode, report analysis, and presentation? 

Is it taking too long to create the report?

Fear of Security Threats

Outdated software is always on hackers' and intruders' hit lists. Each update is typically rolled out to resolve issues and technical breaches, and to remove unnecessary functionality to improve the system's performance, scalability, and efficiency.

During the tech stack audit, we can evaluate when the app was last updated, whether it is secure enough, and whether it is creating a gateway for hackers.

If the Business Scales up

Businesses expand their product lines in line with market demand to boost brand visibility. While taking this move, it is worth performing a techstack audit. We learn how the new services can meet the legacy system's guidelines and requirements. 

If Integrating New Apps

It is essential to identify gaps between the new integration and the business vision and operations to ensure alignment.

• Will it make things more complex or easier to manage? 
• Is it embedded redundancy, inefficiency or obstacles? 
• Is it easy to launch integration?
• Will it solve the existing collaboration, data management, and performance issues?

If the User Experience is not as Expected

If the tech stack is complex and can’t serve the team, it just exhausts them, wasting hours and effort. We need to switch the techstack to get things done effectively, reaping optimum outcomes. If the system is out of service or unavailable, then it will impact the user experience.

If you are struggling with the above pointers, it's time to conduct a tech stack audit.

In this section, we outline what you should expect and how to navigate the phases of the tech stack audit. First, what you should do before an audit:

Map and Review the Points to Have a Hassle-Free Audit 

Suppose you are brainstorming to access the latest partnership, tools, and subscription, but have you evaluated your systems for compliance and integrations? How will you know what should be noticed and validated before performing an audit?

Let’s go through every bullet point:

• From planning through release and monitoring, can your system integrate automated or manual processes?
• Can your system onboard professionals with proper instructions that comply with standards and principles?
• Can your team effectively use the automated tools for progress tracking?
• Is this integrated with AI-powered analytics?
• Is your team skilled?
• Do you have cloud-powered solutions that enable seamless integration and updates?
• Is your team experiencing frequent errors and version-control issues, and is unable to collaborate on the same task in real time?
• Is your organization's data cluttered, scattered, or well centralized to ensure on-demand, multi-region accessibility?
• Is the methodology you’ve picked trusted, verified, accurate, automated, or not?

The Right Way to Perform Tech Stack Audit

If you have 1 or 2 items, you can review daily. However, a tech stack is a collection of tools, technologies, and integrations, so it can’t be completed daily or on short notice. It's not the right way to audit the tech stack. Instead, involve all team members to gather their feedback.

First 30 days

Enlist the Tech Stack Utility Items across the Organization

Make a list of all software, tools, and integrations for in-house, outsourced, and client projects. It must be categorized by department, such as development, operations, marketing, finance, auditing, HR, CRM, ERP, HRIS, and technical support.

• Also, list how many users depend on the particular technology.
• How many are temporarily in service, or how many are in daily service?
• Are these well-integrated with the legacy system?

Estimate the Expense (Subscription/ Merger deadline)

It's normal to pay a fee for every service or product, and if it's wasted on outdated or not worth it products or services, you can eliminate them during this audit and save budget. 

Next 30 days

Forward the Circular

Prepare a form listing all items where team members are facing issues with software or hardware, including functions, operations, memory, or any impact on their day-to-day responsibilities. These collectibles will make decision-making easier.

Assign the Responsibility

Now that you have the list, forward the circular to all stakeholders and team members using the software and tools. Then assign the task to responsible members from each department to gather feedback before deciding whether to keep or exclude the resources and the solution.

In case someone is not responsive to the circular, the assignee will remind them. 

Uninstallation, Installation, and New Integrations

After collecting feedback, you may have an idea of which services or products to exclude from partnerships and subscriptions. Then send an email stating the instructions to uninstall the system and service to prevent their use. 

Last 30 Days

Provide Support for Immediate Outcome

Suppose someone has difficulty uninstalling useless software and forgets to remove it from the system software list. In that case, the concerned person can schedule a one-on-one discussion to understand the reason and arrange the uninstallation.

Final Call for TechStack Audit

Now, obtain a report from all responsible assignees confirming that all unused software, products/ integrations have been uninstalled. Can they end the subscription and merger immediately? Once it is ‘Yes’, the audit process is completed.

It will help founders avoid financial debt and invest in the right assets, aligning the organization's goals.