Reviews: Healthchecks and audits
"The IT healthcheck provides a tried-and-tested method of reviewing various aspects of IT management and operations, and makes pragmatic recommendations for improving the way your organisation is supported by technology."
Non-profit organisations have always struggled to invest in IT. Services provided to beneficiaries, members and other stakeholders always come first and, consequently, senior managers have had to squeeze the most they can from IT investments made several years ago.
Today, organisations depend on digital systems more than ever but funding is, if anything, even harder to secure. This means organisations need a reliable answer to whether their current technology estate is fit for purpose – and whether it is compliant with statutory and legal requirements. Senior managers and trustees need to decide which parts can be left as they are, and which areas need targeted improvement with whatever funding is available.
Our approach begins with an understanding of your organisation’s priorities and the outcomes you are trying to achieve before we progress to an evaluation of the technology and associated arrangements you currently have in place.
Why Adapta
Our credentials include membership of a number of professional standard-setting bodies in the UK. More importantly, though, Adapta is an independent consultancy which means that we only provide impartial advice, support and guidance. We do not sell or maintain equipment or software and so have no vested interest in the outcome of our work with any individual client. If nothing needs to change, then we will say so. Equally, if we consider that your organisation is at risk – or could benefit from appropriate investment – then we will also be able to say that.
Clients
We have helped many charities, membership organisations and other non-profit organisations with their Healthchecks and audits projects. Below are examples of just a few of the organisations we have worked with.
What our clients say
Emma Revie
Chief Executive, Trussell Trust
“To achieve the level of change we saw in 6 months without the support of Adapta would have been impossible. Shortly after completing the project the pandemic hit. Without the work completed by Adapta, our organisation would not have been able to weather the pandemic and keep working.”
Niall Larkin
Former Operations Director, Dementia UK
"I have always found Adapta to be professional, diligent and responsive in their work and the work they do produce is of a high standard, with a robust understanding of the needs of the charity sector. I would recommend working with Adapta as they consistently produce good results."
Mike Sherriff
Chief Executive, Voluntary Action Islington
"ICT is an area where we do not have in-house expertise. There are now lots of companies trying to sell us services so it was very helpful to have independent and impartial advice."
James Cuming
Regional Leader, L'Arche UK
"Your review and report has proven invaluable in bringing focus to our current IT challenges and has given us a clear pathway through these challenges, as well as an excitement as we consider the potential still to be unlocked in a modernised IT infrastructure."
Andy Murphy
Director of Finance and Business Support, WAGGGS
"Adapta were quick to understand our issues and needs going forward and their knowledge and expertise was evident in their suggestions. I would not hesitate to recommend Adapta Consulting to any organisation seeking independent IT support or advice."
Paul Bartlett
IT Manager, WSBH
"Adapta provided Woking and Sam Beare Hospices with a professional and truly independent consultancy service. Their advice was invaluable and having them on-board ensured that we could be completely transparent in our decision making and use best practice."
James Drever
Head of IT, Field Studies Council
"The Field Studies Council received excellent support from Adapta on this project, and the resulting proposal was strongly supported by its trustees and is now being implemented."
Keith Robertson
Assistant Director of Finance and Support, Mencap
"Adapta’s wide knowledge of IT systems and processes, combined with their flexible and adaptive approach, resulted in an honest and independent evaluation of the alternatives and risks."
Philip Cox
Chief Executive, NRLA
"Adapta took the time to understand the (fairly complex) project brief and checked to avoid mis-alignment. They were thorough in their research and brought useful experience and insights to the project. They clearly articulated their findings and reached a definitive conclusion. A very professional job."
Our experts
Paul Sypko
Consultancy Director
07773 321293
Email
Paul is a highly experienced technology management consultant, with a senior-level CIO/CTO background and expertise in areas such as technology strategy development, digital...
Matt
Smaller Charities Associate
Matt has over 20 years experience working with information technology, initially within university administration and then for a range of clients providing IT solutions in the small business and not-for-profit sectors. Matt's skills are wide-ranging, including: network design...
Jon
Fractional CIO Associate
Jon is a dynamic technology leader with over 15 years of experience in scaling operations and delivering large-scale, complex digital transformation projects. Combining deep...
Paul Sypko
Consultancy Director
“Charities and not-for-profit organisations are demanding users of information systems and digital technology. There’s a clear sense of purpose in the sector, and that shows in how technology is used to achieve impact and obtain real value. Not-for-profits often hold massive amounts of data, much of which is highly sensitive in nature, and they engage in many different ways with a very broad range of stakeholders. Whether it’s using digital channels to support personalised ‘user journeys’ or high-impact campaigning and engagement, or diligently taking care of back-office systems to deliver an efficient and cost-effective service, it’s great to be working in a sector where technology can be used so effectively to make a tangible difference to people's lives.”
Paul is a highly experienced technology management consultant, with a senior-level CIO/CTO background and expertise in areas such as technology strategy development, digital solutions, infrastructure and systems management, function reviews, information security and data protection, and selection and management of technology partners. He has 25 years’ experience of leading high-impact consultancy engagements, the majority of which have been with clients in the not-for-profit sector. Prior to Adapta, Paul held senior roles at not-for-profit specialists Sayer Vincent, Crowe UK, and BlueSpark Consulting. He also brings to his engagements significant experience from the commercial sector, having worked for “Strategy &”, a leading firm of strategy consultants that is now part of PwC, where he was awarded their Professional Excellence Award while leading a large-scale digital transformation and innovation programme. Paul has led assignments for more than 100 organisations, including charities, membership organisations, trade unions, trade associations, royal colleges, professional institutes and other not for-profit and commercial organisations. Paul's recent clients have included ActionAid UK, ClientEarth, Cranstoun, Tate Britain, St. Peter's Hospice, the Institution of Civil Engineers, British Gymnastics, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation, the Education Support Partnership, National Children's Bureau, the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Lymphoma Action, SPANA, the Woodland Trust, the Trussell Trust, Volunteering Matters and Woking & Sam Beare Hospices. Paul specialises in strategic planning for information systems, function reviews and outsourcing, commercial contract negotiation, project planning, data protection, information security management, business process improvement, and procurement of business applications such as CRM. Paul holds a MA (Oxon) degree from the University of Oxford, having gained a scholarship to read Economics and Management at St. John’s College and the Saïd Business School. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Consulting and has a particular interest in helping others to achieve their potential. Following a long period of time spent on various committees in a voluntary leadership capacity, he was pivotal to the development of the ‘Chartered Management Consultant’ award which was launched in 2020, and he often provides guidance and support to people working towards their professional qualifications. Paul is also a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management, a Certified Business Advisor and a member of the British Computer Society’s IT Leaders Forum. In his spare time, he is also the chair of trustees for a local Scout group.
“Paul is enthusiastic, dedicated and a highly capable person who works with such integrity and to a high standard. I very much value Paul’s support and guidance and know I can always rely on him.”
Matt
Smaller Charities Associate
Matt has over 20 years experience working with information technology, initially within university administration and then for a range of clients providing IT solutions in the small business and not-for-profit sectors. Matt's skills are wide-ranging, including: network design and installation; management of cloud services; management of IT infrastructure and assets; IT strategy; policy review, development and documentation; security analysis; IT support services and resourcing; system administration; and web application development. He has extensive project management experience having worked with clients on various projects including cloud migrations, finance system migrations, web application development and system integrations as well as providing day-to-day support services for clients IT infrastructure and users. He has long been an advocate and supporter of open source solutions and was recruited by the Linux Foundation to participate in a committee to define required knowledge and skills for Linux professionals. Matt especially enjoys working closely with organisations, analysing their requirements and objectives with the end goal of providing IT solutions that are the 'best fit' for that organisation: be they bespoke, open source or proprietary. Away from work Matt is a keen walker, plays bass guitar, and, despite the frustrations, still plays golf. He has a BA Hons in History and MSc in Computer Science and continues to develop his technology skills.
Jon
Fractional CIO Associate
Jon is a dynamic technology leader with over 15 years of experience in scaling operations and delivering large-scale, complex digital transformation projects. Combining deep technical expertise with strategic commercial insight, Jon excels in aligning technology solutions with business goals to drive growth and operational excellence. He has successfully led IT infrastructure transformation projects, cloud migrations, and strategic product development initiatives. His work includes establishing robust ICT governance frameworks, optimizing IT service delivery, and steering cloud transitions to Azure, enhancing scalability and security. Previously, Jon founded and led Octopus Travel Matrix, a global SaaS company in the tour and events industry, guiding it from startup to a profitable exit. His entrepreneurial leadership encompassed product development, DevOps, and global business operations. As CIO of Aerartis, Jon ensured compliance with rigorous industry standards (ISO, IATA, FCA) and played a pivotal role in securing venture capital funding, leading investor presentations, and scaling service operations to support rapid growth. Jon is also the CEO and Owner of Octopus Computers, where he transformed a regional IT support provider into a leading Managed Service Provider (MSP). Under his leadership, the company secured key partnerships with Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Dell, and HP, delivering over 400 successful infrastructure and migration projects and supporting clients in achieving critical compliance certifications. Jon's early career includes significant operational achievements in the automotive sector as Operations Manager at Auto-Kit International, where he streamlined production efficiency and secured major contracts with industry leaders like Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin. Jon is recognized for his ability to bridge the gap between technical execution and business strategy, making him an invaluable asset to organizations seeking transformative growth through technology.
Phil Durbin
Former Head of Corporate Systems, Salvation Army
"Unlike many consultants, Adapta won’t tell you what you expect to hear. They will be very honest and challenging and, even if some of what they say is uncomfortable to hear, it means you end up getting better advice."