Independent IT Project Risk Assessment
Before you sign an IT or software development contract, the most important work is not building — it’s understanding risk.
Pixeldust provides independent, vendor-agnostic IT project risk assessments for organizations preparing to commit to software development or complex technology initiatives.
This service exists to answer one question clearly:
Is this project structured to succeed — or to fail expensively?
Before You Sign, Slow the Decision Down
Most IT project failures are visible in the contract and plan — if you know where to look.
What This Assessment Covers
Pixeldust reviews the documents and assumptions that determine whether a project can realistically be delivered as promised.
Typical materials reviewed include:
Statements of Work (SOW)
Master Services Agreements (MSA)
Proposals and estimates
Project plans and timelines
Governance and acceptance language
Jira backlogs (when available)
Each assessment focuses on preventable failure modes, not technical implementation.
What Makes This Different
Pixeldust does not compete for delivery work.
This is not:
Vendor validation
Legal advice
Project management
Contract negotiation
This is an opinion-based advisory assessment grounded in nearly three decades of real project experience.
Who This Is For
Executives and founders
CIOs, COOs, and program sponsors
Legal and procurement teams
Organizations without internal PM depth
Why We Start with a Pre-Signature Risk Review
Contract Risk
Identify ambiguous language, missing acceptance criteria, and clauses that enable cost overruns and change-order abuse.
Delivery Feasibility
Determine whether the proposed timeline, staffing, and assumptions can realistically deliver what is being promised.
Due Diligence
Conduct an independent risk review before committing to a major IT or software development investment.
Governance & Control
Assess decision rights, escalation paths, and approval mechanisms to ensure the client—not the vendor—retains control.
Backlog Alignment
Verify that the project backlog (when available) matches contractual commitments and does not hide unpriced scope.
Change-Order Exposure
Surface where and how scope, cost, or schedule overruns are most likely to occur before the contract is signed.
The IT Project Risk Report
What You Receive
Every engagement results in a single written IT Project Risk Report.
This report is 10–15 pages, executive-readable, and designed to support pre-signature decision-making for software development and IT delivery contracts.
Pixeldust provides independent, vendor-agnostic IT project risk assessments focused on contract structure, delivery feasibility, and cost exposure—before commitments are made.
Executive Summary
The Executive Summary is written for executives, legal teams, and procurement.
It includes:
An overall IT project risk rating (Low / Medium / High)
A clear Sign / Fix / Walk Away recommendation
The top five project red flags impacting cost, schedule, or control
A concise explanation of why the project is likely to succeed or fail under the proposed terms
This section is designed to stand alone and support immediate action.
IT Project Risk Heat Map
The Risk Report includes a structured risk heat map evaluating:
Scope risk – clarity, boundaries, and enforceability
Cost risk – pricing structure, assumptions, and exposure
Schedule risk – timeline realism and dependencies
Governance risk – decision rights, escalation, and acceptance
Vendor dependency risk – staffing, assumptions, and control
Each category is scored and explained, with emphasis on risk concentration, not averages.
Contract and SOW Risk Findings
This section identifies software contract risk embedded in project documents, including:
Ambiguous or undefined scope language
One-sided contract clauses
Missing client protections
Unrealistic assumptions in proposals or estimates
Findings are tied directly to the Statement of Work (SOW) and Master Services Agreement (MSA).
Delivery Feasibility Analysis
This section evaluates whether the project can realistically be delivered as proposed.
It addresses:
Timeline realism versus stated scope
Staffing and role assumptions
Hidden or unpriced work
Integration and dependency risk
The focus is on identifying delivery failure points before execution begins.
Change-Order and Cost Overrun Exposure
Most software project overruns originate from predictable sources.
This section identifies:
Where cost overruns are most likely to occur
Contractual change-order triggers
Scope gaps that convert directly to billing
An estimated downside exposure range based on observed patterns
This analysis often provides the clearest financial justification for the review.
Success Metrics and Control Points
Projects fail when success is not clearly defined.
This section establishes:
Clear acceptance criteria
Phase gates and approval checkpoints
Decision points requiring explicit sign-off
Early termination or pause signals
These controls are designed to preserve leverage throughout delivery.
Pre-Signature Negotiation Fix List
The report concludes with a concise risk-reduction checklist, including:
Specific contract clauses to add or revise
Questions that force scope and assumptions into the open
Redlines intended to protect the client before signing
This is not legal advice. It is pre-signature risk mitigation guidance.
The PSRI™ Rating
Pre-Signature Risk Index
The PSRI™ (Pre-Signature Risk Index) is Pixeldust’s proprietary framework for evaluating whether an IT or software development project is structurally positioned to succeed before a contract is signed.
It does not measure technical quality or vendor capability.
It measures risk embedded in decisions, documents, and assumptions that become difficult—or impossible—to correct after execution begins.
What the PSRI Measures
The PSRI evaluates risk across five core dimensions that consistently predict delivery failure:
Scope Integrity
Assesses whether scope is clearly defined, bounded, and enforceable.
Undefined deliverables
Vague assumptions
Unpriced exclusions
Acceptance ambiguity
High risk here typically results in uncontrolled change orders.
Contract Enforceability
Evaluates whether contractual language protects the client’s interests.
One-sided clauses
Payment without objective acceptance
Weak termination or remedy provisions
Misaligned risk allocation
High risk here limits the client’s ability to enforce outcomes.
Delivery Feasibility
Tests whether the proposed delivery plan is realistic.
Timeline optimism
Staffing assumptions
Missing workstreams
Dependency exposure
High risk here indicates schedules that fail under normal conditions.
Governance & Control
Assesses who controls decisions, approvals, and escalation.
Undefined decision authority
Weak escalation paths
Missing phase gates
Vendor-controlled approvals
High risk here removes leverage during delivery.
Change-Order Exposure
Identifies how and where cost overruns are likely to occur.
Structural ambiguity
Contractual change triggers
Disguised time-and-materials risk
Deferred scope
High risk here predicts budget expansion regardless of intent.
How PSRI Ratings Are Interpreted
Each risk dimension is evaluated independently and then considered in aggregate.
PSRI Ratings:
Low Risk – Structurally sound. Risk is visible, bounded, and manageable.
Medium Risk – Correctable issues exist. Proceed only after specific fixes.
High Risk – Predictable failure modes are present. Signing under current terms is not advised.
A High PSRI rating does not mean the vendor is incapable.
It means the project, as defined, is exposed to preventable failure.
Pricing
Fixed-Fee IT Project Risk Reviews
Pixeldust provides fixed-scope, pre-signature IT project risk assessments designed to identify contract, delivery, and cost exposure before a software development or IT engagement is signed.
Pricing is based on project complexity and document volume, not hours.
All engagements are 100% prepaid and scheduled upon receipt of payment.
Engagement Options
Pre-Signature Risk Review
$3,500
This is the standard engagement for most organizations.
Includes:
Review of Statement of Work (SOW)
Review of Master Services Agreement (MSA)
Review of proposal, estimates, and assumptions
Delivery feasibility and timeline analysis
Governance and control risk assessment
Change-order and cost overrun exposure analysis
Final written IT Project Risk Report
Timeline: 3–5 business days
Deliverable: One final Risk Report (no revisions)
This engagement is designed for:
Small to mid-sized software projects
First-time buyers
Founders, executives, and operators without deep internal PM coverage
Risk Review + Jira Backlog Analysis
$5,000
Recommended when the project is structured using Agile or hybrid delivery models.
Includes everything above, plus:
Jira backlog review (epics, stories, estimates)
Backlog-to-contract alignment analysis
Identification of unpriced or deferred scope
High-risk epic and dependency identification
This engagement surfaces scope risk that is often invisible in contracts alone.
Complex or Multi-Vendor Projects
$7,500
For larger, higher-risk initiatives.
Typically applies to projects involving:
Multiple vendors or SOWs
Integration-heavy architectures
Regulated or public-sector environments
Material business risk
Scope and fee are fixed and agreed in advance.
What Pricing Does Not Include
To preserve independence and objectivity, Pixeldust does not provide:
Legal advice or contract negotiation
Project management or delivery services
Ongoing advisory retainers
Collaborative rewrites or revisions
Vendor selection or validation
The Risk Report reflects Pixeldust’s professional opinion and is final upon delivery.
Payment Terms
100% payment required in advance
Work begins once payment is received
Invoices include a secure payment link
What This Report Is — and Isn’t
This is:
An independent IT project risk assessment
Vendor-agnostic
Opinion-based
Final upon delivery
This is not:
A collaborative rewrite
Legal advice
Project management
A guarantee of outcome
The purpose is simple: identify preventable risk before it becomes expensive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly does Pixeldust do?
Pixeldust provides independent, pre-signature IT project risk reviews. We analyze contracts, Statements of Work (SOWs), delivery plans, and related materials to identify structural risk before a software development or IT engagement is signed.
We do not manage or deliver projects.
When should this review be done?
Before the contract is signed.
Once an agreement is executed, leverage is reduced and many risks become difficult or expensive to correct. This service is designed specifically for the decision window prior to commitment.
Is this legal advice?
No.
Pixeldust does not provide legal advice or negotiate contracts. We identify risk and consequences based on delivery experience so clients can make informed decisions with their legal counsel.
Will you rewrite our contract or SOW?
No.
The Risk Report identifies what should be clarified or corrected and why it matters. Any rewrites or negotiations are handled by the client or their legal team.
Do you work with or recommend vendors?
No.
Pixeldust is vendor-agnostic and does not participate in implementation, vendor selection, or delivery work. This independence is intentional and protects objectivity.
What documents do you review?
Typically:
Statement of Work (SOW)
Master Services Agreement (MSA)
Proposals and estimates
Project plans or timelines
Jira backlogs (when available)
The exact materials depend on the engagement.
What if we don’t have all the documents yet?
That is common.
Pixeldust can still assess risk based on available materials and will identify what is missing and why it matters. Missing documentation is often a risk indicator itself.
How long does the review take?
Most engagements are completed within 3–5 business days after materials are received and payment is confirmed.
Will we get revisions to the report?
No.
The Risk Report reflects Pixeldust’s professional opinion at the time of review and is final upon delivery. This avoids scope creep and preserves independence.
What does the PSRI™ rating mean?
The PSRI™ (Pre-Signature Risk Index) summarizes risk across multiple dimensions, including scope, contract structure, delivery feasibility, governance, and change-order exposure.
It answers a single question:
Is this project safe to sign as written?
Does a high-risk rating mean the vendor is bad?
No.
A high PSRI rating indicates structural risk in the project definition or contract, not vendor incompetence. Capable teams fail regularly when projects are poorly structured.
Can you review Agile or Jira-based projects?
Yes.
When a Jira backlog exists, Pixeldust can assess backlog clarity, scope alignment, and estimate realism to identify risk not visible in contracts alone.
How much does this cost?
Pricing is fixed and published on the Pricing page.
Most engagements fall between $3,500 and $7,500, depending on complexity.
All work is 100% prepaid.
Who is this service for?
This service is designed for:
Executives and founders
CIOs, COOs, and program sponsors
Legal and procurement teams
Organizations without deep internal PM oversight
Who is this not for?
This service is likely not a fit if:
The contract is already signed
You want validation rather than risk
You are looking for delivery or implementation support
Why not just rely on the vendor?
Vendors are incentivized to sell optimism.
Pixeldust exists to identify risk you only see after it’s too late—but while it is still optional.