AurValdThe 2-week Rapid Review.
A fixed-scope, fixed-fee diagnostic on one area. You get a written report, a read-out with your leadership team and a 90-day action plan — with no obligation to continue.
Fixed fee, agreed before we start2 weeks elapsedAround 3 days of senior timeNo obligation to continue
Three versions of the Rapid Review.
Pick the area most pressing this quarter. Every version looks at the other two lenses where they affect the answer.
FinOps Rapid Assessment
Best if cloud or AI spend is rising faster than the business.
- Baseline of spend, with an allocation map and top cost drivers
- Savings opportunities, each quantified with effort and owner
- Recommended allocation model and AI cost guardrails
Data Platform Review
Best before a platform decision or when trust in the numbers is low.
- Current-state assessment of your data platform
- One-page target architecture (Microsoft Fabric or alternative)
- Top risks, quick wins and dependencies
AI Opportunity Assessment
Best when AI pilots have stalled or the board wants a plan.
- Prioritised use cases scored on value, feasibility and cost
- Target architecture and prototype plan for the top use case
- Cost estimate at pilot and production scale, plus EU AI Act risk class
Two weeks from kick-off to read-out.
Kick-off
Workshop with your sponsor and technical leads. Scope confirmed, documents identified, interviews agreed.
Discovery
Three to five stakeholder interviews, document review, and a billing or platform review as relevant.
Analysis
Findings tested, options compared, recommendations and the 90-day plan drafted.
Read-out
Walk-through with your leadership team. Report handed over, questions answered live.
Four deliverables, all built for decisions.
Written report (around 10 pages)
Current state, target state, top risks and quick wins. Each recommendation shows its trade-offs and the alternatives we rejected.
One-page target picture
A target architecture or cost model that becomes the shared reference in every meeting that follows.
90-day action plan
What to do first, in what order, who owns it and what it should achieve — usable whether or not you continue with us.
Leadership read-out
A 60-minute session with your sponsor and any executives you invite, with live Q&A.
Who it's for
- Mid-market organisations, typically 50–500 people
- Teams facing a real data, AI or cloud cost decision this quarter
- Organisations that need senior expertise but not a full-time hire
- Investor-backed companies where the board wants cost and architecture discipline
What we ask of you
- A sponsor who can make or escalate decisions
- Access to three to five people for interviews
- The documents you already have — diagrams, invoices, backlogs
- Sixty minutes at the end for the read-out
Frequently asked
Is there any obligation after the review?
No. The Rapid Review stands alone. Some clients continue into a design authority retainer, but that is a separate decision made after the read-out.
Who does the work?
The review is led personally by AurVald's founder — the person you speak to on the first call is the person running the review.
How much does it cost?
Fixed fee, agreed before we start. We confirm the fee in writing after a 30-minute scoping call, before any work starts.
What access do you need?
Time with three to five people, the documents you already have, and read-only billing or platform access where relevant. We're happy to sign your NDA first.
Is it remote or on-site?
Remote by default. On-site kick-off or read-out sessions can be arranged.
Can it cover the EU AI Act?
Yes. The AI Opportunity Assessment can include an inventory and risk classification of your AI systems — see EU AI Act readiness.
Ready to run one?
Tell us which area is most pressing. We'll reply within two business days with scoping questions and possible start dates.