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Working alongside you and your team to solve today's challenges giving you time to plan for and explore the future state
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Client Need
Microsoft required commentary and thematic case study content focusing on aged care issues and technology for inclusion in their ‘MS Stories’ series.
Description of Work
IBRS reviewed internal engagements and case studies to extract relevant insights. We then crafted compelling narratives illustrating how data and technology drive both economic and life-changing outcomes in the aged care sector, offering specific examples of cost savings, improved resident satisfaction, extended life expectancy, and innovative monitoring solutions.
Deliverables
Provided several insightful quotes and anecdotes related to aged care technology, data utilisation, and significant trends for Microsoft’s story development.
Outcome
IBRS’s insights empowered Microsoft to enrich their narrative series with objective, expert commentary on aged care technology, balancing their views with vendor-agnostic influence and enhancing the quality of their stories.
Value to Client
Our client gained objective, influential insights from an independent advisory firm, enhancing the credibility and depth of their aged care ‘stories’. The speed and efficiency of the response allowed them to progress with their content creation more effectively, benefiting from IBRS’s valued perspectives which balanced internal views.
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Client Need
The client required a ‘pencil review’ of their Territory Dispatch Engine (TDE) business case, endorsed by their executive leadership, to ensure its robustness before tabling to the board and submission for regulatory determination.
Description of Work
IBRS met with the client and conducted a thorough verbal review of the extensive TDE business case. We provided detailed feedback and raised critical considerations across various sections, including glossary placement, vendor involvement explanations, alternative option justifications, procurement processes, contractual agreements, risk management, data centre considerations, dependency costing, organisational structure clarity, resource cost prediction methodologies, and financial table accuracy. This comprehensive review aimed to strengthen the business case’s persuasive power and mitigate potential oversights.
Deliverables
Verbal feedback and detailed recommendations on the 81-page TDE business case.
Outcome
IBRS’s thorough ‘pencil review’ provided a government digital agency with crucial insights to inform and strengthen their assurance assessment, ultimately enhancing future ICT governance board decisions and leading to an improved business case for their significant energy project.
Value to Client
The client received a thorough and detailed ‘pencil review’ from IBRS, which significantly informed and supported their internal assurance assessment process. This expert feedback is expected to improve the business case and facilitate more effective decisions by their ICT governance board.
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Client Need
A healthcare network sought assistance in developing a robust AI policy
Description of Work
IBRS provided a comprehensive template and a structured step-by-step guide for the healthcare network to develop their safe AI usage policy. This included guidance on reviewing the template, understanding compliance requirements, drafting guiding principles, assembling stakeholders, facilitating working group activities, and ensuring alignment with existing security and information management policies. The approach aimed to empower the client in making informed policy decisions and integrating AI governance within their organisational structure.
Deliverables
A refined safe AI usage policy (AI policy) document and a step-by-step guide for policy development.
Outcome
IBRS’s expert guidance and detailed policy template saved the healthcare network months of work, enabling them to efficiently develop a comprehensive and aligned AI usage policy.
Value to Client
Saved months of work by providing a thorough and comprehensive guide to AI policy development, ensuring alignment with existing security and information management policies and empowering the client to make informed decisions.
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Client Need
A state police force needed an independent evaluation of security service edge (SSE) solutions, including Palo Alto, Cisco, and Checkpoint, to align with their PROTECTED implementation requirements, extensive Android device rollout, and existing Microsoft ecosystem, while ensuring robust internet and private application access.
Description of Work
IBRS conducted an in-depth analysis of key SSE vendors, assessing their compliance with PROTECTED IRAP assessments, compatibility with Android devices and Windows 365, integration capabilities with Microsoft Intune, Defender, Purview, and Sentinel, and support for various connectivity options including IPSEC tunnels and ZTNA connectors. The evaluation also considered the client’s preference for Cisco as a core network supplier.
Deliverables
A comprehensive report detailing Palo Alto, Cisco, and Checkpoint SSE solutions, along with an analysis of their fit within the client’s architectural and business requirements.
Outcome
IBRS provided a state police force with a concise, timely, and independent assessment of SSE solutions. This enabled informed decision-making for their critical PROTECTED implementation, ensuring alignment with extensive mobile device rollouts and existing technology ecosystems, thereby accelerating secure digital transformation.
Value to Client
The client received a concise, timely assessment by an independent advisor, which clarified the suitability of various SSE solutions for their complex environment and critical security needs.
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Client Need
An Australian freight logistics firm sought best-practice feedback on a draft demand workflow and process.
Description of Work
IBRS facilitated a workshop with key stakeholders to review the client’s developed process. The session focused on gaining approval for a new cross-functional team and achieving stakeholder alignment
Deliverables
A facilitated workshop resulting in stakeholder agreement to form a cross-functional team.
Outcome
IBRS helped this Australian freight logistics firm develop a pipeline management framework. Through expert facilitation, initial alignment and agreement were secured, enabling the client to move forward with improved clarity and governance. This was deemed the best possible outcome.
Value to Client
IBRS assisted the client in clarifying their operational processes, leading to improved quality and governance.
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Client Need
A local government sought an executive briefing on artificial intelligence (AI) to understand its predictable progress, various types, and how it could be strategically applied within their organisation.
Description of Work
The IBRS advisor presented a comprehensive overview of AI, exploring its predictable progress and defining its three types. The presentation outlined a likely AI roadmap and emphasised leadership principles for AI adoption, focusing on integrity, empathy, and service capacity for local government. It also highlighted the importance of incremental improvements and efficient automation for citizen empowerment, while cautioning against the high failure rate of AI projects and the evolving market landscape.
Deliverables
A 20-minute presentation followed by an extended 35-minute executive Q&A session.
Outcome
IBRS provided a local government with critical AI insights, fostering a clear understanding and comfort among executives. This expert guidance is now enabling their IT leadership to navigate complex AI decisions effectively, steering their organisation toward informed innovation.
Value to Client
The executives gained a strong understanding and comfort with AI, which significantly aided their leadership in guiding the organisation through the complexities of AI adoption and strategic decision-making.
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Client Need
A university needed external validation and insights on their student management system (SMS) strategy, specifically regarding migrating their existing Callista system to the cloud versus exploring alternative solutions, due to concerns about the current vendor.
Description of Work
IBRS conducted an open and frank discussion with the university, leveraging Joe Sweeney’s expertise to review their current SMS requirements, existing work, and potential migration paths. This involved offering perspectives on the risks and benefits of migrating to Callista Cloud versus adopting other products.
Deliverables
Expert discussion and strategic advice on SMS options and associated risks.
Outcome
IBRS validated the university’s strategy for their SMS, providing critical insights into the risks of various paths forward. This expert external perspective empowered the university to make informed decisions for their future. This Higher Education institution gave IBRS a five-star rating.
Value to Client
The client received validation for their ongoing work and gained valuable external perspectives on the risks associated with different strategic directions for their SMS. This facilitated informed decision-making.
Our Team
Nick Bowman
Nick Bowman
Dr Joseph Sweeney
Dr Joseph Sweeney
Mike Mitchelmore
Mike Mitchelmore
David Beal
David Beal
Dr Philip Nesci
Dr Philip Nesci
Mark Unwin
Mark Unwin
Callie Evans
Callie Evans
Andrew Cooper
Andrew Cooper
Andrew Fox
Andrew Fox
Peter Barta CA
Peter Barta
Su Jella
Ewan Perrin
Ewan Perrin
Jaie Obillo
IBRS Advisor Team
Irene Pimentel
Iain Cooper
Iain Cooper
Contact Iain
James Turner
James Turner
Kevin McIsaac
Kevin McIsaac
Contact Kevin
Jenny Shiels
Tammy Tong
Francesca Goad
Christine Harwell
Research & Advisory
Your team needs practical, in-context advice and support to ensure that the implementation of your strategy and programs of work are successful.
The IBRS research & advisory service provides on-going, deep advice and guidance to you and your team.
Cyber & Risk Network
The IBRS CIO Cyber and Risk Network is a vendor independent forum for CIOs to share with, and learn from, their peers.
A practical, time-critical information sharing service, better practices, case studies, and a powerful support network to CIOs.Â
Vendor Research Programs
IBRS vendor research services provide custom strategic, thought-leadership research for ICT vendors. All research engagements retain a high degree of independence and rigour.
Assurance
IBRS assurance services provide independent expertise throughout every stage of your project to make sure you are continually getting the right advice for the best chance of success
Consulting
IBRS consulting services provides highly experienced talent, all experts in their fields, backed by IBRS’s research, best practice frameworks and practical processes. Our consulting methodology is all inclusive which means we work closely with our clients to ensure any outcomes are owned by the organisation.Â
What Makes IBRS Different
IBRS is Australia’s leading local ICT advisory company. For the past two decades, our goal has been consistent: to help Australia’s CIOs and their teams make the best possible decisions. We mitigate yours risks and validate your strategic decisions by providing independent and pragmatic advice while taking the time to understand your specific business issues.
Formed in 2002, IBRS has a broad client base across all industries. Through our advisory, assurance and consulting practices, clients engage with IBRS advisors and are able to deal with the issues that are critical for them. We conduct inquiries covering more than a 1,000 topics a year, review hundreds of projects and case studies, and are briefed by all of the major vendors. Most importantly, we track local vendors and channel partners. We know what’s going on locally and bring that local knowledge to your local issues.
All our advisors have been senior ICT executives and have a passion for making sure that technology benefits Australian organisations. Our high-touch service approach enables our clients to develop relationships with advisors, which in turn builds trust and becomes and extension of staff resources, IBRS model includes frequent contact through regular advisor meetings, inquiries, strategic and project reviews.
How do you tell if you are getting the right advice from your Advisory company? Try implementing it. IBRS focuses on providing actionable, tangible recommendations that will improve your ICT strategy and operations. Our advisory papers all list ‘next steps’ so you know exactly what’s needed. Our vendor analysis focuses on the business context and impact, not just the tech features. Trends are nice, and we have them too. But it is real-world, practical advice that makes the difference.