IT Project Health Checks - Practical of Value and ROI

In this review of IT Project Health Checks, the focus is practical: who benefits and why the approach pays for itself. Sanjiv Purba frames health checks as a repeatable, evidence-based way to evaluate projects and programs, and the biggest reason to consider this resource is its emphasis on producing actionable recommendations that improve outcomes and increase return on investment. The review finds the material most useful for decision makers who need a structured assessment method rather than a theoretical overview.

Key Features

• Proven evaluation approach: Presents a repeatable methodology to assess how projects and programs are performing so teams can identify risk and opportunity early.
• Actionable recommendations: Focuses on producing tangible steps that organizations can take immediately to improve value and reduce costs.
• ROI-driven mindset: Emphasizes decisions and changes that directly affect the eventual return on investment for initiatives.
• Broad applicability: Techniques are designed to work for both individual projects and larger programs, making the guidance flexible across contexts.
• Value optimization: Highlights activities that can provide better value, introduce innovation, or lower costs even when a project is already performing well.

Who It's For

This resource is aimed at project sponsors, program managers, PMO leads, and senior IT leaders who need a structured way to verify that initiatives are on track and to surface improvements that increase business value. If you are responsible for steering outcomes and demonstrating improved ROI, the health check approach provides practical tools and a clear rationale.

Those looking for introductory project management theory or tactical how-to guides for day-to-day task management should look elsewhere; this material is focused on evaluation and decision support rather than granular execution checklists or software-specific instructions.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Delivers a structured evaluation that helps identify risks and improvement areas across projects and programs.
• Produces recommendations that are geared toward measurable improvements in value and cost reduction.
• Applies equally well to single projects and multi-project programs, increasing its usefulness for enterprise teams.

Cons

• Focuses on assessment and recommendations rather than step-by-step operational procedures, so teams seeking tactical execution templates may need supplementary materials.

Specifications

Product	IT Project Health Checks
Author / Brand	Sanjiv Purba
Primary purpose	Evaluate IT projects and programs to determine performance and trajectory
Main outcome	Actionable recommendations to improve value and ROI
Scope	Project and program level health checks
Value focus	Reduce costs, increase innovation, and enhance business value

Our Verdict

IT Project Health Checks is a solid choice for leaders who need a pragmatic, ROI-focused way to assess initiatives and generate concrete improvement actions. It is particularly good value for organizations that want a repeatable evaluation approach to reduce risk and improve outcomes, though teams seeking hands-on operational templates will need additional resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a health check aim to produce?
The goal is to produce actionable recommendations that improve project performance and the initiative's eventual ROI.

Can the approach be used for both projects and programs?
Yes, the techniques are designed to apply at both the project level and the program level for broader portfolio oversight.

Is this resource focused on execution details?
No, it emphasizes evaluation, decision support, and value optimization rather than day-to-day execution templates.