Lessons Learned, The Hard Way
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Lessons Learned, The Hard Way *
Hands-on lessons, client stories, and hard-won insight from the front lines of IT consulting. Field Notes from the Forge shares what we’ve learned helping real businesses solve real technology problems.
Third-Party Review Questions Every CIO Should Be Asking
Your internal security may be rock-solid—but what about your vendors? This guide breaks down the critical third-party review questions every CIO should be asking to reduce risk, stay compliant, and avoid getting blindsided by someone else’s mistake.
What We Wish More Clients Knew Before Starting a Major IT Project
Big IT projects don’t fail because the tech was wrong.
They fail because no one documented the old environment, the decision-maker was on PTO, and someone casually said, “Can we just move that too?”
We’ve been there.
So we wrote up the truth:
👉 What we wish more clients knew before kicking off a major IT project.
It’s not a scare piece. It’s a success guide.
For timelines, scope sanity, and post-go-live peace of mind.
The Vendor You Forgot About Might Be Your Biggest Risk
They’re not on your payroll, but they’re definitely in your systems. Vendors—from software providers to outsourced services—are often the weakest link in your cybersecurity chain. And if you’re not tracking access, reviewing contracts, or offboarding vendors properly, you’re inviting risk you didn’t even know you had.
This blog breaks down the quiet chaos of unmanaged vendors—and how bringing structure, ownership, and leadership (like a CIO or CISO) can keep your third-party stack from becoming your next headline.
