Richard Batt |
Technical Audit Checklist for Growing Web Platforms
Tags: Audit, Platform
Audits should prioritize risk exposure and delivery friction, not produce a long generic report.
Key Takeaways
- Start with one high-volume, low-complexity process, automate the boring stuff first, then expand.
- Measure before and after implementation. If you cannot quantify the improvement, you cannot justify the investment.
- Focus on specific business processes, not technology categories. Start with the pain, then find the tool.
Start with deploy frequency, rollback time, and incident pattern analysis. Those three dimensions reveal most structural constraints in growth-stage platforms.
Checklist areas
Assess dependency strategy, runtime monitoring, and environment parity. Then sequence remediations by user impact and implementation effort.
A good audit creates a practical execution path, not just findings.
Richard Batt has delivered 120+ AI and automation projects across 15+ industries. He helps businesses deploy AI that actually works, with battle-tested tools, templates, and implementation roadmaps. Featured in InfoWorld and WSJ.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to implement AI automation in a small business?
Most single-process automations take 1-5 days to implement and start delivering ROI within 30-90 days. Complex multi-system integrations take 2-8 weeks. The key is starting with one well-defined process, proving the value, then expanding.
Do I need technical skills to automate business processes?
Not for most automations. Tools like Zapier, Make.com, and N8N use visual builders that require no coding. About 80% of small business automation can be done without a developer. For the remaining 20%, you need someone comfortable with APIs and basic scripting.
Where should a business start with AI implementation?
Start with a process audit. Identify tasks that are high-volume, rule-based, and time-consuming. The best first automation is one that saves measurable time within 30 days. Across 120+ projects, the highest-ROI starting points are usually customer onboarding, invoice processing, and report generation.
How do I calculate ROI on an AI investment?
Measure the hours spent on the process before automation, multiply by fully loaded hourly cost, then subtract the tool cost. Most small business automations cost £50-500/month and save 5-20 hours per week. That typically means 300-1000% ROI in year one.
Which AI tools are best for business use in 2026?
It depends on the use case. For content and communication, Claude and ChatGPT lead. For data analysis, Gemini and GPT work well with spreadsheets. For automation, Zapier, Make.com, and N8N connect AI to your existing tools. The best tool is the one your team will actually use and maintain.
What Should You Do Next?
If you are not sure where AI fits in your business, start with a roadmap. I will assess your operations, identify the highest-ROI automation opportunities, and give you a step-by-step plan you can act on immediately. No jargon. No fluff. Just a clear path forward built from 120+ real implementations.
Book Your AI Roadmap, 60 minutes that will save you months of guessing.
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