Delivery Review™
Independent review of IT projects and programs
Knowing where your IT project really stands and what is needed for it to deliver reliably.
Independent · Evidence-based · Traceable · Aligned with PMI® standards
by Dr. Christof Gellweiler, PMP®
Internal status reports don't give a neutral picture
Critical developments usually take shape early but are recognized too late. Internal status reports are produced within the delivery organization and therefore reflect its own perspective. Problems often become visible only once deadlines have slipped and costs are rising.
A Delivery Review starts exactly there: spotting critical developments before they turn into problems.
What a Delivery Review does
The Delivery Review is an independent, evidence-based project evaluation. It examines the delivery capability of an ongoing project or program and answers three questions:
- Where does the IT initiative actually stand?
- Can it actually achieve the promised results?
- What needs to change?
What you receive
- A justified rating for each checkpoint on a five-point scale
- Aggregated results by PMI® Performance Domain and by outcome dimension (scope, schedule, cost, quality, business value)
- Key findings with causes, risks, and interdependencies
- An overall picture of delivery confidence
- Prioritized recommendations for action
- A neutral, methodologically sound basis for decision-making, consisting of a report and a presentation of the results
What sets the review apart
The review combines recognized standards with a proprietary methodology and a structured evaluation.
- Evidenced and traceable
- Based on PMI® standards and established IT practices
- The Gellweiler Evaluation Method™, with defined checkpoints, a process model, and the Delivery Rating Model™
Five features of the method
- 62 checkpoints in the Project Review plus a further 25 in the Program Review — clearly defined, standardized, and repeatable.
- Evidence requirement: every rating needs a named source. Without evidence, the verdict is "not assessable."
- Separation of evidence and judgment: the evidenced facts first, then the conclusions drawn from them.
- Non-compensatory aggregation: critical findings are not offset or masked by strong results elsewhere.
- End-to-end traceability: every statement can be traced back to the checkpoint and the source.
Two review modules and service options
- Project review: evaluates a single project and can be commissioned separately for individual projects within a program.
- Program review: evaluates the interplay of dependent projects, including the overarching governance.
- Optional services: target scenario forecast, follow-up review, maturity assessment
When a Delivery Review makes sense
- Doubts about schedule, cost, or benefit commitments
- Recurring problems despite largely "green" status reports
- A handover or change in project leadership• Ahead of major investment, continuation, or escalation decisions
- A governing body's wish for a neutral outside view
Clarity before your next decision
The Delivery Review is the evidenced cross-check on your IT initiative's ability to deliver. You gain:
- Transparency about the true state of the project or program
- Clarity on the critical risks
- Prioritization of the necessary measures
- A solid basis for decision-making: continue, adjust, or stop.
Performing advisor
Dr. Christof Gellweiler, 30 years of experience in IT projects and transformations, including as Director of Engineering at Siemens. Dipl.-Ing., Executive MBA (Kellogg-WHU), PhD (Aarhus), PMP®. Partnership Professor (Vilnius University), Head of the CoP IT Strategy in the PMI Germany Chapter and author of academic and practice-oriented publications on IT strategy and project management (cio.de, computerwoche.de)
Frequently asked questions about the Delivery Review (FAQ)
How is this different from a project health check?
A health check provides a concise overview of the project status. The delivery review offers a detailed assessment based on defined checkpoints—featuring traceability to sources, transparent aggregation, and clear relevance for decision-making.
What does a Delivery Review cost?
The fee is based on effort in person-days and the daily rate; both are set out in the Statement of Work. A project review typically requires 8 to 12 person-days. A program review is calculated additively: the program level (5 to 7 person-days) plus each project reviewed (8 to 12 person-days each).
How long does a review take?
After the preliminary phase (engagement setup and scoping), a project review typically takes about 3 weeks up to the results presentation, and a program review about 7 weeks (including 2 project reviews). The exact timeframe depends on scope, complexity, and the availability of documentation, and is agreed in advance in the Statement of Work.
Against what standard do you evaluate?
Against the PMI® Performance Domains and established IT practice. Each checkpoint is rated on a defined five-point scale (plus "not assessable," n/a).
Is a Delivery Review a project or program audit?
Related, but more precise. A traditional audit checks against specifications; a Delivery Review assesses the deliverability itself—evidence-based, along defined checkpoints, and with reference to sources. Common terms like IT project review or project audit (or IT program review or program audit) refer to the same service.
How can the project status be independently verified?
By separating assessment and evidence: Each classification is based on a named source, not on the delivery organization's self-reported information. This creates a picture of the project status that is reliable and independent of internal status reports.
Note on references and trademarks
PMI®, PMP®, and PMBOK® are registered marks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.
The Delivery Review™ and the Delivery Rating Model™ are independently developed methods created by Dr. Christof Gellweiler and are not affiliated with the Project Management Institute, Inc. They are not sponsored, endorsed, recognized, approved, or authorized by the Project Management Institute, In