Phase 0
A four to six week diagnostic with a fixed end date.
A paid engagement with no predetermined outcome. Every map and recommendation belongs to you, whether you work with us again or not.
Timeline
4 to 6 weeks, kickoff to final deliverable.
Who
Leadership, department heads, and the people who run the process.
Outcome
A decision grounded in operational truth, not vendor promises.
You own
Every document and map. No lock-in, no proprietary formats.
Operations Visibility Blueprint
You gain a clear, structured view of how your business actually runs. Hidden workflows, informal handoffs, and decision gaps become visible. Your leadership team aligns around documented reality instead of assumptions.
What used to live in people's heads becomes a shared company asset, giving you clarity, control, and a stronger foundation for smarter decisions.
What this solves
- –Knowledge trapped in people's heads
- –Inconsistent execution
- –Risky dependency on individuals
- –Lack of shared operational understanding
What you get
- ✓Documented core processes and ownership
- ✓Clear process maps your entire team can reference
- ✓A single version of operational truth
Systems Reality Review
You see whether your systems truly support the way your business operates. Instead of guessing or blaming the software, you gain clarity on what's working, what's misaligned, and where technology is creating friction.
You make change decisions based on operational reality, not vendor promises, ensuring any investment strengthens the way your business actually runs.
What this solves
- –ERP uncertainty
- –Costly workarounds
- –Conflicting opinions about systems
- –Fear of making the wrong technology decision
What you get
- ✓Process-to-system alignment review
- ✓Clear keep / fix / replace guidance
- ✓Decision-ready insights without vendor bias
ERP Implementation Advocacy & Oversight
Your ERP implementation stays aligned with your business, not the vendor's agenda. You gain an independent voice at the table, protecting your objectives, budget, and operational priorities throughout execution.
Instead of reacting to surprises, scope drift, or technical decisions you don't fully control, you maintain clarity, leverage, and accountability. The software gets implemented, but more importantly, your business gets protected.
What this solves
- –Vendor-driven shortcuts
- –Silent scope drift
- –Misalignment between business and system
- –Late-stage surprises
What you get
- ✓Client-side representation with vendors
- ✓Challenge scope creep and misaligned decisions
- ✓Translate business intent into vendor accountability
- ✓Identify risks early and escalate them properly
Ongoing support (selective)
Independent Advisory Retainer
For leadership teams who want ongoing independent perspective during periods of operational or system change. Available by invitation only.
Common questions
Questions We Hear From Leadership Teams
If your question is not answered here, bring it to the strategy call. That is what it is for.
When an ERP vendor or implementation partner offers a free assessment, they are investing in a sales process. Their assessment will naturally lead to their product. Our assessment is a paid engagement with no predetermined outcome. We have no software to sell, no implementation hours to bill, and no referral fees to collect. The result is an honest picture of your operations, not a pitch.
Your advisor has been on both sides of the table
Since 2006, I have worked on both sides of the ERP equation, inside vendor organizations and alongside client teams. That experience taught me something most manufacturers learn the hard way: the moment you let a vendor lead your assessment, the outcome is already decided.
I founded Metadata Advisory to give mid-market manufacturers in Ontario something they rarely get: an honest, structured, independent perspective before the contracts are signed, the scope is frozen, and the money is committed. My work is straightforward. I sit on the client side. I map the processes. I write the RFP. I keep vendors honest.
- Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP)
- Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM)
- MBCS, Professional Member of the Chartered Institute for IT
- PMI® Certified Member, Project Management Institute
- Member of CIPS Ontario, Ontario's Association of Information Technology Professionals
- Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer: Windows Server 2003 (MCSE)
- IIBA® Member & Essential Training Partner
Fateh AlNaeb