Go-live with confidence: Why “risk considerations” are a must for system implementations

Imagine investing millions in a new system, only to face unexpected disruptions, security vulnerabilities, compliance violations or control deficiencies right after go-live. The project plan was followed and tasks were executed. However, what was missing was a strategic and independent assessment – one that addressed risks outside the implementation team's expertise and beyond the lens through which they approached the implementation.

Implementation teams are focused on configuring functionality and meeting deployment deadlines. Their success is measured by whether the system "works", not whether the system is secure, compliant, or aligned with your organization's risk appetite. That’s where Internal Audit or a trusted, independent partner adds value: working in parallel with the project team to assess potential exposures, validate controls, and help you avoid costly surprises at go-live.

Engaging compliance and risk professionals early does not mean replacing anyone or slowing things down. It means having someone at the table whose sole focus is identifying gaps, providing solutions and validating that the system is not just implemented, but implemented securely and successfully to meet requirements.

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Key considerations to address before go-live

Governance and Accountability

Strong governance sets the tone for project success. Without it, ownership becomes unclear, decisions stall, and accountability fades. An independent review helps validate that project roles and responsibilities are clearly defined across sponsors, steering committees, and workstreams. It supports that risks are reported in a timely manner and that remediation efforts are tracked and escalated when needed. The implementation should include effective gate assessments that address criteria – such as scope, risk, budget, and readiness – and provide the necessary visibility and decision-making support for key stakeholders.

Risk assessment

Implementations often change your risk profile, introducing new third-party dependencies, changing data flows, new business and IT processes and security, or impacting compliance frameworks like SOX, CCPA, or GDPR. A future-state risk assessment brings structure to evaluating these new exposures. It helps evaluate risks, identify potential gaps and prioritize mitigation strategies based on strategic objectives and control expectations prior to the system go-live.

Internal Audit complements this risk assessment process by serving as an independent advisor throughout an implementation. While not directly responsible for project execution or decision-making, Internal Audit’s oversight supports informed risk-based decisions and reinforces accountability before the system goes live.

Data integrity and system interfaces

Data conversion is a critical component of any system implementation and often one of the most error prone. Without a comprehensive strategy, organizations risk data integrity issues that can undermine confidence in financials and reporting. Additional diligence and validation of converted data and key reports can help identify gaps in data integrity and reconciliation processes, as well as assess whether critical system interfaces are properly configured to transmit information accurately, completely, and in compliance with requirements.

Security and identity access

Assessing security and identity access controls prior to implementation go-live is critical to safeguarding the integrity and security of the new system. An objective assessment helps identify vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, or excessive access rights and a lack of segregation of duties that implementation teams may overlook. Without this review, organizations risk exposing sensitive data, incurring unauthorized transactions and changes, and facing potential security breaches that could disrupt operations and damage trust. 

Change management and adoption

Successful go-lives hinge not just on technology, but on people. Effective change management is key to successful user adoption and operational continuity. Assessing the user training strategy and adoption metrics is essential to increase usability and willingness to use the new system effectively. Without it, organizations risk low adoption, productivity loss, and failure to achieve ROI.

Effective system implementations go beyond just technical execution—they require proactive risk management so that security, governance, compliance, data integrity, and user adoption are built into the foundation, not addressed after the fact. Whether you are planning a new system or already mid-implementation, involving Internal Audit and experienced advisors can enhance project governance, help you avoid surprises, promote compliance, and protect your investment.

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