Resources
A working library for technology decisions
Guides, frameworks and comparisons from across Comtau’s work - written to help you decide, whether or not you work with us.
Start from your situation
Reading paths
A founder without a technical lead
An engineering leader with a slowing system
A team taking an AI product to production
01 · 04 entries
Decision guides
Long-form answers to one question a founder or leader is facing.
- How fractional CTO cost actually worksPricing models, the seven levers that drive cost, and the total cost of leadership against a full-time hire.Fractional CTO CostLeadership
- The startup CTO job, stage by stageWhat the role covers from pre-seed to growth, whether you need one yet, and how to hire.Startup CTOStartups
- How to evaluate a fractional CTOA working checklist for judging candidates you can’t fully evaluate yourself.Hire a Fractional CTOLeadership
- Mistakes founders make before they get this rightCommon founder mistakes with technical leadership, each paired with what to do instead.Startup CTOStartups
02 · 06 entries
Frameworks
The models Comtau uses to assess and prioritise - published as they are used.
- Three lenses, one registerHow technical debt is measured across code, architecture and delivery, and prioritised by business impact.Technical DebtArchitecture
- Eight areas of an architecture reviewThe areas an independent architecture review covers, each with concrete checks.Software Architecture ReviewArchitecture
- What actually threatens the investment thesisTechnical red-flag types and how their severity is rated in due diligence.Technical Due DiligenceInvestors
- The 8 AI readiness dimensionsHow an AI MVP is rated for production across architecture, security, data, evaluation and cost.AI Production ReadinessAI
- Reference AI system architectureWhat gets designed and reviewed in an LLM or agentic product, layer by layer.AI Architecture ConsultingAI
- The Comtau operating modelSix stages from assessment to handover, with the controls that travel with the work.How Comtau worksOperating model
03 · 05 entries
Comparisons
Neutral side-by-sides for choosing between models and routes.
- Choose the right CTO modelFractional, full-time, interim and CTO as a Service, compared on the same terms.Fractional CTOLeadership
- Co-founder, hire, fractional, interim or CTO as a ServiceA neutral comparison of the ways a startup can get technical leadership.Startup CTOStartups
- Virtual CTO vs MSP-style vCTO vs vCIOThree roles that share a name, and what each one actually owns.Virtual CTOLeadership
- Interim CTO vs Fractional CTO vs advisoryWhich model fits a leadership gap, ongoing ownership or a second opinion.Interim CTOLeadership
- When a scoped engagement is enoughCTO consulting vs fractional CTO vs CTO as a Service, and when to escalate.CTO ConsultingAdvisory
04 · 04 entries
Artefacts
What a deliverable actually looks like. Illustrative, never client material.
- An architecture decision recordContext, options, decision, consequences and the gate before a change ships.AI Architecture ConsultingArchitecture
- A technology roadmap’s contentsWhat a Comtau technology roadmap contains, from now to later, across tracks.Technology Strategy ConsultingStrategy
- An interim CTO handover packageWhat a successor receives, so the handover is complete when they arrive.Interim CTOLeadership
- A technical-debt registerA register you can plan against, with a priority matrix - not a quality score.Technical DebtArchitecture
05 · 01 entry
Case studies
Work shown with its decisions and evidence.
Question not answered here?
Bring it to a senior CTO or architect. We’ll tell you plainly what we think - and whether we are the right people to help.