Director, Research and Advisory
Yazwand
Palanichamy
Delivering actionable insights and tailored research solutions to empower C-suite leaders in making more strategic, timely, and informed decisions across the IT, Management Consulting, and Business Management professions
Know More About Me
Yazwand
Palanichamy
Combining research, analysis, and strategic frameworks to empower senior leaders across industries and strategic enterprise functions.
I am a Director of Research and Advisory specializing in enterprise software evaluation and strategic vendor selection. I work with C-suite and senior executive teams to bring structure, rigor, and clarity to complex commercial software procurement and technology decisions.
My background spans technology market research, enterprise vendor evaluation, structured procurement strategy, research project management, IT research, and business analysis (among other areas), providing a foundation for executive-level advisory across diverse industries and organizational environments. This cross-sector experience shapes how I assess vendor markets—combining analytical depth with practical decision enablement.
In my current role at Info-Tech Research Group, I lead vendor market research and enterprise software procurement initiatives that inform high-stakes technology investments, including ESG platforms, customer experience (CX) solutions, and broader enterprise systems.
Through extensive industry research and structured vendor evaluation, I developed the Vendor Capability Radar (VCR™)—a proprietary vendor market intelligence framework designed to enable multi-dimensional capability assessment and strategic vendor differentiation. Leveraging this approach, I partner with CIOs, senior technology executives, procurement and vendor sourcing teams, and other C-suite stakeholders involved in commercial software and enterprise technology decisions across oil & gas, banking, higher education, and federal and public-sector institutions to strengthen procurement strategy, mitigate vendor risk, and accelerate measurable business outcomes.
About My Experience
My
Professional Journey
Director, Research & Advisory | CX Strategy · Cross-Functional Leadership ·C-Suite Workshops
May 2024
Present
- Advised C-suite executives on strategic platform sourcing decisions within the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) vendor landscape, customer experience (CX) technologies, and related software markets, providing actionable insights to drive business outcomes.
- Facilitated executive workshops for C-suite leaders on customer experience strategy, software procurement, and business requirements gathering, achieving 95%+ satisfaction/client value ratings and thereby driving actionable outcomes for client strategy development.
- Consistently achieved high client satisfaction, maintaining a CSAT/NPS score of 9.85/10 across over 150 analyst calls annually, by excelling in requirements gathering, business process optimization, vendor procurement, stakeholder engagement, and comprehensive market analysis projects.
- Led and mentored a team of 4–5 research analysts, overseeing the execution of vendor technology market research projects aligned with client objectives, and fostering professional growth through coaching on procurement methodologies, research strategies, and client engagement best practices.
- Collaborated cross-functionally with departments such as Sales, Account Management, Public Relations, and Marketing, offering subject matter expertise to enhance organizational strategies and initiatives beyond the core research division.
- Developed and delivered impactful presentations, crafting compelling PowerPoint decks and facilitating workshops tailored for C-level audiences, effectively communicating complex research findings and strategic managerial recommendations.
Senior Research Analyst | Vendor Market Intelligence · B2B Procurement Strategy
March 2023
May 2024
- Conducted tailored vendor market analysis engagements aligned with specific user story requirements, delivering actionable insights for B2B enterprises across diverse sectors, including Higher Education, Oil & Gas, Banking, and Government Agencies.
- Advised clients on ‘Software-Selection-as-a-Service’ (SSaaS) engagements, streamlining the vendor procurement process for non-enterprise applications such as event management and IT Service Management software, resulting in cumulative client savings of approximately $120,288 CAD.
- Recognized with multiple X-Factor award nominations for exceptional research quality and leadership in successful consulting projects and advisory engagements.
⭐Highlighted Achievement: (American Ivy League Educational Institution)
- Developed a comprehensive vendor landscape market analysis study to identify suitable digital case study authoring tools, facilitating the faculties vendor procurement and sourcing initiatives for a new digital case study authoring tool.
- Provided in-depth research insights, including a contextual market scan and prioritized vendor recommendations, to support informed decision-making.
- Supported the institution’s vendor sourcing efforts for a new digital case authoring platform utilizing Info-Tech’s Rapid Application Selection Framework, contributing to an 80% increase in their service contract investment for the 2022/23 fiscal year.
Technology Research Consultant | C-Suite Advisory · Research Framework Design · Market Research
Feb 2022
Mar 2023
- Developed comprehensive client advisory reports focusing on software selection guides for CRM, Martech, and other customer experience technologies, providing actionable insights to support informed decision-making.
- Conducted impactful advisory sessions with C-suite clientele, offering strategic guidance on software selection strategies and authoring research blueprints on emerging IT topics, including market trends in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting guidelines.
- Collaborated on the development of research projects and executed vendor outreach campaigns, participating in analyst briefings across various software categories such as Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and CXM/Martech solutions.
Enterprise Project Analyst | Fleet Technology · Vendor Strategy · Process Optimization
Sep 2019
Jan 2020
Identified and addressed operational inefficiencies within the Verizon Connect Fleet Management Software (FMS) platform, enhancing logistical planning and delivery operations for Coca-Cola merchandise.
Led business process improvement initiatives from inception to completion, including assessing existing workflows, gathering business requirements, estimating costs, and developing enterprise architecture roadmaps across all project phases: Concept, Definition, Planning, and Execution.
Collaborated with five fleet management vendors to evaluate functional features such as user group creation, driver safety KPIs, and geofencing parameters (both predefined and dynamic), facilitating informed decision-making for FMS enhancements.
Conducted comprehensive analyses of proposed Fleet Management Software (FMS) vendors, employing systematic decision-making tools such as cost-benefit analysis, risk assessments, and requirements matrices.
Streamlined vendor selection process, reducing the evaluation timeline by 30%, which accelerated project implementation and improved time-to-value.
IT Applications & Systems Support Specialist | Incident Management · Change Advisory
June 2019
Sep 2019
Participated in functional health check testing and validation of client-facing and back-end banking applications, including Fiserv DNA Core and Dynatrace, ensuring optimal performance and compliance with business requirements. Delivered end-user training and facilitated seamless knowledge transfer to internal teams and clients.
Managed incident resolution workflows using ITSM platforms such as Salesforce Service Cloud and BMC Remedyforce. Monitored and triaged support tickets, escalating high-priority incidents when needed. Resolved 20–30 incident requests per week, contributing to improved service levels and system reliability.
Collaborated with QA teams (3–5 analysts weekly) to support testing and quality assurance efforts, identifying and tracking issues within core banking systems to minimize operational disruptions.
Performed impact assessments on application changes and provided strategic recommendations to enhance system stability and prevent recurring issues, contributing to a secure and resilient IT environment.
Participated in Change Advisory Board (CAB) meetings, assisting with the planning and execution of application health checks, scheduled implementations, and validation procedures for change requests.
About My Skills
Education, Skills & Certifications
Professional Scrum Master
(PSM™)
Six Sigma Black Belt
(SSBB)
M.Sc in Management
Studies
(Specialization in IT
Management)
M.Sc in Management Studies
(Specialization in IT Management)
B.Comm in Business
Technology
Management
B.Comm in Business Technology
Management
Distinguished Analyst
2026
PSPO certification
2025
CAF TM certification
2025
Six Sigma Black Belt
(SSBB)
M.Sc in Management Studies
(Specialization in IT Management)
B.Comm in Business Technology
Management
Distinguished Analyst
2026
Certified Agile Facilitator
2025
Professional Scrum Product Owner
(PSPO™)
Professional Scrum Master
(PSM™)
IT Research and Advisory
Services
Project Management and
Agile Methodologies
Vendor Market Research and
Software Procurement
Data Analysis & Visualization (Tools: Power BI, Excel)
Data Analysis & Visualization
(Tools: Power BI, Excel)
Business Process
Improvement
C-Level Stakeholder
Engagement
Latest Work
Key Projects
Leading American Ivy League Educational Institution (Educational and Administrative Technology Services Department)
Digital Case Study Authoring Software Procurement
Challenge
Employees from the Educational and Administrative Technology Services Department of a Leading American Ivy League Educational Institution need to procure a consolidated application to help manage the institution’s internal digital case study authoring process.
Solution
I led a market research initiative to identify viable software vendors. We provided a comprehensive vendor analysis and selected the top three candidates, ensuring alignment with the educational institution’s unique functional/non-functional use case requirements.
Result
The educational institution renewed and upgraded their service contract, with “Info-Tech Research Group” (ITRG) thus retaining client acquisition growth and sustaining ITRG profitability margins. As a result, increasing the educational institution’s initial contractual investment by 80% with ITRG.
Leading Carribean Enterprise Banking Institution – Software Selection as a Service Workshop
Challenge
Leading Carribean Enterprise Banking Institution required Info-Tech’s assistance with software procurement advisory support for the selection of a consolidated ‘Business Continuity Management and Planning’ (BCMP) platform.
Solution
- A fellow colleague and I assisted in this workshop consulting project effort by helping the client identify and build out their critical BCMP requirements and use cases via a formalized business impact assessment documentation process.
- We also helped assist the client by doing some market research on the top performing vendors in the BCMP landscape that developed commercial off the shelf (COTS) applications for BCMP software. We presented our final shortlist of BCMP vendors to the client team. The market research was custom in nature, based on the client team’s unique functional/non-functional use case criteria. As part of the market research activity, we arrived at the following shortlist of BCMP vendors (including but not limited to): Everbridge, MetricStream, Castellan, Infinite Blue, etc.
- Lastly, as part of the workshop, we aided in RFP creation and review for the client team by capturing all of the technical business requirements and formal use case details. This RFP was then shared with the final shortlist of BCMP vendors as part of the competitive tendering and bidding process during the formal vendor outreach phase.
Result
The direct outcome of the BCMP software selection workshop consulting project was a success for the client team. They received a lot of practical guidance, formal vendor documentation, and market research that greatly helped expedite their internal software procurement process for the new BCMP platform.
Software Application Rationalization Consulting Project for IT Infrastructure Automation (ITIA) Platforms
Challenge
The bank’s internal IT infrastructure operations team needed to reassess their vendor investments across their IT infrastructure automation (ITIA) environment, aiming for better efficiency and reduced complexity in their tech stack. The existing process needed clearer methodologies for mapping system interdependencies and optimizing vendor investments.
Solution
I led a virtual consulting workshop designed to guide the bank through a comprehensive application rationalization process. This workshop focused on:
- Conducting a Business Impact Assessment (BIA) to identify business drivers, opportunities, and risks.
- Facilitating requirements elicitation sessions and performing in-depth stakeholder analysis.
- Mapping system dependencies and documenting a detailed risk register.
- Introducing a high-level system diagramming process to better document how the client visualized application interdependencies within their ITIA environment. Prior to the workshop, no standardized process for this existed.
Result
The workshop delivered substantial value, helping the client save approximately $68,562 USD in operational costs and reducing the time spent on requirements documentation by 10-15 business days. Moreover, the project drove 30% process efficiency improvements in IT operations, contributing to the client’s IT-enabled business transformation efforts.
Following the successful conclusion of the workshop engagement, the client purchased additional workshop credits and also renewed their contractual membership ( i.e., leading to a 3-year contract renewal) with Info-Tech Research Group (ITRG), Thus, increasing the client’s overall account spend with ITRG by $82k (CAD).
Sample Publication Work
Selected Publications
Unearthing trends in environmental science and engineering research: Insights from a probabilistic topic modeling literature analysis
1 October 2021
1 October 2021
Unearthing trends in environmental science and engineering research: Insights from a probabilistic topic modeling literature analysis
A unified framework for effective team formation in social networks
1 September 2021
1 September 2021
A unified framework for effective team formation in social networks
Evaluation of cloud computing risks using an integrated fuzzy-ANP and FMEA approaches
26 January 2023
26 January 2023
Evaluation of cloud computing risks using an integrated fuzzy-ANP and FMEA approaches
Establish a Sustainable ESG Reporting Program
April 2023
April 2023
Establish a Sustainable ESG Reporting Program
Custom Vendor Landscape: Sustainability Reporting Tools
March 2023
March 2023
Custom Vendor Landscape: Sustainability Reporting Tools
Client & Coworker Testimonials
What Others Say About
Their Experience Working With Me
There were no terrible experiences. Yaz was extremely helpful in enlightening the team and I on sustainability, ESG, SDG and STARS framework which helped us move the project along smoothly
Centennial College
Yazwand led a comprehensive workshop for our IT infrastructure operations team, helping us reassess our tech stack and vendor investments. His methodical approach saved us over $68,000 in “procurement cost savings” and improved business process efficiency by 30%. His insight drove tangible improvements that led us to renew our contract for another three years. Truly exceptional.
Fortune 500 Bank Client (US)
My experience is still ongoing. However, the best parts have been the resources and suggestions given by Yaz. The structure of the process is already reassuring. Still, the additional assistance of the documents, quadrant reports, and one-on-one advice has been vital for the progress of my project. The most complex part has been progressing a project involving stakeholders with different perspectives. Some tools are available to deal with this issue, but overall, it has impacted the project’s velocity. Yaz has been as helpful as he can through these issues, including walking the team through the process to orient them better and provide a conducive environment for requirements gathering.
The American Institute of Architects
Yazwand’s expertise in vendor procurement and market analysis was invaluable. He provided us with a well-researched report, saving us both time and resources in our board management software selection. The result was a $10,000 savings in “software procurement cost savings”, and the process was seamless thanks to his strategic advice.
Canadian Wildlife Federation
Yazwand’s strategic consulting during our telephony software selection was outstanding. He managed the entire process, from business case validation to vendor outreach, ensuring we found the perfect solution. His vendor scorecard templates and in-depth market analysis were particularly valuable, making a complex process simple.
DISH Network L.L.C.
Yazwand played a critical role in helping our team streamline the vendor selection process for a new Provider Data Management solution. His ability to conduct purposeful market research and assist in developing a comprehensive business case for application selection resulted in a 60% improvement in our procurement process, cutting lead time by months and delivering significant procurement cost savings
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield
The software selection workshop led by Yazwand was a game-changer. His deep market knowledge and use of Info-Tech’s frameworks enabled us to shortlist vendors that fit our exact needs. Thanks to his guidance, we engaged top vendors efficiently, saving us both time and procurement resources.
Caribbean Development Bank
There were no terrible experiences. Yaz was extremely helpful in enlightening the team and I on sustainability, ESG, SDG and STARS framework which helped us move the project along smoothly
Centennial College
Yazwand led a comprehensive workshop for our IT infrastructure operations team, helping us reassess our tech stack and vendor investments. His methodical approach saved us over $68,000 in “procurement cost savings” and improved business process efficiency by 30%. His insight drove tangible improvements that led us to renew our contract for another three years. Truly exceptional.
Fortune 500 Bank Client (US)
My experience is still ongoing. However, the best parts have been the resources and suggestions given by Yaz. The structure of the process is already reassuring. Still, the additional assistance of the documents, quadrant reports, and one-on-one advice has been vital for the progress of my project. The most complex part has been progressing a project involving stakeholders with different perspectives. Some tools are available to deal with this issue, but overall, it has impacted the project’s velocity. Yaz has been as helpful as he can through these issues, including walking the team through the process to orient them better and provide a conducive environment for requirements gathering.
The American Institute of Architects
Yazwand’s expertise in vendor procurement and market analysis was invaluable. He provided us with a well-researched report, saving us both time and resources in our board management software selection. The result was a $10,000 savings in “software procurement cost savings”, and the process was seamless thanks to his strategic advice.
Canadian Wildlife Federation
Yazwand’s strategic consulting during our telephony software selection was outstanding. He managed the entire process, from business case validation to vendor outreach, ensuring we found the perfect solution. His vendor scorecard templates and in-depth market analysis were particularly valuable, making a complex process simple.
DISH Network L.L.C.
Yazwand played a critical role in helping our team streamline the vendor selection process for a new Provider Data Management solution. His ability to conduct purposeful market research and assist in developing a comprehensive business case for application selection resulted in a 60% improvement in our procurement process, cutting lead time by months and delivering significant procurement cost savings
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield
The software selection workshop led by Yazwand was a game-changer. His deep market knowledge and use of Info-Tech’s frameworks enabled us to shortlist vendors that fit our exact needs. Thanks to his guidance, we engaged top vendors efficiently, saving us both time and procurement resources.
Caribbean Development Bank