Technology investment should make the business more capable, resilient or valuable. It should not be justified only because a tool is popular, a vendor is persuasive or an old system is frustrating.
Technology investment is a business decision
The right question is not “What technology should we buy?” It is “Which business outcome is important enough to invest in, and what is the simplest reliable way to improve it?”
Five questions before approving spend
- What customer, operational or strategic outcome will improve?
- What happens if we do nothing for the next 12–24 months?
- What risks, dependencies and adoption effort are involved?
- What information or capability will the business own after the investment?
- How will we measure value and decide whether to continue?
Use a simple prioritisation test
Compare options across four dimensions: value, risk, readiness and learning. A smaller change that the team can adopt may create more value than a larger programme that is theoretically better but impossible to sustain.
Avoid framework theatre
Frameworks can provide useful prompts, but applying one without understanding the organisation’s customers, culture, constraints and decision rights can create more administration without better decisions. Use structure to improve judgement, not replace it.
Review the portfolio
Once or twice a year, review the major systems and initiatives together. Ask what is creating value, what is creating friction, what has become a risk, and what should stop. Technology strategy is as much about stopping low-value work as approving new projects.
Start with the next decision
Write down the next technology decision your leadership team is avoiding. Define the outcome, the options, the evidence you need and the person accountable for choosing. That is often the most useful first step.
Explore digital transformation or assess your readiness.
Originally published in 2013; substantially rewritten for SME leaders in July 2026.
Technology investment should make the business more capable, resilient or valuable. It should not be justified only because a tool is popular, a vendor is persuasive or an old system is frustrating.
Technology investment is a business decision
The right question is not “What technology should we buy?” It is “Which business outcome is important enough to invest in, and what is the simplest reliable way to improve it?”
Five questions before approving spend
Use a simple prioritisation test
Compare options across four dimensions: value, risk, readiness and learning. A smaller change that the team can adopt may create more value than a larger programme that is theoretically better but impossible to sustain.
Avoid framework theatre
Frameworks can provide useful prompts, but applying one without understanding the organisation’s customers, culture, constraints and decision rights can create more administration without better decisions. Use structure to improve judgement, not replace it.
Review the portfolio
Once or twice a year, review the major systems and initiatives together. Ask what is creating value, what is creating friction, what has become a risk, and what should stop. Technology strategy is as much about stopping low-value work as approving new projects.
Start with the next decision
Write down the next technology decision your leadership team is avoiding. Define the outcome, the options, the evidence you need and the person accountable for choosing. That is often the most useful first step.
Explore digital transformation or assess your readiness.
Originally published in 2013; substantially rewritten for SME leaders in July 2026.