Fighting the Siren Song of Technology

Buying a high-tech solution that appears to quickly address an identified need or problem is tempting, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. So why resist? In short, the attractive easy out rarely pays off in the long run. According to the authors’ research, the ability to resist tempting but low-value IT investments is a hallmark of higher-performing companies. This article examines five temptations resisted by high performers, and outlines what they chose to do instead. The first temptation many companies face is to limit the application of new technologies to quick-payoff, high-visibility processes. The higher-value choice is to reimagine business processes across the company, not just in customer-facing areas. The second temptation is to patch or “lift-and-shift” legacy systems. The higher-value choice is to see the cloud not simply as a data centre but as a catalyst for innovation. The third temptation is to experiment with “hot” technologies in isolation. The higher-value choice is to identify foundational technologies and adopt them based on their potential effect on the entire organization. The fourth temptation is to rely on standard classroom training programs. The higher-value choice is to take a more flexible, future-focused approach. The fifth temptation is to move responsibility for IT to business leaders. The higher-value choice is to embrace systems that break down boundaries constraining data, infrastructure, and applications.

• Managing technology, aligning tech investments, workforce training, common tech temptations