Adopting new technology: Internal considerations
There may be times when you want to add new software to your tech stack for a single purpose, for instance choosing a social media management program like Buffer or Sprout Social.
It’s a simple process, or so it seems. Your marketing department wants it and says it will help, so let’s get it.
But since nothing happens in a silo in business, or life, it is incumbent on companies of any size to ask the right questions to ensure you are getting exactly what you need for your size company with this specific purpose in mind.
So, as you are contemplating a new investment, take a look at the important internal considerations which we will discuss here, as well as the aspects of the product itself. (Stay tuned for part 2)
Internal considerations
Internal considerations when talking about new technology include such things as goal alignment; understanding the problem it addresses; how it helps, hurts, or shifts workflows; what is the ROI; and what is the staff feedback.
Goal alignment
Innovative technology is a lot of fun and who wouldn’t love to tech up their company to the max, but while Sprout Social is an exciting social media platform with a lot of buzzes and whistles, it may not be a good fit within your core plans for customer outreach. The most important question to ask when considering a new solution is what are your long-term plans for the company and how will this software help me get there?
The problem it addresses
One would hope that managers who ask you to invest in a new technology have thought out what problems the technology will solve for the company. A common reason may be that it saves staff time. Enhancing collaboration between staff, improving communication with customers, preventing errors in data translation, and shoring up security measures are all important challenges within a title company that can be addressed with more sophisticated technology.
Workflow considerations
This is critical. Before investing in technology in this era of complicated tech stacks, you must have a clear understanding of how it fits into the greater structure and in the daily workflow of your staff.
Before a team of surgeons conducts a complex operation involving multiple specialties due to the difficult location, for instance a tumor located near a brain stem, they “rehearse” the surgery with all participants in the room. In essence, they create a choreography of who is going to be in the room at any given time doing what. This is a great model to prepare for innovative technology. Getting the key participants in the room to walk through how this will change workflows or shift responsibilities, is critical to ensuring what you’re buying is going to work within your current system and will offer the advantages and benefits you are hoping for.
ROI
When considering the cost of a solution, make sure you include not only the initial investment, but also start-up costs that encompass staff time as well as long-term maintenance costs or licensing fees. When considering the ROI, among other factors, look at how many people will be using the application as well as how often it is in use. Does it have multiple side benefits, such as improving collaboration, increasing efficiency, or expanding customer outreach potential?
