Technology Is NEVER the Solution

Technology does not solve business problems.

A common misconception in enterprise applications is that technology is the answer.

Or at least part of the answer. Technology may be part of the solution although lots of business problems are solved without using technology. It may be a part of the strategy, albeit strategy is about setting goals and metrics, setting a plan to achieve them, not about picking technologies.

I tell clients trying to use technology as the answer that the only thing that technology does is speed up things. So, if you have a bad process, and you add technology, now you have a very fast bad process.

Strategy is not the solution either.

Most thought leaders and consultants will tell you that strategy is synonym with success. Relying on strategy as the entire solution, even though it contains clear directions for technology, is the same as relying purely on Technology. Most strategies are not done well and missing many important components. Thus, they cannot be the complete solution.

The solution is Balance.

There are three areas to address when creating a solution for a business problem: people (politics, culture, change management are some of the topics to answer), process (BPx, experience management and design among others to cover), and technology (architecture, integration, product selection, data management among other issues to consider).

A good solution will address ALL of them in a balanced form. Your strategy, to become the solution, has to include all of these areas. Your technology, to become the solution, must consider repercussions across all of them as well. Problem is that most solutions don't address all of them, and fail.

How do you design your solutions? Are you addressing all of these? Which one do you find harder to address? Easier?