How to know if a proposed IT solution is fit for business needs

by Nicki Carruth | Feb 14, 2023 | Technical Assurance

In today’s world, a great number of transformative projects are based in the area of information technology. This field is responsible for accommodating so many of our operations and services that it rightly has a big seat at the leadership table. But when it comes to delivery and development of IT-based solutions, how can the business ensure that strategic outcomes aren’t being lost in the minutiae of daily coding, design and changing stakeholder expectations? In this article, we explore the idea of reviewing proposed technology solutions against what the business needs – because losing sight of this can be costly.

Reviewing the business case against strategic objectives

If you’ve worked in the corporate world for a while, you may have come across the ‘solution in search of a problem’ scenario – where a proposed or even occurring activity doesn’t have a clear connection to the priority objectives of the business. These occur more than most would like to think and often don’t start out void of a purpose – but rather evolve into something that doesn’t solve a problem.

When the organisation maintains a complex and varied project portfolio, it’s important to keep every initiative accountable for driving toward the business’ strategic objectives. Long-term projects (i.e. lasting more than a few years) with ever-slipping milestones can fall prey to losing sight of the initial intended outcome, although any project without careful management and governance can become ineffective.

While currently-active projects demand scrutiny from leadership and the steering committee, there are often a dozen other potential projects at a stage of low or no cost right now that could be prevented or fast-tracked with some careful consideration on business impact.

When a technology project is put forward to decision-makers in the form of a business case or even informally in discussions, there should be continual reference back to the strategic objectives the business has set for the year, 18 months, 3 years and so on. While ideas should be encouraged to be freely shared, progressing an idea to a formal business case and research should only happen once there’s a clear connection between the problem and the solution articulated. In today’s world of continstantly growing ways to automate, harness AI, develop new tools etc, there’s much to tempt businesses into the ‘cool stuff’ space without a robust analysis of how it will help the business improve.

The strategic objectives will (and should) be discussed at senior leadership meetings, and ideally be translated throughout the organisation to help the wider team all move towards the same goals. Business cases and new ideas for using technology to create new systems, software or processes need to pass through these objectives as a first qualification stage. If there is a clear correlation between these two things, the idea has legs to go through a more formal research and business case development process – and potentially become a new project.

Relationship Between Programmes and Projects IQANZ

Involving different people from across the business for feedback

Perhaps the most direct way to determine if a solution is fit for purpose is by consulting with each part of the business and finding out what their team’s challenges really are. This might help refine the proposed solution to better suit what the business needs from a day-to-day operational level. Combining strategic objectives and alleviating the headaches experienced by the team at the same time is a great basis on which to start a project if delivery is feasible.

Consultation with people from across the business might happen in a few stages; first it might be general information gathering and discussion without pushing the solution in mind, then, with this intel gathered, another round of discussions can occur with the proposed solution that’s tailored to addressing what business units are experiencing.

Feedback before delivery is an underrated strategy. The team or individual looking to build the business case not only gets valuable insight into what the business actually needs, but builds early relationships with stakeholders that can pay off later when delivery needs to be signed off. The earlier we bring others along on the journey, the more bought in they will likely be – and that’s good news for getting sign off.

Assess the solution’s likely fit into the BAU operations of the business

Along with discussing the solution with representatives across the business, it’s important to conduct research into the current day to day operations of the business and understand what current systems and processes are embedded. From here, the transition from status quo to proposed solution can be somewhat mapped out – would this require full retraining of a significant number of staff? What technology requirements would be necessary to migrate information from one system to the next? What disruption could this cause in the short term? Having a clear sense of how the business operates today is highly valuable for developing a well-rounded business case and ultimately, project plan. For large organisations, changing a fundamental system (whether that’s internal or customer-facing) needs to be compelling enough to justify what’s typically going to cost millions of dollars to implement. Consider the time period to design, develop and integrate the solution, along with any expected loss in efficiency whilst the team is trained. If the positive impact of a proposed solution still outweighs the operational disruption, these are all obstacles that can be navigated.

Test the solution in a smaller, controlled demonstration

Some technologies are capable of being stood up and demonstrated within a relatively short period of time. Some organisations have a test and learn approach that gives the IT team space to discover new technologies and find ways to improve business operations. Having this space and time to innovate is a big advantage, as many proposed solutions can be piloted with (relatively) minimal cost and time to get real answers to hypothetical questions. If a proposed solution involves third-party platforms, the business may even be able to engage these parties to provide demonstrations with relevant dummy information to showcase whether the solution would be beneficial. We’d encourage any organisation to make use of this option, if available, before committing to any commercial engagement.

Compatibility with the rest of your tech stack

If every system could be developed and maintained in isolation, the job of IT teams across New Zealand organisations would be much easier. That’s not the case however, and many of the curly problems that teams look to solve lies between two or more systems’ interplay with one another. A potential technology solution to address one or more business challenges may appear perfect, but presents more complexity when the needs of other systems and processes are considered as well. Complexity of course doesn’t mean avoiding the solution altogether, but rather requires more research and assessment before committing to a full project. That aforementioned ‘test’ or ‘pilot’ of the solution, if possible, can help get answers to these integration questions sooner than later.

Analysing the potential time and cost savings of the solution against other options

When presented with a potential solution to a business problem, it’s important for decision makers to know that what’s being put forward is the best option. This will often be articulated in a business case, but a Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) developing the case will want to explore these as early as possible – potentially even before the business case stage. Informal discovery such as speaking with different parts of the business, talking to vendors and of course the IT team itself can provide valuable insights into different ways of solving the problem. Time and cost are two of the most important factors for leadership’s consideration of a business case and project. Time can relate to the time it will take to implement the solution, but more importantly the time it will save the business if delivered. Cost similarly has during-project and beyond considerations. The best solution may not be the cheapest immediately, but ultimately will drive the business towards its objectives most effectively.

Testing similar solutions implemented by other businesses

Has this challenge been solved by other businesses? Few big challenges are unique to just one organisation. If you’re working with an IT agency, ask them to provide examples of other solutions for other clients of theirs that are similar. Your business may have working relationships with others that provide your team with an inside look at architecture and processes – as well as feedback from those in that organisation as to the business impact. If the solution would require a third-party vendor, you can ask them for case studies and live examples of their solutions for others. While it may not be 100% your solution, you’ll get a sense of how well fundamental aspects work in real-world scenarios.

Involving your end user in the consultation process

Don’t neglect the typical end user – whether that’s the front-line customer service staff or the customer itself. It’s common practice to involve customers in the development of a solution meant to make their lives easier. Before even getting to that stage, businesses can seek insights from customers through online surveys, focus groups and direct contact (e.g. phone calls) for feedback.

Need guidance on your IT project?

IQANZ provides specialist assurance services for technology projects across the private and public sectors. We apply proven assurance methodologies along with a high level of technical expertise to help guide projects and programmes to success. If you’re interested in getting independent, expert help on your technology project, get in touch with our team.