We’re asked to look at a lot of technologies, so we see a lot of “shiny new stuff” every day. It’s usually accompanied by a question like: “Can you check this out? What does this mean to us?” What’s important to remember is that not everything that is happening in the industry will mean something to you. We need to have a keen eye on trends that are getting traction, but it is not practical to evaluate every whiz-bang product or snake oil extravaganza.
The same is true with technology vendors. You might have thousands of vendors calling to try to get in the door, but is what they’re offering really something that you want to spend time on? Is it really going to help you meet your goals or transform your business? That’s what it comes down to. So will we miss some opportunities if we don’t look at everything? Of course. At the same time, we must be able to prioritize and find the things that are really going to advance our goals – even disrupt them – with a longer-term, less reactive view.
Peter Buonora is a change agent driving alignment of business IT functions while evolving IT organizations from operational cost centers to a catalyst for competitive advantage. Peter’s extensive experience includes global technology strategy, architecture, cloud computing, and information security. Peter currently works as Enterprise Architect at BJ’s Wholesale Club, was formerly Senior Global Enterprise Architect at Ahold Corporation, and has held positions at Supervalu, John Hancock and other companies.
