How many systems does it take to run a business?
One more than you think. One less than you have.
Talk synopsis
How much technology does a business actually need?
Probably not every system someone wants to sell you. But relying on too little technology can be just as limiting as having too much.
A spreadsheet can be exactly the right tool – until suddenly it isn't. A CRM may solve a genuine problem for one business and create unnecessary administration for another. A specialist system might provide a capability you're genuinely missing – or duplicate three things you're already paying for. Functionality that's already available can go unused while another subscription gets added.
Businesses can end up with technology they don't really need while still having important needs that aren't being met.
In this talk, Alan explores how to find the right level of technology for the business you actually have – and the one you're realistically becoming. He looks at where dedicated systems genuinely add value, where existing technology may already do the job, how to spot gaps and duplication, and why more sophisticated doesn't necessarily mean more appropriate.
It's not about having the fewest systems possible. Nor is it about building an enterprise technology estate before you need one. It's about making deliberate choices about what technology earns its place.
Who is this talk for?
Founders, business owners and leaders who are making increasingly frequent technology choices but don't necessarily have senior IT expertise in-house – particularly those wondering what they really need, what they already have and whether adding another system will actually help.
What will they take away?
A practical way to think about what technology their business genuinely needs, when a new system is justified and when the better answer is to make more of, consolidate or remove what they already have.
About Alan
Alan Paterson is the founder of AIK Advisory and has spent more than 30 years helping organisations make sense of data, technology and information. His experience spans businesses of very different sizes, sectors and levels of maturity, including highly regulated environments. Find out more →
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Interested in this talk?
If you're considering Alan for an event, conference or leadership session, get in touch to talk about your audience and what you're looking to explore.
Other speaking topics
Who says you're behind on AI?
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It seemed like a good idea at the time: when good technology goes bad.
How individually sensible technology choices create an unintended tangle – and what to do about it.
It seemed like a good idea at the time: when good technology goes bad.
How individually sensible technology choices create an unintended tangle – and what to do about it.