Wednesday, 21 March - 09:35 Category: Commentry

Counting the Cost of Technology

SYNOPSIS:  Technology is a means to an end not the end itself.  We rely on technology so much that it influences our thinking and consequently some of us believe that the more technology in a website the better it is.  Watch out for technology for its own sake ’“ think, cost vs. benefit.

Technology is great.  It changes our lives but it also changes our thinking.  It gives us creature comforts, it helps organise our lives, it saves our time and even our lives.  If you want to be philosophical about it then we live in a techno-centric world.  (I'm sure that a huge proportion of people believe that technology will solve global warming and why not when its successes seems boundless?) Technology is seen as the saviour of all our ills.  

So what's the problem? 

The problem is that we are seduced by the possibilities of technology.  How many times have you bought something partly on the basis of all its functions and features only to find that when you use it you only take regular advantage of about 25% of its capability?  Do you use every feature in Microsoft Word or Internet Explorer?  Did you know that if you press the Windows key on your keyboard and D at the same time you get back to the desktop?  Almost nobody uses this, but it's there. 

So what's this got to do with my website? 

Simply this, building a website gives you the opportunity to take advantage of some of the most sophisticated technologies around.  This leads us into dangerous territory because if you are a regular Internet user then you already have a very strong sense of the potential features you can add to your website.  So couple two things together; our instinctive belief that technology solves problems with our sense of what is possible on a website.  And this is why I end up having conversations with prospects who want to recreate Amazon or eBay or Match.  The truth is they think that by replicating the functionality (technology) they are going to replicate the business model and jettison themselves into stratospheric success.  (Usually it turns out they have a budget of about £2000 but that's another story.) 

So when you are talking to your web developers about your forthcoming content management system or e-commerce solution or customer relations system remember this... every additional function you bolt on will cost you money, the question is will it either save or make you money? 

Just because the web developers have built something cool does not mean that it is commercially valuable.  Don't be beguiled by the power of technology (especially when confronted by Web developers because they love technology for its own sake not for its commercial benefit).  When you're the one stumping up your hard earned cash make sure that every penny is going towards a system which makes you more money in return and keep a watchful eye on what the technologists are doing.

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Posted By:Jed Wylie on Wed, Mar 21st 2007, 09:35