Purchasing technology as an enabler.

Technology is a need and more and more corporations are approaching technology as a want. The basic idea of purchasing a new solution or a new tool is to create efficiency, save time and money. There is very little "after-purchase" follow ups. A corporation should always formally complete their due-diligence after they have bought a new solution. That will help them measure, monitor and make decision on the objective of purchasing the new solution in the first place.

Technology in itself is an enabler. It enables efficiency, effectiveness, integration, corporate visibility, and accountability. Keeping the objective of the need and managing the technology purchase is very important. Two most important question - Why are you purchasing and for whom?

It is a cycle - Plan/Define (Requirements/Cost) - Align/Select (Requirements/Cost) - Approve/Purchase (Required Solution)  - Track/Monitor ( Benefits/Gaps) - Define (..........

The process itself:

Every corporation has different purchasing needs, whether it is a global project, departmental project, a process project or a local project. The players are different, their needs are different, their objectives are different and their perspective of different technologies are different. 

Managing this vast pool of needs is not only challenging but very competitive. Everyone has the best solution and every one is the leader in their space.
The most important aspect of a smart purchase of any technology solution is to go through an extensive process of building requirements. Identify key process areas , their process champions and address those change with "desired" outcomes and create a "to-be" strategy and a "what-if" strategy. The more information one gathers the more knowledgeable one gets.

As Albert Einstein once quoted - Everything should be made as simple as possible but not bit simpler.


An average RFP/RFI process takes anywhere between 1-6 months  or some times more that includes the decision making time and size of the project. This is one big area of process improvement that most corporations don't address. Today's process of purchasing is not only time consuming but is extensive. By the time a company ends up making a decision on a vendor, they had lost track of their basic objective of the project and then they hardly ever plan for the "after-purchase" process.

Every process can be made simple. Every process should have an owner and every owner should have a process objective and targets. If all corporations can start building internal process maps and charts, the owners can visualize the effectiveness, the gaps, the flaws and can make intelligent judgment on next steps.

In Healthcare, an average hospital today owns anywhere between "20-40" disparate systems or separate IT Systems to address their needs. - my basic two questions - why are you purchasing and for whom?...How does it affects - "Patient Care"??....or does it??

In some manufacturing plants technology is driving robotics and artificial intelligence in producing goods. - how does it affects Quality and delivery?....Still why so much - "Recalls"?


Not sure if it is the industry or the players but this is not solving their problems. Technology is a need and it enables us to be effective and efficient. I think vendors should bring change; the way customers purchase technology today.

Every vendor has extensive websites that talks about their products, solutions, partners, clients but I have never seen any one putting a link where one can take a buyer through a smart purchasing process using automated solution mapping techniques.

All vendors should have a formal requirement gathering document that aligns directly with their core competencies. It will give buyers smart information and will enable them to purchase technology is a cost effective manner.

Once the purchase has been made, the customer should be able to run their "after-purchase" follow up process and start tracking and monitoring the benefits.

Hope this information helps and generates some good ideas.

Thank you for reading and enjoy your day.
Kind Regards,
D