The technology evangelist - Rob Livingstone Advisory
I ITHE
ACCID ENTA L
Cl0
Ron LrvrwcsroNE
The technologyevangelist GAM E- CHANGING TECHNOLOGIES WH O C A N ADVOCATE HAVING S OME ON E AND OBSTACLES P RE S E NTOPPORTUNITIES S WITHIN YOU ROR GA N IS A T ION uild a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a pa th t o y our door . . . or so they say. When it comes to new technology howev er, ju st b uild ing t hat bet t er mousetrap may not be enough. That's where the technology evangelist can make all the difference to your business.
The technology evangelist has the potential to act as the turbocharger for initiatives and projects that meet a
diligence and rigour being applied to the solution. This can fan the flames of shadow IT, which, if not managed
real business need, not to mention their influence in challenging the status quo. In the right context, and assuming
future cost and elevated risk.
the technology evangelist has a deep and c om p r e h e n s i v e u n d e r s t a n d i n g of not only the potential value for the
ev angelis t is T he te ch no log y typically categorised by the persistent advocacy and promotion of a particular product or technology with a view to its
technology but also its technical and systemic risks, they could be the CIO's greatest ally. However, there are potential risks
broad adoption, either across a whole industry orwithin an organisation. They can play a key part in the development
in adopting the employee evangelist's technology choice, should the proposed path to adoption bypass cost, governance
and commercialisation of any new, disruptive and emerging technology,
and risk oversight processes. A perfect solution but the wrong application and unex pec t e d a d v e r s e c o n s e q u e n c e s down the track can result long after they have moved on. That's a position you do
and can be influential in the ultimate success of the technology vendor, be it a start-up or established organisation launching a new technology offering. That's all well and good when it comes to evangelising a newtechnology that will be used by others. However, when your organisation is a potential user of this new or emerging technology, the consequences that a persuasive, single-minded technology evangelist may have on your organisation should be considered.
FRIENDOR FOE? ev angelis t a techn ol ogy employed within your business may play an important part in scrutinising the te ch no log y tha t m ay not hav e H aving
ot her wise be en co ns ider ed. Af t er all, if this technology can help your organisatio n re du c e c os t , dr iv e innovation or underpin efficiency, it could in fact be a game changer. iO TS 68 CIOJUL Y/AUGUST
not want to be in. Moreover, for non-technical senior executives, being able to distinguish the true technology evangelist from an opinionated acolyte of a particular vendor's offering maybe a real challenge. The p e r f e c t s t o r m c o u l d o c c u r where the single-minded evangelist's enthusiasm for their specific solution gains a groundswell of support by line-of-business executives without the appropriate vendor management due
appropriately could set the seeds of
VISIBILITY If you are fortunate enough to have a technology evangelist within your o r g a n i s a t i o n w h o h a s a n i n ti m a te o f y o u r b u si n e ss, understanding I T e c o s y s t e m a n d th e engagement skills to bring together enterprise IT, key stakeholders and customers, they would be a real asset. existing
On the other hand, the technology evangelist who acts as a lone wolf, and who does not operate with the full sanction, visibility and support from all key executive stakeholders, IT included, should be considered as a potential risk. Ask yourself a question: As a CIO, are you able to identify the technology evangelist in your midst? And arguably more importantly, are you able to guide and harness their potential to maximise the value of their solution(s) with known risk? nat
ACCID ENTA L
Cl0
Ron LrvrwcsroNE
The technologyevangelist GAM E- CHANGING TECHNOLOGIES WH O C A N ADVOCATE HAVING S OME ON E AND OBSTACLES P RE S E NTOPPORTUNITIES S WITHIN YOU ROR GA N IS A T ION uild a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a pa th t o y our door . . . or so they say. When it comes to new technology howev er, ju st b uild ing t hat bet t er mousetrap may not be enough. That's where the technology evangelist can make all the difference to your business.
The technology evangelist has the potential to act as the turbocharger for initiatives and projects that meet a
diligence and rigour being applied to the solution. This can fan the flames of shadow IT, which, if not managed
real business need, not to mention their influence in challenging the status quo. In the right context, and assuming
future cost and elevated risk.
the technology evangelist has a deep and c om p r e h e n s i v e u n d e r s t a n d i n g of not only the potential value for the
ev angelis t is T he te ch no log y typically categorised by the persistent advocacy and promotion of a particular product or technology with a view to its
technology but also its technical and systemic risks, they could be the CIO's greatest ally. However, there are potential risks
broad adoption, either across a whole industry orwithin an organisation. They can play a key part in the development
in adopting the employee evangelist's technology choice, should the proposed path to adoption bypass cost, governance
and commercialisation of any new, disruptive and emerging technology,
and risk oversight processes. A perfect solution but the wrong application and unex pec t e d a d v e r s e c o n s e q u e n c e s down the track can result long after they have moved on. That's a position you do
and can be influential in the ultimate success of the technology vendor, be it a start-up or established organisation launching a new technology offering. That's all well and good when it comes to evangelising a newtechnology that will be used by others. However, when your organisation is a potential user of this new or emerging technology, the consequences that a persuasive, single-minded technology evangelist may have on your organisation should be considered.
FRIENDOR FOE? ev angelis t a techn ol ogy employed within your business may play an important part in scrutinising the te ch no log y tha t m ay not hav e H aving
ot her wise be en co ns ider ed. Af t er all, if this technology can help your organisatio n re du c e c os t , dr iv e innovation or underpin efficiency, it could in fact be a game changer. iO TS 68 CIOJUL Y/AUGUST
not want to be in. Moreover, for non-technical senior executives, being able to distinguish the true technology evangelist from an opinionated acolyte of a particular vendor's offering maybe a real challenge. The p e r f e c t s t o r m c o u l d o c c u r where the single-minded evangelist's enthusiasm for their specific solution gains a groundswell of support by line-of-business executives without the appropriate vendor management due
appropriately could set the seeds of
VISIBILITY If you are fortunate enough to have a technology evangelist within your o r g a n i s a t i o n w h o h a s a n i n ti m a te o f y o u r b u si n e ss, understanding I T e c o s y s t e m a n d th e engagement skills to bring together enterprise IT, key stakeholders and customers, they would be a real asset. existing
On the other hand, the technology evangelist who acts as a lone wolf, and who does not operate with the full sanction, visibility and support from all key executive stakeholders, IT included, should be considered as a potential risk. Ask yourself a question: As a CIO, are you able to identify the technology evangelist in your midst? And arguably more importantly, are you able to guide and harness their potential to maximise the value of their solution(s) with known risk? nat
