In the maturity cycle for any IT organisation there are innumerable occasions when decisions regarding technology selection are done. In current environment of multiple options, the task of selection becomes quite complex.  However, with standard procedures and guidelines available for selection of a technology the same may be done on a logical premise e.g. TM Forum’s eTOM (enhanced Telecommunications Operations Map) for technology selection in Telecommunication domain, Gartner’s magic quadrant etc.

Given the above statement it may look like that CIO’s task is cut out primarily to manage business interface as a trusted partner and enable IT alignment to business and technology.

Having said that the underlying fact still remains, “Not all may bode well if CIO keeps a ‘hand-off’ approach to technology selection”.

Depending on the impact of the technology on the overall business context, not only the technology superiority in its realm has to be evaluated but the strategic aspect and long-term investment management of technology has to be ascertained.  Hence, it is prudent for the CIO to make the final call for ‘high impact’ technology decision -- out of the rated options, based on the principle of Enterprise Architecture that CIO’s team provides.

In simple terms, strategic aspect covers parameters such as -- organisation alignment with the supplier, technology past performance and future proof credentials, commercial terms and condition, stability of the technology provider, reference-ability, reciprocal business probability etc.  While, the same can be done by the next in line team but with plethora of organisations providing technology and technology based solutions, a learned decision in making provider choice is quite critical in overall scheme of technology selection.

Technology companies have a history of evolving in both organic and inorganic manner, the aspect of mergers and acquisition become quite potent in decision making.  CIO has to keep abreast with technology companies’ landscape; and thereof derive future trends, this knack based on the experience does plays an important role in determining the technology sustenance, since M&As can also lead to technology extinction or morphing which can have substantial financial impact and be detrimental to overall IT budget, as well as business disruption.

While the above perspective is critical for high impact technology selection decisions, not all of them need such deep and haloed insights.  The traditional and rudimentary day to day technology decision can very well be taken if there are well defined processes in an organisation based on industry standards and principles of enterprise architecture.

At the end of it – CIOs have to selectively spend time on technology selection to ensure that it is being done to serve the specific business need, ease and functionality and it is just not an exercise to bring in cutting edge technology that is of no practical use to business.