Beyond the Shiny Object: Mapping Tech to Real Business Value

Intelligent Automation News #57

Marty Pavlik

March 19, 2025

In the last 60 days, I've had numerous conversations with executives who are struggling with the same challenge: how their teams stay up to speed on emerging technologies and adopt them in a way that actually creates transformative value. Everyone's feeling the pressure to implement AI and other cutting-edge solutions, but many are questioning whether they're focusing on the right opportunities.

One senior IT executive told me last week, "We've got 8 AI pilots running, but I honestly can't tell you which ones will move the needle for our business."

I think the key is strategically mapping technologies to your specific value drivers rather than chasing the latest tech trend. Below, I've shared some practical insights on how to identify where technology can create impact across your enterprise, along with links to valuable resources that can help guide your thinking.

If your organization is struggling to realize ROI from emerging tech investments, I'd love to chat about a more strategic approach.

Thanks for reading,

Marty

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Value Chain Analysis: A Strategic Framework for Technology ROI

In a world where technology adoption gets more attentions then business strategy (rather than the other way around), value chain analysis offers a refreshing counterbalance. This methodology helps organizations identify precisely where technology investments can drive the most significant impact. By examining both primary activities (core business processes) and support activities (enabling infrastructure), companies can identify exactly where new technologies will create the greatest value.

This is a great resource to use for your value mapping exercise.

https://quantive.com/resources/articles/value-chain-analysis

20 Essential Tips for Navigating Technology Adoption

This Forbes article offers essential guidance for business leaders navigating technology adoption. Among the key recommendations:

• Start with business problems rather than technology solutions
• Create a balanced portfolio: 70% near-term value, 20% medium-term strategic capabilities, 10% experimental innovations
• Involve frontline users early to avoid adoption challenges
• Focus on organizational readiness more than the technology itself

As one executive contributor noted, "The technology itself rarely determines success or failure. It's how well the organization adapts to and leverages the technology that ultimately matters." This quote is great!!.

https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/10/08/20-tips-for-business-leaders-to-skillfully-navigate-tech-adoption/

Forrester's Emerging Technology Report: What's Actually Ready for Prime Time?

Forrester's latest emerging technology report offers a reality check on which technologies are genuinely ready for enterprise adoption. Their research categorizes current technologies into "Deploy Now" (including generative AI for content and process intelligence platforms), "Prepare for Adoption" (featuring AI agents for specific business processes and industry-specific LLMs), and "Monitor for Future Potential" (covering quantum computing and fully autonomous business processes). What I find most interesting about this framework is how it encourages organizations to focus less on broad technology categories and more on specific use cases that align with strategic business objectives. This pragmatic approach helps prevent the "shiny object syndrome" that derails so many technology initiatives.

https://www.forrester.com/technology/emerging-technology/

Doculabs’ Perspective on ServiceNow's Acquisition of Moveworks: Industry Impact Analysis

I love this article not just because it written by Doculabs but if you do own ServiceNow this acquisition could be a game changer. ServiceNow's recent acquisition of Moveworks signals significant shifts in the enterprise AI landscape, with major implications for how workflow automation will evolve. For ServiceNow customers, this means enhanced conversational AI capabilities across the Now platform and improved self-service resolution through natural language understanding. For the broader industry, it represents an acceleration of consolidation in the enterprise AI market and the growing recognition that AI must be deeply integrated with workflow platforms.

https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/impact-servicenows-acquisition-moveworks-gains-risks-strategic-r2cfc/?trackingId=pdmHpfUsQ7KUX5DM1zaIIA%3D%3D

Just for Fun

Do you like the comics? Should I keep this section?

Remember, if you'd like to discuss how these developments in technology adoption and value creation could benefit your organization, feel free to reach out: [email protected]