Who Should Be Entrusted With Making IT Decisions?

Being conscious of the potential bias that each party - from technology vendors to consultants, in-house employees, and research organizations - may have been a critical aspect of the process. Here's a list of those groups.

Everyone has a plan. Understanding this reality is a requirement for receiving advise on a wide range of business matters. When it comes to technology, it's normal practice to seek the advice of individuals who have product, installation, and maintenance experience. However, be mindful of any potential prejudice that each person may have, as this is a crucial aspect of the process. Technological vendors, consultants, in-house employees, and even third-party research organizations can generate relevant data that is critical to making an informed technology decision.

The difficulty is distinguishing what should be considered fact and what should be taken with a grain of salt. Let us examine each important decision-making group and assist in defining what data should be trusted when making complex technology decisions for your company.

• Technology Vendors 

People who attempt to offer you technology are often thought to be the least trustworthy. After all, it is solely their responsibility. However, when it comes to specialized product or service expertise, there is no better source of truth. Speaking with your assigned sales engineer and a product specialist, in our experience, is the greatest approach to learn what a solution can and cannot do. While a sales engineer may insist that a feature or deployment-specific option is currently available, a product specialist will be able to confirm that the product/service can accomplish what you want it to do.

• Technology Consultants 

External consultants' opinions comparing one product to another, such as those of technology vendors, should be viewed with caution because they frequently gain from you acquiring the product or service that makes them the most money. However, consultants provide a variety of implementation and integration experience on which to base your selection. Furthermore, remember that if the consulting firm is responsible for the technological integration, they are the ones who should be most trusted in terms of what they can complete – and what cannot be accomplished despite vendor assurances.

• In-house employees

While it would be nice to always rely on the advice of in-house IT administrators and architects, their lack of knowledge and bias toward several technologies with which they are familiar can sometimes cloud their judgment. In many circumstances, their advice is less reliable than that of technology vendors and consultants who are better familiar with what's available and what other organizations are buying.

However, when it comes to estimating the level of effort required to manage and scale a specific technology over time, in-house staff will provide the best input. These are the persons who can and should provide the most accurate projection of how a new product can and should be integrated, the amount of time required to manage and tune a product, and an approximate annual cost to operate this technology.

• Research organizations

Technology research and analyst reports are frequently utilized to inform buying decisions in many IT shops. The findings are called "unbiased" validation because they come from a third-party source with no vested interest in the purchasing process. While this is somewhat correct, keep in mind that the criteria used by these researchers to assess items may not meet your business objectives. As a result, for those who truly value the opinions of external researchers and analysts, it is reasonable to collaborate with a research organization that can assist in evaluating different products/services on your behalf and providing a comparison report tailored to your specific business needs and goals.