Approval of major
technology decisions hinges on three elements: the numbers, the perceived risk,
and the credibility of the case.
1. The Numbers
Any business case needs to summarize the financial impact of
the technology. It is not uncommon for department heads to cut corners here, so
the CFO is usually impressed with a complete analysis. Beyond the standard finance metrics (NPV,
ROI, IRR, Payback) the analysis should also accounting for timing – when the costs will hit and when the savings occur. Timing
has a real impact on these metrics, and any quantification of ROI that does not
take timing of costs and benefits into consideration will be immediately
suspect to a finance officer. Supporting detail is also very helpful. CFO’s are
skeptical by training and nature and experience. A business case that concisely
presents both quantifiable and non-quantifiable benefits is given more credence
than others, as long as it does not stray into the realm of marketing copy.
2. Perceived Risk
Often overlooked in the business case is risk. Most CFO’s
will assume the worst when making their decision. The mantra is “what if it
doesn’t happen as you hope?” Your business case is made stronger by addressing
these concerns head on. Don’t assume that if you don’t mention it, they won’t
worry about it.
You don’t need to worry about every possible risk, just the more likely and harmful ones. There is
no point in speculating what affect a nuclear war will have on your project,
nor is anyone too worried about overruns in the office supply budget. Do
address these three areas of risk:
Technology: the risk that the technology will not work, or will
only partially work. Assuming you are
not proposing custom or first-generation products, your best manner to address
this concern is references. Other companies in your industry with successful
experience using the technology are hard to argue against.
Project: the risk that your organization will be unable to make the
technology work. Many organizations have
failed projects in their history. A detailed project plan helps mitigate this
risk. Allowing for cost overruns is smart (as is pointing this out in your
case). Using third parties, where portions of the risk are transferred, is also
an excellent strategy for calming fear of failure.
Financial: the risk that the technology succeeds, but the desired
financial benefits don’t follow. Again,
references help with this concern. Using a third party (or the technology
supplier) in a gain-sharing arrangement is also effective (offering to do this,
even if it’s unlikely to be accepted, can be a good tactic). Getting commitment
from affected managers is also very valuable.
In our example above, if the VP of Sales guarantees
that her budget will come down by $220,000, regardless of risk factors, the CFO
will be hard pressed to say no.
Ultimately, there are no guarantees. But your good-faith
effort to address the risks to the company will go a long way toward approval.
3. A Credible Case
Your business case stands a better chance of approval if it
is credible. Having solid numbers is part of it, as is an honest risk
assessment. Your case should be short, tightly written and avoid technical
jargon. Having sponsorship from the
affected organizations is also important to a good case. In our second instance
above, the VP of Sales has weighed in in favor of our project. Since it’s her
department that’s most affected, having her on board improves your chances of
success. Too often, IT projects are submitted in isolation. The users find out
when the technician shows up with a new gadget. Build a stronger case by
including every sponsor you can get.
If your business case does a good job of addressing the
three key levers of financial analysis, risk analysis and credibility, your
chance for approval is higher. Don’t assume that the IT department has the
skill to produce such as business case because in all likelihood, they do not.
If approval by the CFO or board is required, it’s in your best interest to
ensure that IT put their (and your) best foot forward. Offer references,
coaching, and possibly professional assistance to make the case. You will be
rewarded with more orders and less anxiety.
Unit Testing – your slot game developers, test each part to determine out} if they that they} work as intended. If you utilize Unity or Unreal Engine for slot improvement, find a way to|you presumably can} easily translate to multiple of} other platforms. Offering your slot game on Android, iOS, Windows, Console, and VR 온라인카지노 allows you to attain the most prospects. However, supporting many platforms requires more resources. The UI/UX could be designed using tools like Adobe XD and Figma. So, your UI/UX designers should create a working version of the final design using the updated art.
ReplyDelete