The Journey From Value to Cost

Continual dynamic evolution drives technology. Sustainable expertise in technology recognises the transition from innovate value earning to a cost liability. Like the game of Tetris the challenge is timing & coordination – to anticipate & exploit IT value and to standardise & commoditise IT costs.

Timing requires real expertise: the ability to recognise the business potential from emerging technologies, the experience & gravitas to lead the change and the forensic skills to understand & reduce real cost. The Computiv blend brings all of these elements – beyond the simple naivety of enthusiasts, engaged in running operational services and knowledgeable about technology procurement & options.

Digital strategies and digital architectures lie at the heart of sustained business performance and we have worked across all aspects of the lifecycle. Recent implementations of cloud computing have developed into engagement with IT cost & value studies and a sector led strategic approach to sourcing. Taking a holistic value of costs looks beyond simple ICT costs but recognises the fundamental holistic costs of operation: here ease of use is a dominant costs driver and, almost by itself, a compelling logic for the consumerisation of ICT.

As a CIO my challenge was always to grow the top line and reduce the bottom line; IT had a place in innovation but was always challenged by cost reduction.

Cheap to buy, pricey to own -was a headline from Fortune but it summed up the challenge of commoditisation in technology.

Programming at the maximum point of commoditisation – beyond the partisan wars of technology the best technologists are always looking for the technology with the best business return. For me today it is in Google Spreadsheets – a very familiar interface linked inot a global scalable infrastructure.