Management Tip of the Day: Good Enough Is Better than Great IT

Are you having trouble viewing this email? If so, click here to see it in a web browser. HOME   |   BLOGS   |   THE MAGAZINE   |   BOOKS   |   AUTHORS   |   STORE RSS   |   Mobile AUGUST 18, 2011 Good Enough Is Better than Great IT Knowing how much to spend on IT is difficult. You need a system that works, of course, but often big investments fail to generate hefty returns. And yet many executives, IT and non-IT alike, push for state-of-the-art when it's simply not necessary. Don't let executives demand top-level services when the average will do. Determine what you absolutely need in terms of reliability, responsiveness, and accessibility and match your budget to those needs. Don't waste money beyond that. For example, if brief downtimes won't hinder your business, only build back-ups for when your system crashes for over an hour. Today's Management Tip was adapted from HBR on Aligning Technology with Strategy. Buy the full book to learn more about streamlining these critical elements » Share Today's Tip: FEATURED PRODUCT Harvard Business Review on Aligning Technology with Strategy HBR Paperback Series Most companies waste billions of dollars on technology. Don't be one of them. If you need the best practices and ideas for unleashing technology's strategic potential—but don't have time to find them—this book is for you. Here are eight inspiring and useful perspectives, all in one place. This collection of HBR articles will help you: clarify corporate strategy with your IT department, fund only IT projects that support your strategy, transform IT investments into profits, build one technology platform for your entire organization, adopt new technologies only when their best practices are established, use analytics to make smart decisions at all levels of your company, and integrate social media into your business. ADVERTISEMENT Follow the Tip: PREVIOUS TIPS 2 Ways to Spot Industry-Changing Trends 3 Ways the Social Sector can Innovate 3 Ways to Get the Most from Your Team 3 Tips for Making a High-Stakes Decision Take a Nap at Work Convince Others to Embrace Risk 3 Things Your Company Should Do on Twitter 2 Ways You Shouldn't Pitch an Idea Cope with Your Incompetent Boss Avoid Overinvesting in IT BEST SELLERS HBR's 10 Must Reads: The Essentials HBR's Must Reads Library Set Guide to Persuasive Presentations Guide to Better Business Writing Guide to Getting the Right Work Done Free HBR Interactive issue Download the iPad app HBR Reads, and get your issue with audio and video interviews and multimedia slideshows. Learn more » UNSUBSCRIBE   |   UPDATE YOUR PROFILE   |   MORE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS   |   PRIVACY POLICY Was this email forwarded to you? If so, sign up to start receiving your own copy. ABOUT THIS MAILING LIST You have received this message because you subscribed to the "Management Tip of the Day" email newsletter from Harvard Business Review. If at any point you wish to remove yourself from this list, change your email address, or sign up for other email newsletters and alerts, please visit the Harvard Business Review Email Newsletter Preference Center. OPT OUT If you do not wish to receive any email messages from Harvard Business Review, click here. ADVERTISE WITH HBR This enewsletter is read by thousands of decision makers every day. Learn more about connecting your brand with this audience. Copyright © 2011 Harvard Business School Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing | 60 Harvard Way | Boston, MA 02163 Customer Service: 800-545-7685 (+1-617-783-7600 outside the U.S. and Canada)