Technology Strategy Patterns: Architecture as Strategy

by Eben Hewitt

Any technology strategy is, in a sense, a request to spend millions of dollars of someone else’s money.

Quickly gather data to form more than one hypothesis based on the question. Perform the initial analysis by asking the Five Questions, examining context, using inductive reasoning, and separating signal from noise. Narrow the areas of focus by prioritizing them, scored according to ease and impact. Assign probabilities to key propositions by using Bayesian probability. Gather more data, test, and revise your hypotheses and analysis as necessary.

Projects that don’t matter to the people who matter are misaligned. These projects will keep you employed for a short time perhaps, but they are not likely to complete, and will not advance your organization or your career.

If you are not making statements that someone could reasonably argue with, you are not making a meaningful or impactful statement—you’re not making a choice and putting a stake in the ground to forge a new future.