Maybe it wasn't the tech after all

"What if most of the benefit from successful technology change doesn't come from the technology at all? What if it comes from the organisational and process changes that ride along with it? The technology acted as a catalyst - a reason to look hard at how work gets done, to invest in skills, and to rethink decision-making. In fact, those changes could have been made without the technology - the shiny new tech just happened to provide the justification. Which raises the uncomfortable question: if we know what works, why aren't we doing it anyway?"

"This is a bit of a thought piece, a provocation. It would be absurd to say new technologies have no benefit whatsoever (especially as a technologist). However it's worth bearing in mind, that despite decades of massive investment, and wave after wave of new technologies since the 1950s, IT has delivered only modest direct productivity gains (hence the Solow Productivity Paradox).What the evidence does show, overwhelmingly, is that technology adoption only succeeds when it comes hand-in-hand with organisational change."

"People often swear by a specific diet - keto, intermittent fasting, Weight Watchers. But decades of research in nutrition shows that the core mechanism is always the same: consistent calorie balance, exercise, and sustainable habits. The diet brand is the hook. The results come from the same behaviour changes. Successful digital transformations, cloud adoptions, ERP rollouts, or CRM programmes, the tech often get the credit when performance improves. But beneath the surface, the real gains come from strengthening organisational foundations - many of which could have been done anyway. Processes are simplified, decision-making shifts closer to the front line, teams gain clearer responsibilities, and skills are developed.It just happens that the"

Most performance improvements attributed to new technology result from organizational and process changes that accompany adoption rather than from technology alone. Technology often serves as a catalyst and justification to examine workflows, invest in skills, and change decision-making. Many effective process, structure, and skills changes could be implemented without new technology. Historical investment has yielded only modest direct productivity gains, illustrating the Solow Productivity Paradox. Successful technology adoption typically succeeds when paired with organizational change, including simplified processes, decentralized decision-making, clearer team responsibilities, and sustained skill development. Emphasizing technology risks overlooking these organizational levers.

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