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Technology innovation comes in two basic variations; either you are making something new, or you are improving the process that creates a product or service to make it more efficient. In both cases, trimming waste is at the core of the value that is being created. Rarely do people come to DevDigital asking us to make something old, and they certainly don’t want us to make it worse than it was.

I’ve seen hundreds of projects come across my desk over the last five years, ranging from basic business presence sites, to mobile apps and full-blown enterprise applications. In each case, the engagement starts out with us listening to the client’s needs and then asking a great deal of questions to ensure that we have a firm understanding of their expectations. During the questioning phase we usually hear "That is a good question," or "I never thought of that" and even "Do you have any suggestions?"

The subsequent exchange is where the discovery phase unveils—whether the proposed project is aimed at making something new, or making something better than the original thought, process, or vision that was anticipated initially. This phase is where the fun really begins. The ideation begins to flow, and there is a realization that the possibility of something new, or better is about to come to fruition. This is all possible because technology is capable of doing anything we can envision and that is why I love my job.

Then The Work Begins

Having a clear and exciting vision is one thing, but creating something new or better is another matter. In every building process—whether it is for a home, a basic website, an app, or a significant enterprise application—there will always be additional questions that need to be answered throughout every step of the process. As more decisions must be made, they may affect the budget, timeline and the end user’s experience. While this can cause frustration, delays and will sometimes temporarily deflate the excitement of the original vision, there is a silver lining.  

Fortunately, once all of the information is gathered and the vision of the technology build-out is completed, it not only creates a new experience for your customers, it also generates significantly improved engagement. This value of your project, combined with its ability to create and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the site or product, will provide employees and customers with a much more desirable experience.

In conclusion, when you strive to make something new or better through technology, the benefits and overall improvement that will be provided to employees and customers should rank as a top priority.