Every organisation has more good ideas than budget. The difference between a smart investment and an expensive distraction usually comes down to a handful of questions asked early, honestly, and in the right order.
1. What outcome are we really buying?
Describe success in terms a customer or a finance director would recognise: time saved, revenue protected, complaints reduced. If the outcome cannot be measured, it cannot be managed.
2. Who changes their behaviour if this works?
New capabilities only create value when people use them. Name the customers or colleagues who need to act differently, and ask what would make that easy for them.
3. What is the smallest version that proves the idea?
Look for a slice of the problem you can solve in weeks, not months. Early evidence is worth more than a perfect plan.
4. What will we stop doing?
Capacity is finite. Deciding what to pause is as important as deciding what to start.
5. How will we know when to change course?
Agree up front on the signals that would make you double down, adjust, or stop. It turns hard conversations into routine ones.
Asked together, these questions turn a wish list into a portfolio of focused bets, each with a clear owner and a clear finish line.
