Technology executives, however, can’t use sports clichés to justify a project. If a manager can’t provide a few return-on-investment (ROI) figures, there’s a good chance a chief financial officer will shoot down the project.
Analysts acknowledge that there are benefits to technology projects that do require a qualitative approach. The trick is not to overdo the soft benefits and to mix in concrete figures.
“We don’t try to measure what’s immeasurable,” says Dale Troppito, a managing partner of the Gantry Group consulting firm. “You have to use both qualitative and quantitative analysis.”
For instance, Troppito notes customer satisfaction is largely an intangible effect that may not be measurable. But increased sales or anything that cuts costs is quantitative—and therefore calls for an ROI calculation.
Tom Pisello, CEO of Alinean, an Orlando, Fla.-based ROI software developer, says technology executives need to classify projects based on how far the benefits lean toward the qualitative. Depending on the project, the benefits could be as much as 40% intangible.
“A 60%-40% mix of quantitative benefits to qualitative is about as low as I’d go,” says Pisello. “I think a lot can be quantified.”
But qualitative benefits still matter, he says. The key is finding the right balance. “You can’t use intangibles as an excuse if your team doesn’t have the time to put effort into making a business case,” Pisello says.
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