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Good Enough Can Be Good Enough for an Information Solution

As an information management consultant, analyst, and trainer, it is my job to advance your ability to care for and feed your organizational content and processes. This means I spend a lot of my time surfing the leading edge of technology so I can keep you up-to-date about the latest and greatest capabilities that are becoming available.

Sometimes, though, I run headlong into scenarios that forcibly remind me that not every organization wants or even needs the latest-and-greatest.

  • Maybe the nature of their business means they don’t require it.
  • Maybe they do require it but lack the budget to acquire it or the skills to maintain it.
  • Maybe their compliance obligations forbid them to adopt it (common example: BYOD).
  • Maybe their existing information solution works so well they don’t need to be replaced.
  • Or maybe their solution works so horribly that something must be done sooner rather than later – even if it means the latest-and-greatest has to wait.

If you’re in one of these boats – or other similar ship in the fleet – then you know the philosophy of “good enough is good enough” is very much in play here: namely, the guiding principle that if a given solution does a good enough job solving your problem to satisfy your evaluation team, then it’s good enough to consider buying even if it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles.

I am reflecting on this today because several recent experiences – culminating with a conversation during a video shoot with my friends at searchcontentmanagement.com – have (again) brought the point home that the leading edge isn’t where everyone needs to be. In fact, I’d go one step further and suggest that the leading edge isn’t where anyone needs to be unless the business need is compelling.

For whether by choice or by circumstance, this approach keeps you focused on the practical value of your information solution while keeping the distractions of “gee-whizziness” at bay. And that, too, is a big part of my charter.

What say you? Are you overwhelmed by the choices or simply desirous of a little perspective? Let me know what you think or need, for that’s what we’re here for!

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