Although the first half of 2008 showed a steady pace of technology spending, according to our latest research it's very likely that a slowdown is coming. And in a down economy, businesses face tough decisions and inevitably look to cut spending. The good news? Business process and applications (BP&A) professionals know all about how to wring out inefficiencies and prove return on investment (ROI) — so now is the time to show your stuff. To ensure that you and your business and IT counterparts come out of this situation in better shape than when you entered it, BP&A professionals must focus on three areas: 1) prioritizing lower-risk projects focused on efficiency and performance; 2) financially justifying process and application investments; and 3) understanding how to negotiate better application deals.