The Value-Aligned Technology Stack: A New Business Conversation

In the pandemic recession and beyond, the role of technology is radically changing business — and CIOs are being asked to lead a new conversation with business and marketing executives about technology budgets. The old tech-planning playbooks won’t work now that technology is deeply embedded in every facet of business success. We propose a new, value-aligned technology stack — foundational technologies, differentiating technologies, and agility technologies — based on the contribution each layer has to business success. We believe this approach will make it easier to talk about the investments, optimization strategy, pace of change, roadmap, and ownership model in each layer.