In this article, you’ll learn:
- Why IT needs to reframe its role in innovation projects
- How Plinko from The Price is Right can change the way you prioritize
- Three practical tips IT can use to support innovation without losing focus on security or compliance
Innovation is back. Businesses are once again pushing forward with new ideas, digital tools, and fresh revenue opportunities.
I've been shedding light on how too often, IT becomes a roadblock...
Now, before you roll your eyes - you should know, I’m an IT guy myself.
I know what it’s like. We can be arrogant. We’re often understaffed. And sometimes it feels like every new “innovation project” is just another burden added to the never-ending backlog.
But, IT doesn’t have to be the department of “no.”
With the right mindset, we can be the ones who help innovation move faster and safer.
Like what you see? Want to see more? I invite you to chat with my team at Shinydocs.
An "IT" project or a "Business" Project?
I’m reminded of my friend Cheryl Smith, who is former CTO at WestJet Airlines. She was tasked with leading a project to bring Wi-Fi to their airline. At first glance, it looked like a straightforward IT project: networks, hardware, security. But Cheryl reframed it:
“Yes, it is an IT project. But it’s also a revenue-generating project. It’s a user experience project. Which means it can’t be led by IT alone.”
That perspective made all the difference. And it’s exactly the mindset IT leaders need to adopt today.
IT is the Plinko Board
Think of every innovation project like the Plinko board from The Price Is Right.
The goal isn’t to stop the chip. The goal is to help it bounce down into the largest jackpot slot at the bottom.
So how do you help your IT department keep up and prioritize the right things? I sat down with our IT guy, Josh, and we came up with three practical tips:
Tip 1: Start with the Business Outcome
Every project has a prize at the bottom of the Plinko board, or the outcome the business wants.
Start by asking: What’s the jackpot here? Then frame the project as a team effort to get there together.
Tip 2: Make Security a Peg, Not a Barrier
Security is always top of mind for IT. Hacks, threats, or downtime can kill innovation before it starts. But instead of letting security be a hard stop, treat it as a peg that nudges the project in the right direction. Build it into the path forward, don’t let it block the chip.
Tip 3: See Priorities as Pegs, Not Stops
Every additional IT priority - whether it’s compliance, integration, or cost - shouldn’t be viewed as a “no.” It’s another peg guiding the chip toward the jackpot. It's the job of IT to help the business navigate those nudges.
"Innovation, Come on Down!"
Now that innovation is back, the most successful IT teams will learn how to prioritize by guiding, not blocking.
That's how you get your project to land in the jackpot!
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