Is there a need right now?

When looking at technology products over the last decade you see many big name products from vendors that fit a major need at the right time. VMware is a great example of hitting the market with a product that fit a big need, consolidation and slowing down server sprawl, at the right time. They were not the first to have virtualization, which can be traced back decades. However they were in the right place and the right time.

Having a great idea fail, does not always mean that it was a bad idea. At the time there was no fit or better yet no disease for it to cure. Many of the companies that we see labeled as pioneers were not really the pioneers of their technology. They simply had better timing!

I have seen amazing technologies that were so out of this world, they were hard to sell in large quantities. Sometimes a game changing idea may be too radical to some. Companies want products that offer a solution without a whole lot of risk. CIO’s careers can be made or broken by the decisions on technologies they bring in. Information Technology has quickly become the back bone of most corporations. One wrong decision can have huge impacts, not only on the IT department, but the entire business.

When looking at building a product, make sure there is not only at need, but that the timing is right. Make sure that it is disruptive in a good way. Too disruptive may delay any success you may have.

This by no means should be meant to say stop inventing. If the need is there, no matter how radical, you can sell it. You have to make sure that you can lower the risk for a CIO that is willing to take a chance. If you product requires a rip and replace of current, already invested technologies, you will have a hard time getting your product in the market. Instead make sure you can tie into current products and offer a way to slowly migrate. This reduces risk and lets the CIO breathe a bit easier.

Technology is changing at an amazing rate. It is always hard to hit the perfect time. You can just as easily be too late as too early.

Which one is worse?