Every boardroom conversation about technology eventually circles back to the same question:
“How much will this digital system cost us?” 💵
A typical CIO/CTO pauses and replies:
“Are you asking about the build cost, or the cost of owning it over time?”
That’s where most conversations split.
Boardrooms often see technology as a one-time project.
But CIOs/CTOs must run it like a long-term business asset.
Why This Misalignment Happens
Because for executives approving budget, the mental model looks like:
- Allocate funds
- Build the system
- Ship it
- Move on
But for technology leaders, that’s just the beginning.
A digital system is not a project.
It’s an asset with a long shelf life and continuing obligations.
What Enterprise Software Actually Looks Like
A typical enterprise application:
- Takes 6–18 months to build
- Lives 7–10 years post-launch
- Ships updates every few weeks or months
So the build phase is short compared to the life of the system.
Most of the work happens after deployment.
Gartner’s Three Buckets of Digital Spend
According to Gartner, digital cost falls into three categories:
Build
The initial creation — what most people emotionally associate with “development.”
This is the birth of the system.
Run
The cost of keeping the lights on:
- Infrastructure
- Monitoring
- Security
- Support
- Compliance
Run isn’t glamorous, but without it, the business stops.
Change
The category most leaders misunderstand.
Change isn’t support.
Change is intentional evolution:
- Regulatory updates
- Business model changes
- Market needs
- Tech modernization
Change is how the system continues to create value.
Where the Real Money Goes
Multiple industry studies show a consistent pattern:
Mature enterprises spend 2–3x more on Run + Change than on Build.
That’s not inefficiency.
It’s simply what long-lived systems require.
The Question Leaders Should Ask
The real leadership decision is not:
“Can we build this system?”
Most organizations can.
The right question is:
“Are we prepared to build, own, evolve, and govern this system for the next decade?”
That’s the difference between shipping software
and running digital as a strategic business capability.
Key Takeaway
Technology isn’t a one-time expense.
It’s a long-term responsibility.
Systems must be:
- Built intentionally
- Operated responsibly
- Evolved continuously
A board that understands this funds digital differently.
A CIO/CTO who frames the conversation this way builds trust faster.
Follow Mohamed Yaseen for more insights on long-term digital systems and enterprise technology strategy.
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