The Hidden Costs of Shiny Objects

Years ago, I watched the university I worked for spend nearly six figures on a technology solution that almost nobody used. (Like, literally single digits.)

A bold strategy, if the goal was to make money disappear. The problem? Nobody had stopped to ask whether people actually needed it.

I think about that experience a lot. Higher ed loves whatever shiny new thing promises to revolutionize everything by next Tuesday. We love a good "innovation." We love a new platform. We especially love a committee tasked with exploring a new platform. But sometimes the most innovative thing we can do is actually talk to the people we're trying to help.

I wrote about this for Volt, including a very expensive lesson that has stuck with me for years.

Turns out, listening is cheaper than fixing a six-figure mistake.