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How To Maximize Your Expensive IT Investment

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Besides payroll, your organization s next largest spend is probably for technology. Businesses are continually expanding their capabilities to keep up with their customers expectations and make employees more efficient. Organizations typically accomplish this with some type of technology. But does the organization have a process to ensure that technology meets the organization s strategy and is being fully utilized?

This is especially important if each department has the authority to purchase its own technology (potentially in a silo). Was there sufficient consideration and communication with groups such as information security, internal audit, risk/compliance, and legal?

4 Steps To Maximizing Your Technology Investment


Here are four steps you can take to help make sure you re maximizing your technology spend:

1. Make an inventory of all of the technology (both on-premise and in the cloud) being used/paid for throughout the entire organization.

  • Compile a list of software installed on servers and desktops/laptops; also cloud-based software
  • Check "Accounts Payable" records to see what technology is being paid for; ensure the amounts are valid and correct
  • Review the operating expense (OpEx) budget to see what technology expenses and subscriptions are planned for

2. Now that you have a good inventory, reconcile across departments.

  • Eliminate duplicate software - for example, if two departments are using different learning management systems (LMS), could they both be using the same LMS?
  • Eliminate unused software - if the business stopped using the software (and started using something else), then return the license. This will eliminate the cloud-based subscription cost, or the ~20% maintenance fee for on-premise software
  • Reconcile licenses (e.g. Microsoft 365, Adobe) with a list of active employees; no licenses for terminated employees, and verify for employees who transferred and whose access has changed
  • Combine individual licenses for tiered/volume pricing - departments may have purchased individual licenses, but the organization will normally get better tiered/volume pricing if the licenses are consolidated together

3. Next, make sure the organization is using the software.

  • Fully utilize software - for example, don t just use your customer relationship management (CRM) as a very expensive Rolodex
  • If you own commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software and want additional functionality, talk with the vendor about options:
    • If it benefits other clients and gets added to the base software, there should be no additional cost, but need to determine the timeline of when this could be completed
    • If it gets added as custom code, the timeline should be quicker, but there will normally be a maintenance cost of ~20%
    • Make sure there is updated user/system documentation (especially if custom code)
  • Keep the software current with upgrades and patches
  • Ensure there are various forms of training for employees so they know how to use software; some ideas are in my "Beyond The User Manual" article

4. For future technology purchases (especially if departments have the authority to purchase their own software)...

  • Review the capital expense (CapEx) budget to see what major technology expenditures/projects are planned for
  • Have a central request process for software over a certain dollar amount to be vetted by a steering committee to ensure it meets the organization s strategy/plan
  • Involve IT - infrastructure requirements, configuration settings, etc.
  • Keep information security, internal audit, risk/compliance, and legal in the loop; it s better to have their input upfront rather than afterward when an incident occurs; it s cheaper to add internal controls during the planning stage rather than after implementation.
  • Once implemented, be sure to add the new software to the inventory list.

For more information on maximizing your IT investment, follow me on LinkedIn!

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8 Things Graduates Should Know Before Joining The Workforce
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8 Things Graduates Should Know Before Joining The Workforce

The following career advice is what I believe to be the top eight things recent college graduates should know before joining the workforce. I am sure there are additional tips you can bring into the workforce but these are a great start to ensure you begin on the right foot.

1. Get Better At Time Management

Recent college grad looks for a job

Time is finite. Once it is gone you cannot get it back. Once a deadline is missed there is no turning back. If you missed an assignment, you risk a lower grade. But in the working world, it can mean losing a job project and the company having to incur financial losses. Learn time management skills and you end up being more productive, effective, and efficient.

2. Do More, Talk Less

Recent college grad talks during a work meeting

It’s far too easy to be convinced by those who say you can talk to impress people. And I do not deny that, but eventually, your work has to be the proof that you are a good worker and you are dependable. You need to decide if you will do more and talk less or do less and talk more.

3. Be Present

Recent college graduate meets a coworker

Being present means two things to me. Firstly, it means to be on time every time. This ranges from a small internal meeting to meeting your deadlines. It means being there when you are needed. Golden opportunities present themselves when you are present. Secondly, being present means focusing on the work that needs to be completed. It also means being mindful and fully aware of your surroundings.

4. Give Your Work A Routine

Recent college graduate looks for a job

Develop some form of routine and be disciplined to stick to that routine. This is related to time management but goes beyond the time management that you do in the office. Have a routine for your life. Give yourself time. Block off time for yourself to read or even do the chores like laundry, etc. Start to be more organized than you were in college. Stick to this career advice even though it does not relate to career building. You will soon see the wisdom of it.

5. Be Nice

Recent college graduate happy at work

Learn to be authentic and avoid politics. Of course, sometimes it is tough not to get involved at all. But you can learn to avoid it and be real and authentic. Stay true to your values. These are the anchors that hold you when people change and agendas change. Be nice to people regardless of rank and designation. Smile often. Say “please” and “thank you.”

6. Compete With Yourself

College students look at their phones

Compete with no one else. Of course, no matter what is said and done, you will always be peeping at the next guy to see how he is doing in his career. Sure, peep. But don’t be overly affected by competition that you forget to look at yourself. Be the best you can be in this long cross-country marathon; it is filled with detours and stops. When you focus too much on your competitors you may get lost. It’s one of those career tips for recent college graduates you need to experience to know what it truly means.

7. Create, Don’t Just Discover

Recent college grad works from home

Life is as much about creating as it is discovering. I hear far too often recent college graduates saying, “I need to discover myself.” But is life all about discovering yourself? It is and it is also not. Life is as much as creating the “you” you want to be as it is in discovering the “you” that you are. The truth is somewhere in between. So, when you get a job that is less than satisfactory for you, use it as a pedagogue to discover yourself. More importantly, use it to give you hints at creating the self you want to be.

8. Realize There Is Fun In Learning

Recent college grad shakes hands with the hiring manager

There is a lot of fun in learning. If you understand being present in my earlier advice, then you will know work-life presents so much you can learn and be paid for it. Learn to love what you do and learn to love learning. Because the chance to do what you love may be far and in between. When you find fun in learning then you will be constantly improving yourself. Learn to love books and all sorts of books. There is no need to stick to books in your own industry.

These are the eight things I consider solid career advice for any recent college graduate. A new phase of life has just begun. It’s a long road of work from now on. There is no need to rush your career progression. Take time and enjoy life while honing your skills as you move along.

Here at Work It Daily, we understand how difficult it is to find a job and grow your career as a recent college grad. If you’re struggling to find a job that’s right for you, we can help.

We’d love it if you joined our FREE community. It’s a private, online platform where workers, just like you, are coming together to learn and grow into powerful Workplace Renegades.

It’s time to find work that makes you feel happy, satisfied, and fulfilled. Join our FREE community today to finally become an empowered business-of-one!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

Take Charge Of Your Visual Identity To Make It Truly Unique
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Take Charge Of Your Visual Identity To Make It Truly Unique

Early in my career, I worked for The Disney Channel, part of which included managing events where Disney character assets were constantly being requested. As I managed each of these events, I followed the Disney brand identity, ensuring it was implemented and executed to a tee. One of the issues I ran into quite often was people requesting events where they submitted their own Disney character art that was not approved, did not fit within the Disney visual identity, and was off-brand.

Part of Disney’s success in creating a recognizable and trusted brand is how they execute their visual identity seamlessly both internally throughout their organization and externally with all of their partners.

Brand Identity

A brand identity is how your brand defines itself. This includes the brand’s values, beliefs, and personality. It is what you want people to feel when they interact with your brand through distinct visual and audio elements.

All of your visual and audio elements need to work together to resonate with your audience in order to tell your overall brand story in a consistent, purposeful way.

A well-defined brand identity distinguishes your company and influences the way your brand is perceived in the eyes of your consumers, in turn leading to brand loyalty.

Visual Identity

A visual identity is a collection of visual assets that define the look and feel of your brand, making it unique and recognizable. It’s how you shape consumer perceptions and create a lasting impression.

Importance Of Visual Identity

Why is having a visual identity so important? Your visual identity is one of the first things consumers notice about your brand. It highlights your brand’s personality, helps create an emotional connection with your customers, and how you stand out from your competition. Your visual identity needs to capture your consumers’ attention in a matter of seconds.

Foundation For A Strong Visual Identity

While your appearance is the first thing that people notice about your brand, your brand strategy is the foundation that guides your visual identity. Your visual identity articulates who you are, why you exist, and what you stand for.

Here are four steps to developing your brand strategy (brand strategy template) which will help pull together your visual identity:

  • Develop your brand purpose, mission, vision, & values
  • Create your messaging framework: brand promise, unique selling proposition (USP), value proposition, target audience, tagline, brand essence, tone & voice
  • Identify your positioning
  • Construct your brand personality

Creating A Visual Identity

All of the assets in your visual identity need to work together, providing a unified message that tells a story, evokes emotion, and encourages engagement. To create your visual identity, it’s important to understand the elements included:

  • Logo: Your logo is the most visible and recognizable component of your brand. Your brand logo’s job is to identify you, differentiate you, and ensure people remember you. It is the “face” of your brand. There are different types of logos to consider. A wordmark is text only—company names, monograms, or initials (Coca-Cola, Subway). A brandmark is a graphic symbol or icon represented by real-world objects (Target’s Bullseye, Twitter’s Bird). Abstract logo marks are conceptual, big picture logos consisting of a symbol that is tailor-made for you (Nike Swoosh, Microsoft Squares). Mascots are images of characters or persons that visually represent your business “spokesperson” (Pillsbury Doughboy, KFC’s Colonel Sanders). Combination logos combine both images and words (Burger King, Doritos). Emblem logos consist of a font inside a symbol or icon, usually a badge, seal, or crest (BMW, Starbucks). Dynamic marks are a new form of logos. Instead of having one standard font, color, and/or text combination for your logo, these elements can now change depending on how it is used. Monogram logos are logos that consist of letters or initials of a company (HBO, CNN). To get started developing your logo, you can work with an agency or use an online site like Canva or Namecheap’s logo maker. Be sure that your logo works across all of your platforms, marketing materials, and at different sizes.
  • Typography: Typography is the style or appearance of the text you use in your branding. There are many different fonts and each one evokes different meanings and feelings. Big block letters convey power, strength, and impact while a swirling script communicates elegance, style, and femininity. You can use fonts from an existing library or design one of your own. The key is to identify primary, secondary, and tertiary typefaces that uniquely represent your brand. Be sure to test for legibility across different platforms (i.e. online, OOH, print, etc) to ensure what you’ve selected works.
  • Colors: Your brand’s color palette is a set of specific color hues, shades, and tints used across all of your marketing materials. It’s important when identifying your brand colors to understand the psychology, feelings, and emotions associated with them. When selecting your colors, use a color wheel (a circle graphic that helps define the relationships between colors), one main color, two primary colors, and three to five complementary colors.
  • Imagery: Imagery consists of photography, video content, illustrations, and spokespeople. In order to communicate the right message, think about the imagery you want to use (i.e. stock photos, original shots, user-generated content). Be cognizant of how you depict people, characters, and/or products.
  • Graphics: Graphics can include shapes, patterns, textures, lines, and icons. These extra details can add dimension, help tie together your visual elements, and contribute to your overall brand identity.

Brand Style Guide

Your visual identity is represented in a brand style guide. A brand style guide are guidelines on how to communicate your brand and deliver a consistent visual experience to your customers. Your brand style guide should evolve over time to reflect the overall brand experience as it changes.

In Summary

Brands that have effectively taken charge of their visual identity systems are recognizable, help tell their brand story in a unique way, bring order to complexity, are authentic to their brand, and ensure consistency across all marketing channels and touchpoints. Start building your brand leadership today. You’ve got this!