Answer extracted from The Conference Room with Simon Lader podcast — listen to the full episode below.
Why should process and people considerations come before technology in organizational transformation?
If you start with technology alone, you simply replicate your current inefficiencies with software and call it automation—but you haven't actually improved. Starting from process allows you to identify the person who knows how things actually work and where real improvements are needed, so you can introduce technology to support those refined operations rather than codify the broken ones.
Most organizations rush to implement software solutions without first examining how their work actually flows. You end up automating waste, building digital versions of broken processes, and creating more complexity than you had before.
The right sequence is deliberate: process first, people second, technology third. When you start with process, you're forced to ask hard questions about why a step exists at all. Is it necessary? Can it be simplified? Does it add value? This is where domain expertise becomes crucial.
As Val Coyne explains in the episode, the person doing the work every day—not the executive suite—often holds the answers to how operations can be refined. They understand the informal workarounds, the missing steps in documentation, and where bottlenecks really exist.
Process clarity reveals where people create value
When you map process first, you uncover who the actual experts are within your organization. A receptionist might be handling five undocumented tasks that no system captures. A warehouse supervisor knows three ways to accelerate packing that never made it into the manual. These insights only surface when you examine process before technology.
Once you understand the refined, optimized process and you've identified the people who'll drive it, only then do you select technology that supports those operations. A point detailed in this podcast is that many organizations accumulate 30, 40, or even 50 different software platforms without ever stopping to ask whether they're solving actual process problems or just piling on tools.
Technology should be the servant of your process and your people, not the driver of your transformation. When sequence is reversed, you end up with expensive systems that no one uses effectively, because they weren't designed around how work actually happens.
"Technology always, always, always comes last. Typically, first comes process, second comes people, and third comes technology."
Val Coyne — Systems and Technology Strategist at Digital Transformation Advisory Consultancy. After building restaurants and hospitality operations in Italy and Australia's Sunshine Coast, Coyne transitioned into technology as a founding member of a disability sector software startup. Her consultancy now works with C-suite executives and CEOs to align technology, people, and process in growing organizations.
The real cost of getting this wrong is hidden in accumulation. Over 3, 5, or even 6 years, a piece of software may gain 10 additional features that nobody on your team knows about—features you might have paid extra for that could solve problems you're still handling manually. But those features sit dormant because no one examined whether the software actually matched your refined process.
Val Coyne recommends a structured approach: conduct one full audit of your technology inventory and usage annually, with a smaller quarterly check in between. This keeps you honest about whether your tools are still serving your people and processes, or whether they've become legacy bloat.
Want to hear more about how to structure this transformation rhythm and avoid the trap of accidental CEO decision-making in growth? Listen to the full episode on Listenly.
Key takeaways
- Starting with technology alone replicates current inefficiencies with software instead of actually improving them.
- Mapping process first reveals the people who hold crucial domain expertise and understand where real improvements are needed.
- Technology should only be introduced after process is refined and the right people are identified to support it.
- Most growing organizations accumulate 30–50 unintegrated software platforms without examining whether they solve actual process problems.
- Conduct at least one full annual audit and quarterly check-ins to ensure technology continues to serve your refined processes.
See also
What is the true definition of digital transformation beyond simply implementing software?
Digital transformation is the process of digitizing your business and taking a step back to examine your operations—for example, identifying if a process can be refined or eliminated entirely before adding technology.
What early challenges did Dr. Sherry Zhang face as an immigrant pursuing higher education in the United States?
Dr. Zhang's visa was rejected three times before she could start her PhD at Marquette University in Wisconsin. She arrived late for her start date, but her determination and perseverance helped her overcome these barriers.
What is the vision behind the new AI-native health platform Dr. Sherry Zhang is building at Buck Institute?
Rather than asking the reactive question 'What's wrong with you today,' the platform asks proactive questions like 'Where is your health headed?' to enable preventive health management.