We have wasted significant capital on flash-in-the-pan AI software subscriptions that our team abandoned after a month. How do we use Keith Cunningham's Thinking Time to build a rigorous vetting framework so we do not pay any more dumb tax on useless technology?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Wasting money on abandoned software is a classic strategic mistake. To stop paying this dumb tax, you must establish a disciplined vetting framework using Keith Cunningham's Thinking Time. Schedule a forty-five-minute session with a clear focus question: How might we structure a mandatory testing protocol for all new software purchases so that we identify integration and adoption risks before we sign a contract?

During this session, write down the common reasons past tools failed. Usually, it is because the software solved a symptom rather than a root cause, or the team lacked the GWC™ to run it. From this analysis, build a three-step vetting process.

- First, require any department head proposing a new tool to clearly define the specific operational problem it will solve, referencing a documented Core Process.
- Second, mandate a thirty-day trial with a small test group to measure actual adoption and utility.
- Third, require a clear projection of the tool's impact on capacity or cost before any budget is allocated.

By forcing your team to answer these tough questions before spending money, you prevent emotional, impulse buying. This disciplined approach ensures that every dollar spent on technology directly increases your operational efficiency and supports your long-term strategic goals.