Technology usually has substantial costs. Implementation costs in particular can be high, and ongoing maintenance costs can be higher than expected. On the other hand, relatively low-cost technology can also replace high cost, low-tech processes, leading to savings in the long term. Another possibility is that new technology may cost around the same as the system it replaces, but productivity may be much greater.
Before making a commitment to implement new technology, it is important to fully calculate all the likely costs and savings to determine whether the new technology is viable.
These are some of the cost considerations that can be taken into account:
- What are the up-front costs of the technology?
- What are the likely maintenance costs of the technology over its expected life span?
- Will the technology need to be upgraded and if so, what will the costs be?
- Is there potential to save costs by using or modifying existing resources (external or internal)?
- Will introduction of the technology increase efficiency? Will this lead to savings?
- Will the technology be cost-effective? Will the expected improvements in efficiency or service be worth the extra costs?
- Is funding assured for the life of the project?
- Is there funding for all related requirements - support, documentation, procedures, training, peripherals, communications, maintenance, etc?
- Can the technology be used for more than one purpose, or can another agency share the technology, in order to spread the cost over more than one project? You may be able to share the technology with other agencies for additional non electoral uses, or for electoral uses in several jurisdictions.
- Are there any innovative funding techniques available, such as joint ventures, that could reduce costs? (Remember to ensure that integrity is not compromised.)
- Is the technology being considered more sophisticated than you need? Would a lower-cost alternative be suitable?
Taking these considerations into account will assist in determining whether the technology under investigation is viable and affordable, and enable the calculation of the likely total cost or saving expected.
