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Founder notes · Operator note

How I Decide Whether Software Is Worth Paying For

The four questions I ask before any new subscription gets approved.

By Chris G Jones · · 3 min read

Four questions

Software decisions get made emotionally and justified afterwards. These questions slow that down enough to be useful.

  • What does it replace, and will that thing actually be cancelled?
  • Who owns it, by name?
  • What breaks if we stop paying in a year?
  • Can we prove the saving in numbers within 90 days?

The 90-day rule

Every new tool gets a 90-day review with a named owner. If nobody can show the benefit, it goes.

This is the single most useful piece of software governance I have ever put in place.

Price is rarely the issue

Very few tools fail because they cost too much. They fail because nobody owned them and nobody used them.