Marcin: Hi, my name is Marcin Kokott, and welcome to Product Odyssey, the series where we explore how to build products fundamentally better. Today with me are Adrian and Maciej, the CTO of Vasco. Hello, and today we'll be talking about a specific question that is very simple yet hard to answer: how to select the right technology at the right moment. Let's begin.

Marcin: When thinking about selecting the right technology, two stories come to mind. One is that the COO is flying in business class, reading a newspaper, and sees an ad for the new NET platform version five. He thinks it’s the newest thing, and we need it. He lands, calls his company, and they go for full implementation. The second story is the CTO saying there's a new Python version, but let's not upgrade because it's unstable. These examples show the balance needed between choosing the latest technology and the most stable one. Any thoughts on that?

Maciej: There is one single rule to follow: the technology needs to solve the business problems, not the other way around. We don’t use technology for the sake of it but to solve the problems our organization faces, deliver new features, or support new clients and markets. Your stories highlight common issues where decisions are made based on hype rather than need.

Adrian: Adding to that, you also need to consider the stage of your project. Are you starting a new project or improving an existing one? If it’s new, you can experiment more. If it’s an existing product, switching technologies can be hard.

Marcin: Talking about starting new projects, how does one stay on top of all the new technologies and trends?

Adrian: Your team should already be familiar with some technologies and have their preferences. This is a strong starting point. Experience and comfort with technology are important factors.

Marcin: Is experience the same as comfort?

Maciej: They come together but aren’t always aligned. You can have experience with a technology and still dislike it. It's about finding a balance between what the team knows and what they are comfortable with or willing to learn.

Adrian: If you’re building something new and your developers don’t know how to approach it, they will have to research. Starting from scratch can be a good place to find the right solution.

Marcin: With so many new technologies and limited time, how do you efficiently stay updated and evaluate trends?

Maciej: There are many sites for busy people like CTOs. Technology radars aggregate various technologies from multiple sectors. They group technologies and methodologies into categories like assess and hold. You get a stable set of solutions and can see which are gaining popularity or are still untested.

Adrian: You need to have an overview of the technological market. Know when your current technology is becoming legacy and plan for future actions. Also, assess if new technologies can give you a business advantage.

Marcin: Any concrete hints for a CTO when a team proposes a new technology?

Maciej: The best-case scenario is when your teams give you ideas. They love their job, follow the latest trends, and understand the product roadmap. Their recommendations are usually on point. This way, you don’t need to follow tech news strictly on your own.

Adrian: It’s also important to create a safe space where people can experiment and fail without consequences. This fosters innovation and ensures that new technologies are tested early.

Marcin: What are some health indicators of technologies?

Adrian: Popularity and how well it’s incorporated into other projects are key indicators. Also, check if the technology is maintained and has good support, as this means it will likely be around for a while.

Maciej: Look at whether a big entity backs the project, if it’s mature, the current adoption rate, and if adoption is slowing down. This multi-dimensional decision involves many factors.

Adrian: For practical decision-making, you can organize internal hackathons. Let teams implement different solutions and see which one works best. Hands-on experience quickly reveals the strengths and weaknesses of a technology.

Marcin: As a CTO, how much hands-on experience should I have with a technology before approving it?

Maciej: You don’t need to be an expert but should be familiar enough to understand the decisions being made. You need to know enough to judge if it fits into the bigger picture. Knowing the names of the technologies isn’t enough; you need to understand their implications.

Marcin: What are the practical takeaways from our discussion?

Maciej: First, technology should solve business problems, not the other way around. Second, have enthusiastic and proactive people on your team who can bring new trends to your attention and create a safe space for experimentation. Third, keep up to date with the latest developments to judge new ideas effectively.

Adrian: Use technology radars to stay updated on trends. Create a culture where people can safely experiment and learn. When making decisions, consider the pros and cons and the long-term maintenance and support of the technology.

Marcin: My takeaways are: rely on the team and make space for them to experiment, understand that every decision has trade-offs, and ensure you are aware of the technologies your team proposes.

Maciej: Ultimately, you need to adapt and ship products. Make the best decision with the available information and be ready to course-correct if needed.

Marcin: That concludes our discussion. Thank you for a productive conversation. Thank you to everyone for watching this episode. If you have any feedback or ideas for new discussions, feel free to comment or reach out on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and other channels. Take care and see you in the next episode.