The CTO’s Guide to Making Technology Presentations to the Board

The quarterly board technology presentation is one of the most important things a CTO does — and one of the things CTOs typically do worst. Most presentations are too technical, too long, and too focused on inputs rather than outcomes.

The Business Value Frame

Every technology initiative should be presented through four lenses: Revenue impact, Cost reduction, Risk mitigation, and Strategic optionality. Board members do not care what database you chose — they care what business outcome it enables and what risk it addresses.