Don’t Pick a Platform. Frame a Play.

StrategyDelivery MethodsProgram DesignTechnology Choices

3 July

This is the sixth post in our Strategy Series, published every Thursday. Each week, we explore how Australian organisations can rethink their operating models, embrace AI with intention, and stay ahead of the curve.

Jumping from gaps to vendors is how smart projects go sideways.

Here’s what usually happens: you run a fit-gap, spot the weaknesses, and then… go straight to vendor shortlists. But if you treat solutioning like a shopping trip, you’ll end up with shelfware.

The real next step? Frame your solution plays. These are end-to-end options that combine process, tech, design, and change into something executable and supportable.

At We Lead Out, we treat solution optioning like designing a playbook, not picking a tool.

Here’s how we do it:

1. Start with plays, not platforms

Each play is a coherent bundle. It’s not just “buy this tool.” It’s:

Update these workflows
Use this platform in this way
Shift these roles
Build/change these supporting pieces

We usually frame 2–3 plays that reflect different investment and operating models. One might go deeper on automation. One might be partner-led. One might do just enough to unblock the next stage.

2. Define what makes an option “recommendable”

We’ve learned that a good option isn’t just “best fit” on paper. It’s:

Feasible – Can we do this in the time we have?
Fundable – Can we defend this budget and benefits case?
Scalable – Can we run and evolve it after launch?

If an option fails any of those, we don’t recommend it, no matter how shiny the tech.

3. Compare more than just features and cost

We use a simple Option Profile Canvas to show:

Change impact (process, people, data)
Delivery complexity
Strategic leverage (e.g. opens up new capabilities, accelerates future work)
Dependency exposure

This helps execs back a path, not just a platform.

4. Don’t recommend. Co-own.

We shape the final recommendation with the teams who will live with it, tech leads, product owners, ops, change, and finance. It builds trust, tests reality, and kills post-decision friction.

Why this matters:

Great decisions aren’t about picking what looks good; they’re about committing to what will work. That’s why the best consultants don’t just recommend, they frame the right plays, with the right people, at the right level of granularity.

Want help framing your next move?

We run high-speed optioning sprints after every fit-gap. It’s fast, visual, and grounded in delivery logic, not sales decks. If you're stuck at the "what now?" moment, let’s talk.

We Lead Out helps business and government leaders navigate transformation with confidence, starting with the foundations that matter. Reach out to learn more about the trends affecting Australian businesses.