When a retailer recently tried to launch a new e-commerce business, it found itself stymied by the fact that IT-spending amounts were capped as a percentage of revenue and by a lengthy and cumbersome approval process for new projects. The company’s goal of launching the business in two months proved hopelessly optimistic.

This retailer’s time-to-market problem is symptomatic of a dilemma many companies face as they seek to develop new products at a faster tempo, digitally optimize processes, or otherwise place major strategic bets in response to the digitization of their businesses. Digital competitors are now biting into a range of industries, creating a need for a rapid response. Yet the technology processes running many large-scale businesses are also mission critical. There’s no room for compromise on the performance of current technology-enabled (and often transaction-oriented) operating processes, even as organizations try to increase their pace of digital innovation.