“To Tech or Not to Tech?” A Critical Decision-Making Framework for Implementing Technology in Sport

Abstract

The current technological age has created exponential growth in the availability of technology and data in every industry, including sport. It is tempting to get caught up in the excitement of purchasing and implementing technology, but technology has a potential dark side that warrants consideration. Before investing in technology, it is imperative to consider the potential roadblocks, including its limitations and the contextual challenges that compromise implementation in a specific environment. A thoughtful approach is therefore necessary when deciding whether to implement any given technology into practice. In this article, we review the vision and pitfalls behind technology's potential in sport science and medicine applications and then present a critical decision-making framework of 4 simple questions to help practitioners decide whether to purchase and implement a given technology.