Write the Need Statement So Someone Can Disagree With It
The One-Page Need Statement
Companion to The CTO You Actually Need · Updated 2026-09-29
Complete each sentence without using “digital transformation,” “innovation,” “scale,” “strategic,” or “hands-on” unless you define the observable meaning.
| Field | Working answer |
|---|---|
| Business change | During the next [TIME], the business must... |
| Observed constraint | Today this is limited by... Evidence:... |
| Executive-sized decision | The recurring cross-functional decisions are... |
| Required capability | The leadership intervention must create... |
| Critical obligation | While protecting... |
| Alternative considered | We considered [ROLE OR OPERATING CHANGE] and rejected or deferred it because... |
| Decision urgency | We need a decision by [DATE] because... |
| Main unknown | The fact most likely to change the role is... |
Quality test: a board member, current technical leader, and strong candidate should be able to disagree with a specific statement. If the need statement is too broad to challenge, it is too broad to guide a hire.