The 4Ps & 32 Learning Areas
People. Process. Product. Profit. Four domains that map the full scope of what the CTO position actually demands.
Four domains. 32 learning areas. One complete position.
People
8 learning areasProcess
8 learning areasProduct
8 learning areasProfit
8 learning areasAll four domains together define what the CTO position actually demands. People, Process, Product, and Profit. Eight learning areas in each. They're equally weighted because the position requires capability across all of them.
But that doesn't mean you need to master all 32 from day one. You need to know the basics of most, be conversant in many, and go deep on the ones that map to your archetype. That's what gives you the right LIT pillar balance for your stage.
The problem is that most technology leaders have only ever been formally developed in one area. Being a Technologist got you in the room, but earning a seat at the table needs breadth across all four domains and depth in the areas that matter most for where you are right now.
People
How you build, lead, and develop your team. This is where most of the LIT Framework's Leader pillar comes to life. Getting the people domain right means your function performs whether you're in the room or not.
Trust Building
How to create an environment where people take risks, admit mistakes, and stay committed to you and the organisation.
Team Communication
Speaking in ways that get people to actually listen, understand, and act on what you need them to do.
Performance Management
Setting clear expectations and addressing performance issues before they become expensive problems.
Conflict Resolution
Handling disagreements and personality clashes without losing good people or damaging team dynamics.
Hiring & Onboarding
Finding the right people quickly and getting them productive without months of hand holding.
Delegation
Getting important work done through others while maintaining quality and not becoming a bottleneck.
Remote Leadership
Managing distributed teams that deliver results even when you cannot see them working.
Stakeholder Management
Getting buy in and cooperation from people who do not report to you but can make or break your projects.
Process
How things get done. The operating rhythm, governance, delivery cadence, and systems that keep the function running. This is where the Innovator pillar of the LIT Framework shows up: constantly finding better ways to work.
Automation
Identifying repetitive work and implementing systems that eliminate manual effort and human error.
Documentation
Creating knowledge systems that preserve critical information and enable others to work independently.
Metrics & Monitoring
Measuring what actually matters and getting early warning when things are going off track.
Project Delivery
Consistently finishing projects on time and within budget while meeting the original requirements.
Quality Control
Preventing failures and mistakes before they reach customers or cost the business money.
Resource Planning
Allocating people, time, and money to maximise productivity and avoid costly bottlenecks.
Risk Management
Spotting potential problems early and creating plans to avoid or minimise their impact on operations.
System Design
Building processes that work consistently without requiring constant intervention or supervision.
Product
What you build and why. This is the domain closest to the Technologist pillar, but notice how many of these areas are about market understanding, customer insight, and strategic positioning rather than code and infrastructure.
Competitive Analysis
Understanding what competitors are doing and positioning your products to win in the market.
Customer Feedback
Collecting and using customer input to improve existing products and guide future development.
Innovation Management
Systematically generating and developing new ideas that create competitive advantage and business value.
Launch Strategy
Coordinating all the moving parts needed to successfully introduce new products to the market.
Market Research
Understanding what customers actually want and will pay for before you build anything.
Partnership Development
Building strategic relationships that extend your capabilities and reach new markets.
Product Strategy
Creating long term plans that turn customer needs into profitable business opportunities.
User Experience
Designing products and services that customers find valuable, intuitive, and enjoyable to use.
Profit
The commercial reality. This is the domain technology leaders avoid the most, and it's often the one that determines whether the CEO sees you as a strategic partner or a cost centre. Understanding the numbers changes everything.
Budget Planning
Creating realistic financial plans that allocate resources effectively and track spending against goals.
Business Cases
Building compelling financial arguments that secure funding and support for important initiatives.
Cash Flow
Managing money coming in and going out to ensure the business can meet its obligations and grow.
Contract Negotiation
Getting favourable deals while maintaining positive relationships with vendors and partners.
Cost Control
Identifying and eliminating unnecessary expenses while maintaining quality and productivity.
Investment Analysis
Evaluating potential investments and measuring returns to make smart financial decisions.
Revenue Models
Structuring how you charge customers to maximise both customer value and business profitability.
Strategic Planning
Developing comprehensive business strategies that align resources with market opportunities.
The development gap
Look across all four domains. Even the Product domain, the one closest to "technology", is filled with learning areas like Market Research, Competitive Analysis, Customer Feedback, and Launch Strategy. These aren't purely technical skills. They're business capabilities applied through a technology lens.
This is exactly what the LIT Framework describes. Most technology leaders over index on the Technologist pillar because that's what got them in the room. But earning a seat at the table demands fluency across all four domains and all three pillars. People, Process, Product, and Profit together.
The 32 learning areas make the gap visible. You don't need to be an expert in all of them. Know the basics of most. Be conversant in many. Go deep on the ones your archetype demands. That's the path to the right LIT pillar balance for your stage, and it's how you stop being an order taker and start being the leader the position actually requires.