The present study exemplifies how the purchase of a digital system can tigger unanticipated changes and further purchases (Dahlke et al., 2024): what has been termed in other contexts, the Diderot effect (McCracken, 1988; Patrick & Hagtvedt, 2011). The case study presented demonstrates how machines and tools purchased to better utilize the functions of a new production systems trigger further additional purchase decisions. As the new machines begin to be used, it is realized that the system could be expanded in order to extract additional benefits from it. In this case the purchase of machines with digital capability led to further ‘add-ons' to allow the collection of data from these machines. The digital system requires continuous updating of correct data to function according to the promised specifications – requiring new workforce practices around data hygiene. Following this, the company alighted on the idea of removing a management level. This in turn led to increases the staffing requirement responsible for entering correct data and continuously monitoring that the monitoring system "understands" and combines this data correctly. What we see, thus, is an ongoing emergent expansion of capability, practices and technologies triggered by an initial purchase. Not the planned roll-out of a specific technology with specific capabilities.