Akash Dolas discusses methods for calculating return on investment (ROI) for new initiatives and applications. He provides examples of developing a web conference room application and online business card and vacation request forms. For each example, he identifies the costs of development and sources of savings from reduced processing times. He then calculates ROI using different methods such as percentage return on investment and weeks until return equals initial investment. The examples demonstrate how quantifying time and cost savings can provide a tangible ROI for process improvement initiatives.