Radical innovations in technology are increasing the
importance of IT in achieving core business objectives—and the
role of IT professionals is shifting accordingly. Chief Information
Of�cers are seeing their roles grow ever-more strategic.
The Strategic CIO
SOURCES
CMO Council. (2013 March). Big Data’s Biggest Role: Aligning the CMO & CIO.Economist Intelligence Unit (2013 June). The Strategic CIO: Survey ResultsEvans, B. (2012 September 28). The Top 10 Strategic CIO Issues For 2013. Forbes. Retrieved June 19, 2013, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/oracle/2012/09/28/the-top-10-strategic-cio-issues-for-2013/Gordon, H. (2008). The Chief Information Of�cer: A Review of the Role. Journal of Information, Information Technology, and Organizations, 5, 125+. Watson, B. (2009 October 9). ROI and the Strategic CIO. Retrieved June 19, 2013, from http://blogs.cioinsight.com/it-strategy/roi-and-the-strategic-cio.html
Customer-centric manager - Focus is on customer needs, desires and concerns and how IT can address them
Operates �rst as a business executive, second as technology expert; speaks the language of the business
Increased responsibility to promote game-changing innovations
The principal strategist in key emerging areas like big data analysis, customer-facing mobile applications, enterprise social networks, and online learning
Targets technology budget towards innovation, funding essential new efforts in analytics, cloud, mobile and social
VS.Operational CIO Strategic CIO
Tech-centric manager - Focus is on managing complex IT projects
Struggles to present complex topics through a non-technical lens and present a compelling business case for new technologies
Limited ability to promote game-changing innovations
A principal strategist in traditional areas of technology responsibility (business process infrastructure, security, and cloud computing)
Trapped in 80/20 budget habit – 80% of the budget goes to maintaining existing IT infrastructure and 20% to innovation
Challenges
Strategies
Explain how new technologies can solve customer problems
60%
In an Economist Intelligence Unit survey, sponsored by EMC, respondents cited key challenges faced by CIOs attempting to become more strategic, and the strategies they must adopt to succeed.
53% Better understanding of the business to align tech advice
with business goals
51%Ability to deal with constant change
40%Communication skills to
promote new ideas effectively
39%Educate other senior executives about the bene�ts of emerging
technologies for innovation
26%Setting realistic business
expectations and defending decisions in the face of technology
“hype”
23%Dif�culty creating
convincing business case for purchasing and
integrating new and emerging technology
Work with the CEO: CEOs are most likely to support new initiatives to align technology with business goals; they have a better understanding of how technology can in�uence the enterprise as a whole
Hone the top 3 skills needed to be an effectively strategic CIO:
37%An inability to predict costs and returns on
technology investments
36%Rapidly changing business models 38%
Inadequate technical skill sets among employees both on the IT and business sides
of the organization
Alignment of expectations among C-level managers (CEO, COO, CFO, CMO, CIO, etc.)
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