Executive Summary
"Leading CIOs in Global 2000 enterprises and government agencies have shifted senior management's perception of IT from a cost centre focused on increasing organisational efficiency to a value provider focused on winning competitive advantage for the organisation." – Meta Group survey finding - 2003
The traditional role of the IT director and chief information officer will begin to disappear in two years. The role will be fragmented into different areas for decision making, research and development, and running systems. IT directors will have to position themselves to adapt to these changes. Companies are now looking for business leaders with a deep knowledge of technology rather than technology experts.
IT directors will need to gain new skills in other areas of the business and be able to facilitate the exchange of information between IT and the business. They will be required to demonstrate how IT adds value and manages it's risks. IT directors will need to provide leadership in the development of partnerships with business and optimisation of business processes through the use of cost effective technology solutions.
What should executive management do?
- Comply with corporate governance recommendations
- Be driven by stakeholder expectation/perception of value
- Adopt a suitable IT governance framework
- Ask the right questions
- Focus on IT's
- Alignment with the business, and provision of collaborative solutions
- Delivery of value - focus on IT expenses and proof of delivering value
- Management of risk - safeguard assets and ensure business continuity
- Measure performance in building capability and achieving goals.
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