The CIO Journey

I have spoken in the past about the changing nature of IT. Businesses are increasingly becoming IT organizations. This is being driven by data becoming a strategic asset and driving top-line revenue. As IT moves from being a cost center to a profit center, it also moves from the sole realm of the infrastructure groups to the lines of business. Gartner published a somewhat controversial statistic that CMOs have larger technology budgets than CIOs.

It should come as no surprise to many the influence that marketing has on technology. It is not only a large consumer of tech, it changes the nature of the technology consumed within an organization. They are looking for more cutting edge technologies, they need to move faster, adopt faster and change faster. At the same time, these groups don’t always have the same level of expertise when approaching technology. Security can be a challenge. This is why products that focus more on self service and are managed tend to appeal to them. This is not just limited to Marketing, other lines of business feel the same pains.

This change has had a big impact on the role of the CIO. We need to remember that the CIO is a relatively modern invention. It slowly grew out of the Manager of MIS position. During the dotcom boom, they found themselves thrust into the limelight as companies evolved to keep up with the changing world. Then following a boom bust cycling and a major economic downturn, the role changed to a financial, cost cutting role.

Now, the tides have turned again, and the CIO is expected to play the role of the visionary. The same person who was previously being asked to drive all costs out of IT is now being asked to deliver new products and services to both internal and external clients, and many of them are ill prepared. Questions arise about the future of the CIO role as the shift to lines of business happens, straining organizational structures.

I run through the history of the CIO in the video above. Let me know your thoughts on the future of the CIO role and what you are seeing.