CIO's Digital Agenda I

Digital is all about flow - Data flow, information flow, and mind flow.

The “Future of CIO” Blog has reached 1.1+ million page views with about 2300+ blog posting in 59+ different categories of leadership, management, strategy, digitalization, change/talent, etc. The content richness is not for its own sake, but to convey the vision and share the wisdom. Here is the CIO’s Digital Agenda I with  a set of featured “Future of CIO” Blogs.

CIO’s Digital Agenda I

1.  Do you have Enterprise-Wide Data/Information Strategy? Data is lifeblood in modern businesses today, however, from industry survey; a very real gap exists with just over one-third of respondents having an enterprise-wide information management strategy in place currently. What’s holding these organizations back from building out an enterprise-wide information management strategy? What’s needed to close the gap? Also keep in mind, data/information strategy needs to be the key element of the IT strategy, which is also an integral component of the overall corporate strategy.

2. What are the Strategic Conversation between CIO and Other CXOs all About? IT is no longer running as an isolated function or back office utility, nowadays, IT has to add more business value and delight both internal and end customers. Hence, CIO needs to talk about business with other C-Level more often, but not about IT. This is the major issue in companies. IT is a way to innovate business and improve processes, but it's not a solution if CIO doesn't understand business areas. CIOs must be adding value to the business and it is essential in decisions businesses ever make. However, as CIOs, how should you interpret IT aspects as a business issues to the CXOs? How do you avoid the details of any IT decision and still convince the CXO it is the good strategy to make or best action to take?

3. What are CIOs’ Top Challenges: Due to the changing nature of technologies, CIOs seem to be always at the “hot seat” in the face of increasing business demand, talent shortage, budget limitation or numerous critics from businesses. Now, information is permeating into every corner of business, what technology is expected to do has changed significantly over recent years, although every company has its own circumstances, overall speaking, what are the common challenges facing today’s IT organizations, how can CIOs leverage resources to stay focus, and continually improve IT agility and maturity, to become an integral part of business?

4.  How to Manage Business Requirements for IT Initiatives? IT is business, every IT initiative needs to have a well-defined business requirement and well-supported business sponsors. What are the most effective vehicles for understanding business requirements? What are the effective ways to ensure that non-IT stakeholders are engaged and performing their appropriate roles? Talking to business partners is clearly essential, but are informal discussions sufficient? How does IT get the right executive sponsorship and commitment, who should they be, and perhaps more importantly, what are the roles that they must play?

5.How to Set Guiding Principles for an IT Organization? Principles are statements of values. Things that define why one make a decision one way or another. These core decision values guide the behavior of individuals within an organization. Thus, guiding principles need to be defined as core decision values, "why we make decisions the way we do."

Blogging is not about writing, but about thinking; it’s not just about WHAT to say, but about WHY to say, and HOW to say it. It reflects the color and shade of your thought patterns, and it indicates the peaks and curves of your thinking waves. Unlike pure entertainment, quality and professional content takes time for digesting, contemplation and engaging, and therefore, it takes the time to attract the "hungry minds" and the "deep souls." It’s the journey to amplify your voice, deepen your digital footprints, and match your way for human progression.

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