Evolving Role of the CIO Part 2

This is the second of two dispatches about the evolving role of the CIO.

Changing IT Roles

With the transition to the cloud, we now need highly skilled vendor managers, contract negotiators, and service managers. We also need more specialists in data integration, security, and privacy. Data enterprise architects are necessary to successfully determine how to best take advantage of cloud services. In the future, we will need fewer systems administrators and application developers.

Data Analytics

This is the Holy Grail. How can we build data analytics to best support executive decision-making towards achieving institutional priorities? Since the late 1990’s we have a number of tools to make this more real. But these tools have been expensive and require costly, expert staff resources. Big data portends greater insights, yet most organizations are not yet exploiting the opportunity due to the high barriers of entry. How do we break through?

Relationships Really Do Matter

The primary role for all CIOs is to build strong, trusting relationships. This will never change. You must create and nurture authentic business relationships with those you serve; your boss, executive leaders, direct reports, all your staff, customers, peers and influencers, and strategic vendor partners.

Best advice from a 40-year faculty veteran after becoming the CIO at UT Austin was: “Get out of the office and let them know that you give a damn!”

Thoughts?