IT
departments are now more closely aligned to the rest of the
business than ever before, a survey of more than 100 heads of IT in
UK companies claims.
The research, from
CIO Connect, revealed that four out of five chief information
officers agree, or agree to some extent, that IT spending approval
is largely subject to the same processes as other business
projects, marking a shift from the days of the dotcom boom and
bust.
There is now more
collaboration on IT projects, the survey found, with three-quarters
of respondents agreeing that senior business colleagues are closely
involved in managing significant implementations.
“The gap between
IT and other parts of the business, which has been a feature of
business for so long, is now finally closing,” the report said. “In
more and more businesses, IT is ceasing to be something separate
that has to be treated differently, and is instead becoming an
integral part of business change.”
Robin Barrett,
senior vice president technology at American Express, said the
trend was not necessarily caused by the economic slowdown.
“I think we are
seeing a maturity of the decision of investment in IT,” he said.
“It is being regarded as another type of business investment, like
advertising and promotion, or product development. There is a
demystification of IT investment and an increasing knowledge of the
advantages and disadvantages.”
According to
Barrett, there is now a coalescing of the CIOs and the business
leaders.
“CIOs are now much
more knowledgeable about business - they are leaders in their own
right, making the case for investment, actively involved in
promoting IT investment.”
Chris White, IT
director of international law firm Ashurst, agreed that links are
getting closer.
“I would never
allow an IT project unless there is a business sponsor,” he said.
“The technology will fail unless with think about the business
around it. IT directors are business managers, not technical
managers. Every IT director should have an MBA, or the same
understanding that it brings.”
IT professionals
wanting to make it to CIO should look for experience outside the IT
department, preferably in running a profit-and-loss business unit,
before coming back into IT, Barrett said.
He said as IT and
business understood each other better, there is more joint
responsibility and ownership of projects could improve return on
investment.
CIO
views
"We are using the
downturn as an opportunity to invest in new channels and reduce the
cost base."
Angelo
Grasso, IT director, AAH Pharmaceuticals.
"My CEO has a very
good understanding of what IT can do for the business, but he is
not a bits and bytes man, nor should he be."
Margaret
Smith, director of business technology and delivery, Legal and
General.
"I have inherited
a relationship with a suppliers that hinders the delivery of
service. My challenge is to improve the relationship to mutual
benefit."
Peter
Ford, director of IT, Housing Corporation