IT as a strategic partner

From long-term programs to continuous delivery

IT as a strategic partner

Today’s businesses operate in a world of constant change, demanding agility, responsiveness, and rapid value delivery; ‘digital transformation’, which was once seen as a specific technology-driven initiative, has shifted to a business-as-usual focus on smaller, iterative projects with a focus on continuous improvement that deliver value quickly.

The CIO's role has expanded to encompass facilitating this rapid iteration, fostering collaboration across departments through the creation of cross-functional teams, and leveraging data-driven insights to ensure responsiveness and relevance.

Q: So has this focus on shorter-term initiatives and goals changed the rhythm of technology leadership? What relationships and support structures need to be in place to create agility whilst maintaining strategic focus?

A: The CIO as a business leader needs to contribute to long-term strategic outcomes, however they also need the support of trusted partners in an ecosystem that helps them facilitate constant and iterative change and working with them to predict and prepare for future technology trends and needs.

IT as a strategic partner

I'm a strong believer that all our companies need a mid-term strategic plan. We need to couple our IT strategy to that strategic plan. So, in the mid to long term, depending on the market, you need to foresee what's going to happen - at least the big changes that you need in technology to help our colleagues in the company.

José Antonio López

The most important thing for me is to build a true partnership. I need to see a demonstrable effort on behalf of my vendor partners to understand my business…but I also want more than just what's on paper. The deal to me is a collection of expectations, a collection of shared experience and knowledge, a willingness to be vulnerable with each other.

Aaron Stafford

How do I separate a strategic partner from just the vendor? In my mind a vendor is someone who just delivers a service or product to a spec, whereas a strategic partner co-creates with you. They can challenge me on my thinking, they bring insights from other industries, and they're proactive.

Sharon Prior

IT as a strategic partner

85% of IT leaders said that enabling the business to respond more quickly to change is a top impact of IT, and 45% cited agile portfolio management as delivering the most impactful business outcomes.

Source: IDC CIO Sentiment Survey 2022: The Future CIO Is Not the Same as Today’s CIO

Companies embracing enterprise-wide agility see 20–30% higher financial performance and 30–50% higher operational performance.

Source: McKinsey – The five core IT shifts of scaled agile organizations.

What is the biggest challenge your organization faces in transitioning to continuous delivery and agile methodologies?

Resistance to change from stakeholders accustomed to traditional long-term planning.
Difficulty in building cross-functional teams with the necessary skills and collaboration.
Lack of tools and technologies to support rapid iteration and continuous integration.
Ensuring consistent delivery of value while maintaining system stability and security.
Defocusing from long-term strategic goals in favor of short-term agility.