Here’s a typical organizational challenge…
The IT organization is tasked with addressing an ever-expanding and increasingly complex set of strategic matters.
While, at the same time…
The IT organization simply does not have the required skill set, expertise or capacity to bring leadership to strategic matters – its focus is largely on the day-today necessities of running the business.
Overlay this challenge with the reality that high-performing IT is a strategic imperative in today’s marketplace. So, what are these strategic imperatives or the market conditions pressing upon IT organizations?
| Do more with less | Deliver new or better capabilities to the business faster. |
| Enhance IT quality | Provide more reliable service, early identification and robust solutions. |
| Improve customer satisfaction | Increase the responsiveness and quality of service from IT. |
| Support business strategy | Ensure alignment of IT initiatives and provide an IT structure that maximizes business value. |
| Deliver change | Respond effectively to change drivers: opportunities, regulatory demands, cost reduction pressures, or reorganizations. |
Let’s face it – many IT organizations are focused on simply maintaining processes and procedures. Status quo, unfortunately, is the measure of success. But to remain competitive – because IT needs to offer a competitive advantage – experienced, contemporary CIO level leadership may be mission critical. Make no mistake – staffing at this level can be difficult and quite expensive.
Think “CIO-as-a-Service”
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is growing in acceptance and adoption as the model attractively offers:
- subscribing to what you need,
- having an always-current solution, and
- reducing your upfront investment.
Likewise, a fractional CIO (“CIO-as-a-Service”) provides organizations the opportunity to benefit from:
| Affordability | A fractional CIO is generally available on a per diem or project basis. This enables an organization to obtain skilled technical expertise while controlling costs. |
| Experience | Fractional CIOs offer considerable technology and business experience along with many years of operational responsibilities and board level exposure. |
| Knowledge | The fractional CIO brings the collective knowledge gained from all their prior engagements and multiple interactions with both vendors and partners in the information technology world. |
| Immediacy | The fractional CIO is available “today.” There’s not the long delay typically associated with outside hires nor are you waiting for junior level staff to become seasoned. |
The fractional CIO’s role spans the responsibilities typically held by chief information officers, chief technology officers and technology consultants and provides services such as those shown in the list below. Fractional CIOs can be invaluable to businesses by implementing the appropriate technology to secure the future of the organization and protect the current running status and security of the organization.
Technology roadmaps
- Security and disaster planning
- IT strategy and management guidance
- IT sourcing and procurement guidance
- Enterprise architecture planning
For more information on how BT Partners can help you, please contact:
Ian Ellis | IELLIS@BTPARTNERS.COM | 847.400.9341
