Regardless of your role in an IT organization (we presume it has something to do with data integration, EDI, B2B integration, MFT, file/data exchange, etc.), it is important to have a plan for supporting growth and innovation for your firm. As the adage goes, you can have a plan or be part of someone else's. Being proactive in terms of your plans and desires for your integration group means different things depending your firm's perspective of Information Technology.
According to the latest CIO Magazine State of the CIO Survey, business leaders across the organization view IT's role in an organization as either 1.) a business peer or game changer with the CIO likely being on the executive team, or 2.) a service provider or cost center with the CIO likely reporting to a C-level executive and not a peer on the executive team. As you read this you will likely know the general perception of IT within your organization.
Whatever camp your organization falls in, you can be sure there are expectations in supporting the integration activities of the business. The first camp is charged with business innovation, IT-business area collaboration, and strategic support of the business. The second camp is charged with heritage, yet important, items like improving IT operations, deploying new systems, and controlling costs.
Depending on which of these best describes your firm, our experience reveals that budgeting, planning, funding for business and data integration works differently between the two. Not surprisingly, the first group is more about driving/supporting revenue growth and acceleration, better business partner support and visibility, and ROI calculations on integration investments with some soft cost/savings components. The second is more concerned with head count reduction, integration platform consolidation, and ROI calculations on integration investments strictly involving hard cost/savings components.
These are our perceptions based on the CIO survey and our experience. What are your thoughts?
To read the full survey......http://www.cio.com/slideshow/detail/133377/2014-State-of-the-CIO#slide1
