In order for services IT companies accompanying digital transformations, CIOs will have to review their organization.
The changes that affect IT departments in companies coming from all fronts, including through the establishment of new service delivery models, different software, let alone the cloud. Therefore, one can easily understand how it can be complicated for CIOs to manage these transformations.
Rethinking how to work
The concept of “reframing” could serve as a starting point to address these changes. A true classic of the Management company whose fifth edition has just been published, the book Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice and Leadership [1] Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal, offers interesting ideas for CIOs.
First, Bolman and Deal suggest taking a step back and put into perspective everything we think we know and ask whether the use of a different model could help address the current challenges within corporate IT departments.
Currently, CIOs are faced with specific challenges that concern enterprise software and can not be met by traditional methods. It is precisely in a similar context that the technique of “reframing” could prove beneficial.
The Cloud, new infrastructure
Consider the Cloud. If cloud technologies are not strictly speaking ‘new’ cloud computing is so popular that companies will move more and more critical functions.
Given the low number of threats listed in the fields of security and finance, the cloud seems to be by far the best choice when considering the many risks of investing in equipment IT. Obviously, the success experienced by large public cloud providers like Microsoft Azure and Amazon AWS is not based solely on small businesses, individuals or beta testers: large companies are also fond of this technology.
An increasing number of companies offer accommodation options in the cloud as Hewlett-Packard and HP Helion service. Also note the arrival of Docker, the open-source project that automates the deployment of applications within software containers with the key to an optimized virtualization. Launched in 2013, Docker quickly attracted many companies. So, how to consider the changes implied by the Cloud without adopting new ways of working?
Use DevOps entrepreneurship to optimize
Like the Cloud, the concept of “operational development” (DevOps) has nothing really new. What is new, however, is the central role it plays in a growing number of IT services. For example, companies frequently announce new products enjoy much DevOps, as it allows them to bypass the traditionally heavy development process and that disadvantage competitive.
By integrating the processes involved in the development and deployment (if initial process definition), the DevOps model does not only give a boost; it also helps to better tailor results objectives while eliminating many quality problems.
For CIOs, the DevOps represents an entrepreneurial approach to development that enables them to intervene in a limited way and just let the operational development take its course. Generally, this method works well, but it can disrupt those who like to be reassured by graphic cascading, steps, meetings and more structured approaches.
DevOps was also closely linked to the phenomenon of phasing out comprehensive standard software (COTS – Commercial Off-The-Shelf) which, after allowing for significant savings when they dominated the industry, today provide insufficient competitive differentiation. And when everyone faces the same constraints inherent to software “one size”, it may make sense to adapt a custom solution to meet the specific needs and opportunities for your business. This is where the concept DevOps can make the difference. But this new approach requires putting aside approaches that have been proven and requires involvement of different stakeholders.
Reconsider Big Data into Big advantage
In the term “information technology”, the “information” component, or at least the data that constitute the information, is also undergoing a revolution. The volume of data collected, recorded and analyzed is more important than ever, and often these data have a high potential of economic influence. ISD is now on the spot, not only because it must be able to seize every opportunity involving data but also to quickly record the results wisely.
The analytical data processing was previously a relatively limited activity for most IT operations generally focus on a range of very specific parameters. In addition, much of the tactical analyzes were conducted semi-formally by entities or departments using tools such as Excel. Now, the preparation, integration and analysis of data is based increasingly on the shoulders of the CIO, which reflects both the increasing size and sophistication of analytical tools and their ability to provide a strategic advantage .
The Apache Hadoop framework for Big Data is one of the most obvious manifestations of this trend, but it’s not the only one. There are many new and emerging technologies – often accessible in open source – not to mention the large enterprise software companies that aim to automate and improve the extraction of the value in the data.
Rethinking and liberate innovation
These changes are only some of the major changes affecting IT services and this complicated ad.
CIOs must quickly find new solutions to continue to perform their current responsibilities. At the same time, they must imagine better ways to achieve this or even go further with new ways of approaching and understanding the challenges they face; and from this perspective, a new framework could allow them to leave on another foot.
[1] Published in French under the title Rethinking organizations – To lead is an art
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