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News, Insights, editorial and comments on hot topics relating to Strategic Partnerships
Dealing with Disruption
Insurance and Innovation
Introduction As disruptive technology sweeps through the insurance industry and start-ups transform the competitive landscape, I suggest how corporate companies can adapt to change with the help of strategic IT partnerships. Disruption Large organisations typically have an operational focus and change incrementally; however the issue today is that disruptive change is happening at a much faster pace than before, externally to the corporate company and specifically in the area of technology. Artificial intelligence, deep learning and block chain technologies are…
The Importance of Joining the Dots
Marketing and Technology
Introduction In this post I explain that in order for the CIO to help the CMO identify ways of increasing competitive advantage, someone has to “join the dots”. I do this by way of example. I also suggest that a Business Relationship Manager role is the one to “join the dots”. This means that the role has sufficient knowledge about the impact and applicability of technology opportunities. As a consequence the CIO has a rationale to influence sponsors and the…
Shadow IT Part 2
The Illusion of Control
Summary According to a survey of nearly 400 CIO’s by Logicalis in 2015, nearly 1 in 3 CIOs are bypassed ‘often’, ‘very often’ or ‘most of the time.’ (on technology decisions) . This is the second in a two-part post where in the first post I take an example, and give some detail considerations that could guide our immediate response to business partners. The second post looks at the impact on the role of IT in the context of the…
Shadow IT Part 1
How Do We Respond Tactically?
Summary According to a survey of nearly 400 CIO’s by Logicalis in 2015, nearly 1 in 3 CIOs are bypassed ‘often’, ‘very often’ or ‘most of the time.’ (on Technology decisions) . This is the first in a two part blog where in the first post I take an example, and give some detail considerations that could guide our immediate response to business partners. The second post looks at the impact on the role of IT in the context of…
Strategic Partnership Considerations
Delivering Value to the Business
Introduction A common scenario when engaging with business stakeholders is that demand tends to be driven purely from their perspective, which is neither unreasonable nor entirely unexpected. Typically, these demands entail fixes to systems that alleviate a productivity issue in one small part of the business, without taking a broader, more benefit-driven perspective into account across the whole process. In addition, in order to sustain long term support to the business, there are frequently IT initiatives that may not demonstrate…
Marketing and IT:
Conflict or collaboration?
Introduction and Summary This post is written for both the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of an organisation. It looks at how conflict can occur and offers some insight into how it can be overcome. The main outcome is the realisation that no-one department or sub-function "owns" or "controls" technology. Instead it's a shared capability that both Marketing and IT both contribute to in order to make it value adding. So, how is this done? I…
TO BRM or not to BRM?
Part 3: Skills of the BRM required and existing skills within the current organisation
There are three fundamental areas to consider in deciding whether your company is ready for a Business Relationship Manager (BRM) role: 1) Your motivation as an IT leader 2) Business partner and IT Organisation Maturity 3) Skills of the BRM required and existing skills within the current organisation 3) Skills of the BRM required and existing skills within the current organisation The journey you, your IT team and the company you work for is unique. There may have been a…
TO BRM or not to BRM?
Part 2: Business Partner and IT Organisation Maturity
There are three fundamental areas to consider in deciding whether your company is ready for a Business Relationship Manager (BRM): 1) Your motivation as an IT leader 2) Business partner and IT Organisation Maturity 3) Skills of the BRM required and existing skills within the current organisation 2) Business Partner and IT Organisation Maturity So whatever reflections you have about the current organisation that helped drive your motivation as an IT leader in part 1, they can be mapped onto…
TO BRM or not to BRM?
Part 1: Your Motivation as an IT Leader
There are three fundamental areas to consider in deciding whether your company is ready for a Business Relationship Manager (BRM): 1) Your motivation as an IT leader 2) Business partner and IT Organisation Maturity 3) Skills of the BRM required and existing skills within the current organisation 1) Your motivation as an IT leader. The point at which you realise there is a requirement, and the fact that you need to do something differently is crucial in terms of starting…
