The Top IS Job Tim LaPrade

Where is the IS Department Headed?  Reducing Costs  Leveraging Investments  Enhancing Products and Services  Enhancing Executive Decision Making  Reaching the Consumer

Where is the IS Department Headed?  Traditional Functions are Being Nibbled Away Managing operations of data centers, remotes systems, and networks Managing corporate data Performing system analysis and design, and constructing new systems Planning systems Identifying opportunities for new systems

Outsourcing  Companies turn IT functions over to other companies who have expertise in that department  Companies spend an average of $5.4 to $22.9 million to start up company webpages

Toward IS Lite  IS Manages three overall processes  Driving Innovation  Managing Change  Supporting Infrastructure

Death of IS?  IS is slowly diminishing in most companies  IT is becoming more prominent in these companies  Leads to the question: Will IS ever totally disappear?

CIO’s Responsibilities  Understand the business Encourage project teams to study the marketplace Concentrate on lines of business Sponsor weekly briefings Attend industry meetings with line executives Read industry publications Hold informal listening sessions Become a “partner” with a line executive

Establish Systems Department Credibility  IS department have two missions: Maintain today’s systems Work on tomorrow’s problems You can’t move on to the future until you perfect the present

Develop a Competent IS Staff and IT-Savvy Users  IS champions need: Information – Facts and expertise to persuade others that the new project will work Resources – Time, hardware, and software Support – People who approve of what they’re doing

Create a Vision of the Future and Sell it  Have a top level executive make a ‘vision’ of what they want the company to do and show the benefits to the employees  Employees will work harder and more efficiently if they know what goal they’re working towards instead of just working day after day

Implement on Information System Architecture  The Chief Technical Officer is in charge of the technology and its architecture  Companies must have some sort of structure towards their techonology

Nurture Relationships  With senior management  With customers  With suppliers and external partners

In Conclusion  Responsibilities of the CIO consist of Understand the business Establish credibility of the IS department Develop a competent IS staff and IT-savvy users Create a vision and sell it Implement an information system architecture Foster relationships