Much has been written lately about the digital transformation organizations are going through. Information technology is changing at an incredible pace, and to an enormous degree. IT departments struggle with keeping pace with it all, and many CIOs say they feel overwhelmed by the tasks at hand.
In the midst of it all is a change in the very structure of the IT department at many organizations, says Mark Myers, director of cloud services at Datalink, a leading VAR. Based on changes going on at the firm's clients, Myers says six new types of personnel are going to take on bigger roles within the IT department to assist with the continuous shift in strategies and priorities.
Myers spoke with FierceCIO about what these job roles are, who will perform the duties and where they will come from.
Business liaison
IT liaisons are nothing new of course. But Myers says the role is evolving to be a true business role, rather than an IT translator to the business units. Traditionally that role has been an IT focused one, as opposed to a true business liaison, Myers says. The role now needs someone who really understands the business needs ... who can explain to the business units what to ask for, and to IT how to do it. This is an important role in understanding the business needs and in driving IT. The person in this role will have a great deal of influence and authority.
Dedicated programmer
Programming has generally been done for the benefit of end users, but Myers says there is a growing need for IT to have dedicated programmers that program for the benefit of IT itself. These individuals are the key to helping IT manage all the new technologies implemented within the enterprise and utilizing more cloud computing. IT professionals who succeed in this role will have a strong grasp of what IT is trying to do from a strategic perspective, and can translate those needs to the server and interface level.
Cloud architect
A majority of organizations have now invested in cloud computing, or intend doing so to some degree. But successful cloud implementation is much more than opting for an outsourcer, Myers says. It requires individuals who can design applications for a cloud-based environment; can make strategic decisions between private, public and hybrid clouds; can address issues related to security and privacy; understands the business and its needs; and has vision to be able to look at least three years down the road, Myers notes.
Product manager
This individual would work closely with the business liaison, Myers says, and would create products or services within the IT group itself. Myers says that, like the business liaison, the product manager needs to understand the business units and their needs, and be able to tie all of things together into a service.
Generalist
This is actually a return to the former IT job role, but with new enhanced skills and responsibilities, Myers says. There are so many simultaneous IT investments going on in organizations today that there needs to be someone that crosses all of the various towers as Myers terms it--an individual that can track and coordinate the various systems and projects into a manageable focused effort. This individual needs a variety of technical, business and communication skills, Myers says, and is in an excellent position to advance within the organization.
Application liaison
Coming from an applications background, this individual plays an important role in helping the IT department create and maintain apps that truly help the business be successful. As noted in recent industry research, organizations are drowning in applications. Many of them are redundant, and many of them are of little real value. This individual would help IT better identify and develop applications that truly help the business grow and be successful.
While many of these jobs are not new, Myers says, they are new roles internally within IT. The good news is that Myers says a growing number of CIOs are recognizing the need to change and evolve roles within their organization to deal with the new complexity of IT. The process will take time, but he feels they are up to the challenge.
Generalist
This is actually a return to the former IT job role, but with new enhanced skills and responsibilities, Myers says. There are so many simultaneous IT investments going on in organizations today that there needs to be someone that crosses all of the various towers as Myers terms it--an individual that can track and coordinate the various systems and projects into a manageable focused effort. This individual needs a variety of technical, business and communication skills, Myers says, and is in an excellent position to advance within the organization.
Application liaison
Coming from an applications background, this individual plays an important role in helping the IT department create and maintain apps that truly help the business be successful. As noted in recent industry research, organizations are drowning in applications. Many of them are redundant, and many of them are of little real value. This individual would help IT better identify and develop applications that truly help the business grow and be successful.
While many of these jobs are not new, Myers says, they are new roles internally within IT. The good news is that Myers says a growing number of CIOs are recognizing the need to change and evolve roles within their organization to deal with the new complexity of IT. The process will take time, but he feels they are up to the challenge.
Companies are drowning in apps, Capgemini study finds:
One of the greatest obstacles to organizations making digital transformation efforts to drive growth through new technologies is the sheer number of apps they host. That is the conclusion of a new study by Capgemini, the 2014 Applications Landscape Report.
In an email to FierceCIO, Capgemini says the sprawling web of applications within international organizations is getting more complex.
Why does this matter? Because maintaining and supporting redundant/underutilized IT applications is a significant drain on a company's resources, Capgemini says. At a time when the C-suite is constantly focused on achieving greater cost efficiency and IT is seen as a driver for business growth, CIOs cannot afford to be sidetracked by the maintenance of enterprise apps that should have been retired years ago.
According to findings from the study:
•Companies have too many applications--Nearly half (48 percent) of the IT leaders surveyed said their company has more apps installed then it really needs. This number is up from 34 percent in 2011.
•High volumes of redundant applications--70 percent of survey respondents said that up to one-fifth of their current applications share similar functionality and should be consolidated. Over half (53 percent) said they believe that up to one-fifth of their applications should be removed or replaced.
•A waste of precious business technology resources--Only 37 percent of IT decision makers believe that the majority of the applications on their systems are critical to their business.
Capgemini noted that IT managers should take action now regarding their surplus of apps, since so many IT leaders have already implemented cloud computing (cited as being utilized by 56 percent of respondents), mobility (cited by 54 percent), social technologies (cited by 41 percent) and big data solutions (cited by 34 percent).
And 60 percent believe their department's most valuable contribution to the company is introducing new technologies, Capgemini says. But at a time when organizations are investing in new technology initiatives to drive digital transformation, too many 'skeletons' in the apps closet to manage means IT lacks bandwidth to deliver true value and competitive advantage through these new technologies.
In the midst of it all is a change in the very structure of the IT department at many organizations, says Mark Myers, director of cloud services at Datalink, a leading VAR. Based on changes going on at the firm's clients, Myers says six new types of personnel are going to take on bigger roles within the IT department to assist with the continuous shift in strategies and priorities.
Myers spoke with FierceCIO about what these job roles are, who will perform the duties and where they will come from.
Business liaison
IT liaisons are nothing new of course. But Myers says the role is evolving to be a true business role, rather than an IT translator to the business units. Traditionally that role has been an IT focused one, as opposed to a true business liaison, Myers says. The role now needs someone who really understands the business needs ... who can explain to the business units what to ask for, and to IT how to do it. This is an important role in understanding the business needs and in driving IT. The person in this role will have a great deal of influence and authority.
Dedicated programmer
Programming has generally been done for the benefit of end users, but Myers says there is a growing need for IT to have dedicated programmers that program for the benefit of IT itself. These individuals are the key to helping IT manage all the new technologies implemented within the enterprise and utilizing more cloud computing. IT professionals who succeed in this role will have a strong grasp of what IT is trying to do from a strategic perspective, and can translate those needs to the server and interface level.
Cloud architect
A majority of organizations have now invested in cloud computing, or intend doing so to some degree. But successful cloud implementation is much more than opting for an outsourcer, Myers says. It requires individuals who can design applications for a cloud-based environment; can make strategic decisions between private, public and hybrid clouds; can address issues related to security and privacy; understands the business and its needs; and has vision to be able to look at least three years down the road, Myers notes.
Product manager
This individual would work closely with the business liaison, Myers says, and would create products or services within the IT group itself. Myers says that, like the business liaison, the product manager needs to understand the business units and their needs, and be able to tie all of things together into a service.
Generalist
This is actually a return to the former IT job role, but with new enhanced skills and responsibilities, Myers says. There are so many simultaneous IT investments going on in organizations today that there needs to be someone that crosses all of the various towers as Myers terms it--an individual that can track and coordinate the various systems and projects into a manageable focused effort. This individual needs a variety of technical, business and communication skills, Myers says, and is in an excellent position to advance within the organization.
Application liaison
Coming from an applications background, this individual plays an important role in helping the IT department create and maintain apps that truly help the business be successful. As noted in recent industry research, organizations are drowning in applications. Many of them are redundant, and many of them are of little real value. This individual would help IT better identify and develop applications that truly help the business grow and be successful.
While many of these jobs are not new, Myers says, they are new roles internally within IT. The good news is that Myers says a growing number of CIOs are recognizing the need to change and evolve roles within their organization to deal with the new complexity of IT. The process will take time, but he feels they are up to the challenge.
Generalist
This is actually a return to the former IT job role, but with new enhanced skills and responsibilities, Myers says. There are so many simultaneous IT investments going on in organizations today that there needs to be someone that crosses all of the various towers as Myers terms it--an individual that can track and coordinate the various systems and projects into a manageable focused effort. This individual needs a variety of technical, business and communication skills, Myers says, and is in an excellent position to advance within the organization.
Application liaison
Coming from an applications background, this individual plays an important role in helping the IT department create and maintain apps that truly help the business be successful. As noted in recent industry research, organizations are drowning in applications. Many of them are redundant, and many of them are of little real value. This individual would help IT better identify and develop applications that truly help the business grow and be successful.
While many of these jobs are not new, Myers says, they are new roles internally within IT. The good news is that Myers says a growing number of CIOs are recognizing the need to change and evolve roles within their organization to deal with the new complexity of IT. The process will take time, but he feels they are up to the challenge.
Companies are drowning in apps, Capgemini study finds:
One of the greatest obstacles to organizations making digital transformation efforts to drive growth through new technologies is the sheer number of apps they host. That is the conclusion of a new study by Capgemini, the 2014 Applications Landscape Report.
In an email to FierceCIO, Capgemini says the sprawling web of applications within international organizations is getting more complex.
Why does this matter? Because maintaining and supporting redundant/underutilized IT applications is a significant drain on a company's resources, Capgemini says. At a time when the C-suite is constantly focused on achieving greater cost efficiency and IT is seen as a driver for business growth, CIOs cannot afford to be sidetracked by the maintenance of enterprise apps that should have been retired years ago.
According to findings from the study:
•Companies have too many applications--Nearly half (48 percent) of the IT leaders surveyed said their company has more apps installed then it really needs. This number is up from 34 percent in 2011.
•High volumes of redundant applications--70 percent of survey respondents said that up to one-fifth of their current applications share similar functionality and should be consolidated. Over half (53 percent) said they believe that up to one-fifth of their applications should be removed or replaced.
•A waste of precious business technology resources--Only 37 percent of IT decision makers believe that the majority of the applications on their systems are critical to their business.
Capgemini noted that IT managers should take action now regarding their surplus of apps, since so many IT leaders have already implemented cloud computing (cited as being utilized by 56 percent of respondents), mobility (cited by 54 percent), social technologies (cited by 41 percent) and big data solutions (cited by 34 percent).
And 60 percent believe their department's most valuable contribution to the company is introducing new technologies, Capgemini says. But at a time when organizations are investing in new technology initiatives to drive digital transformation, too many 'skeletons' in the apps closet to manage means IT lacks bandwidth to deliver true value and competitive advantage through these new technologies.
