Leadership and strategic planning
Effective leadership and strategic planning skills are the keys to success for any CIO. As more CIOs are expected to speak the language of the business and contribute to the success of the organization, leadership and strategic planning skills are essential. Find information and advice on effective leadership and strategic planning for CIOs, including news, tips and other resources, in this topic section.
Top Stories
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Tip
28 Dec 2022
12 must-read digital transformation books in 2023
Looking for information on digital transformation? Our list of 12 must-reads covers everything from formulating a digital strategy to using the network effect to launch products. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Dec 2022
How companies can overcome the IT worker shortage
Research shows organizations are still struggling to bring in IT talent. We identify the reasons why there's a shortage and what CIOs and other IT leaders can do to combat it. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Jun 2022
How to create a proof of concept with 6 free templates
What is a proof of concept and how does it help an organization? Here we dive into the importance of writing a POC and provide a list of free templates to help get you started. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 May 2022
8 free IT strategic planning templates and examples for CIOs
As technology becomes a business differentiator, a well-thought-out IT strategy plan is more crucial than ever. These IT strategy templates help CIOs make IT a business driver. Continue Reading
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Report
29 Mar 2022
Prepare for a CIO Interview With These 20 Questions
What are the intelligent questions to ask a CIO during an interview to ensure they're the right fit for the role? According to many IT leaders and recruiters, these are the top 20. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Dec 2021
How to build a better CIO-CMO relationship
Marketing and information technology are both critical to an organization's success. Here's important advice on how each department's top leaders can forge a strong partnership. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Dec 2021
Is a passwordless future getting closer to reality?
Industry analysts offer predictions on the future of passwordless authentication and whether we'll ever truly get rid of one of security's weakest links. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Nov 2021
6 steps to create a CIO-CEO strategic partnership
The pandemic pushed CIOs to the head of the C-suite table. Here's how they can keep that respect and power and create true partnership with their CEO. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Nov 2021
How CIOs can improve employees' digital fluency quotient
Most companies need technology to thrive, so it's important the workforce has a high digital fluency quotient. Learn how CIOs can help build tech savvy throughout the company. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Nov 2021
Why the CIO-CFO relationship is key to digital success
CIOs and CFOs haven't always gotten along. But with digital transformations now dominating budgets, business success depends on their ability to work together. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Nov 2021
How can IT teams better manage shadow IT?
As the advent of cloud technology has made it easier to launch shadow IT, CIOs must be increasingly diligent to identify and manage these activities. Here are 14 tips to do just that. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Nov 2021
Overlooked relationships CIOs should build within the C-suite
To lead transformation and meet business goals, CIOs must work with other C-level executives. With an ever-expanding C-suite, the possibilities for collaboration are endless. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
22 Oct 2021
4 ways CIOs can adapt metrics for the new workplace
The limitations of traditional leadership and enterprise metrics are coming to the fore. To adapt, CIOs will need to focus on flexibility, resiliency and employee wellness. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Oct 2021
11 ways to create a hybrid workforce strategy that works
An effective hybrid workplace strategy requires a complex mix of ingredients, including clear communication and the right technology. Here's advice on getting it all right. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Oct 2021
Big opportunities for strategic CIO leadership today
CIOs and technology leaders have unprecedented opportunities to lead their enterprises in meeting today's new demands. Here are some of those opportunities -- and some challenges. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Oct 2021
5 ways to improve the CIO-CISO relationship
CIOs and CISOs need to work together for the benefit of the whole organization. To break the mold of hostility, C-suite leaders need to prioritize collaboration and mutual respect. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
13 Oct 2021
How to harness the disruption of hyperautomation
Hyperautomation technologies will disrupt business and IT operations, but smart organizations can use them as fuel for successful transformation. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Oct 2021
ISO 31000 vs. COSO: Comparing risk management standards
ISO 31000 and the COSO ERM framework are the two most popular risk management standards. Here's what they include and some of their similarities and differences. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
04 Oct 2021
3 hybrid work strategy tips CIOs and IT need now
Moving to a hybrid work model presents a number of challenges for companies. Here's how IT leaders can help overcome obstacles and support success. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
01 Oct 2021
Trials of pandemic-driven enterprise tech modernization
Organizations are redefining their digitalization strategies in the wake of the pandemic. For CIOs, this means confronting the challenges that come with modernization. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
29 Sep 2021
CIOs lead digital transformation as pilots, co-pilots, engineers
According to Genpact's partnered study with the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium, CIOs assume one of three roles: pilots, co-pilots or engineers. Here's how each role leads digital change. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Sep 2021
Top 10 promising 5G use cases CIOs should know
The technological advantages 5G presents are well known. The hard part for business leaders is choosing where 5G implementation can be the difference maker for their organization. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
15 Sep 2021
3 enterprise uses for virtual reality
As enterprise adoption of virtual reality increases, CIOs are choosing the best ways to use the technology to gain a competitive edge. Here are three use cases to consider. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
08 Sep 2021
3 keys to transforming your business with hyperautomation
The advancement of hyperautomation allows businesses to dramatically change how they operate and their ultimate success, if they take the right approach. Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Aug 2021
Evaluating the benefits of 5G for businesses
With its high speeds, low latency and other advantages, 5G is delivering value in the enterprise. Now, business leaders view the new wireless technology as key to future success. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
17 Aug 2021
How IT can enable long-term hybrid remote work
Hybrid work is here to stay. To keep employees happy and productive, CIOs should partner with stakeholders companywide to design a hybrid remote program suitable for the long term. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Jul 2021
Inside look at Equifax's $1.5B digital transformation journey
A massive digital transformation effort at Equifax is gaining momentum. CTO Bryson Koehler talks about overhauling data environments, infrastructure, applications and more. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
12 Jul 2021
Can tech self-correct the skills gap by upskilling employees?
You'll need a rock-solid L&D plan, the support of stakeholders and employee buy-in to close the skills gap in your organization. Here's what leaders need to know. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
02 Jul 2021
The mirrored world: What are the benefits of digital twins?
Building digital twins is the first step on the path to the mirrored world for businesses. Leaders are bringing together data and intelligence, creating an agile, connected future. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Jun 2021
A CIO's guide to legacy system modernization
For CIOs, understanding what legacy system modernization entails, when it's necessary and which approaches are right for their needs leads to optimal performance in the enterprise. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Jun 2021
9 digital experience monitoring vendors to watch
Demand for monitoring and managing digital experiences is growing. Knowing the vendors and products available to businesses will help leaders make the right choice. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
11 Jun 2021
Top 5 benefits of a new cybersecurity market model
Companies are struggling to identify the cybersecurity technology that would actually be useful for their use cases. It's time for a new market model around efficacy instead. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Jun 2021
Navigating 7 digital experience monitoring challenges
Evaluating both customer and employee digital experience is increasingly valuable in the enterprise. Leaders will need to plan for the challenges that come with this new technology. Continue Reading
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News
28 May 2021
For big tech regulation, a hammer may not be the answer
Experts believe breaking up big tech companies does more harm than good. Other, light-handed approaches, including third-party audits of algorithms, might be better. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
28 May 2021
Technology is the easy part, it's the process of change that's hard
CIOs may have a handle on harnessing technology, but to truly be digital IT leaders, they need to focus on the multifaceted process of business transformation. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
26 May 2021
Uneven tech forecasts and the downstream impact on talent
Business leaders need to consider how today's 'uneven' economy is impacting talent in the tech space and why they should continue investing in human capital. Here's why. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
24 May 2021
Embrace speed and security for your cloud security strategy
As companies solidify their cloud security strategies, they need to ensure that they're considering where they're at now, governance needed and metrics to follow. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 May 2021
What CIOs need to know about digital experience monitoring
As evaluating user and employee digital experience becomes more common, CIOs need to learn how the technologies work and what they stand to gain by implementing DEM. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 May 2021
5 tips on how to build agile teams in the new workplace
As business leaders begin looking into ways to become more agile in the workplace, we're diving into how they can effectively create agile teams for any given project. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 May 2021
4 agile team best practices to follow in the enterprise
Agile teams can help businesses respond to change more quickly, which is crucial in today's digital age. According to experts, these are the best practices to follow. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
14 May 2021
Rethink IT performance management with a simplified, objective approach
Performance management can be daunting for IT organizations but it doesn't have to be. Here's how business execs can take on a more simplified, objective and effective approach. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Apr 2021
What are the benefits of cognitive automation?
As CIOs embrace more automation tools like RPA, they should also consider utilizing cognitive automation for higher-level tasks to further improve business processes. Here's why. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Apr 2021
4 benefits of cross-functional agile teams
As organizations are adopting more agile practices, we're diving into how they can benefit from creating cross-functional agile teams across multiple departments. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Apr 2021
National Grid CIO champions data-driven business strategy
Andi Karaboutis, group chief information and digital officer at National Grid, discusses the ways in which she's utilizing data and emerging tech like AI to fuel business growth. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Apr 2021
CIO role post-pandemic is 'opportunity of a lifetime'
What is the CIO's role in 2021? Genpact's Sanjay Srivastava, a speaker at this year's MIT Sloan CIO Symposium, says CIOs are becoming 'co-creators' of new business models. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Apr 2021
Replacing vs. maintaining legacy systems
As CIOs embrace more digital technologies, it's important that they determine the current status of their legacy systems and whether it's worth upgrading or maintaining them. Continue Reading
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Quiz
14 Apr 2021
Sample CCISO exam questions on security project management
This excerpt of 'CCISO Certified Chief Information Security Officer All-In-One Exam Guide' explains security project management fundamentals and provides practice CCISO exam questions. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Apr 2021
CCISO exam guide authors discuss the changing CISO role
Learn more about EC-Council's Certified CISO exam and how the certification helps CISOs at any organization manage successful infosec programs and a changing threat landscape. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Apr 2021
Enterprise architecture has business's ear at Scottish Water
Scottish Water's enterprise architecture team leader discusses how engaging with business leaders and software tools can help with digital transformation initiatives. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Apr 2021
Evolving role of the CIO key to the future of work
Allan Tate, executive chair of the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium, explains how the pandemic pushed CIOs to the forefront as enterprises scrambled to adapt to a new normal. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Mar 2021
How to measure the success of agile transformation
In his new book 'Sooner, Safer, Happier,' Jonathan Smart dives into the ways in which organizations can achieve better outcomes through business agility. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Mar 2021
5 ways to gain the financial benefits of cloud computing
For organizations migrating to the cloud, we've compiled a list of the top strategies to use to ensure they're saving on costs along the way. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Mar 2021
7 online digital transformation courses and certifications
We've compiled a list of the best paid online digital transformation courses and certification programs for business leaders seeking to gain a competitive edge in the digital age. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Mar 2021
6 tips for digital transformation budget planning
Digital transformation budgets require different processes than traditional business or IT budgets. Here's what to bear in mind when budgeting for DX. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Mar 2021
How to measure and improve digital transformation ROI
Demonstrating a compelling ROI on digital transformation initiatives is vital to securing business support and ongoing funding for additional projects. These 9 tips will help. Continue Reading
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Feature
02 Mar 2021
The future of trust will be built on data transparency
In a digital economy fueled by AI, data transparency is the new currency. Learn what IT leaders must do to bring trust and transparency to the enterprise, now and into the future. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Feb 2021
4 tips on how to reduce IT infrastructure costs
As organizations reevaluate their budgets to keep up with today's economy, experts provide tips on how they can effectively reduce IT costs. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Feb 2021
5 technology strategy tips for higher education CIOs
Higher education technology strategy isn't a one-size-fits-all, especially now. Here we offer five approaches for CIOs to strengthen operational success across institutions. Continue Reading
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News
05 Feb 2021
Open Group turns focus to TOGAF, Agile architecture guidance
The Open Group's Steve Nunn discusses upcoming work to improve its Open Agile Architecture standard and TOGAF guides as well as COVID-19's impact on enterprise architecture. Continue Reading
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News
04 Feb 2021
The Open Group updates IT4IT, adds digital architect option
The Open Group zoned in on digital transformation initiatives with its new architecture certification option and IT4IT's 3.0 reference architecture update. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Jan 2021
3 steps to recalibrate a strategic IT roadmap
Business leaders must reevaluate their IT roadmap to ensure it aligns with today's growing landscape. Deloitte's IBM Alliance Lead Terri Cobb shares three steps to help get started. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Jan 2021
Experts predict hot enterprise architecture trends for 2021
IT architecture trends to watch in 2021 include organizing business around components and expanding tools to focus on business outcomes, automation and analytics. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Jan 2021
C-suite execs give future technology predictions for the decade
What will keep CIOs busy this decade? From machine learning to cybersecurity, IT leaders are providing insights on technologies they predict will be accelerated over the next 10 years. Continue Reading
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News
24 Dec 2020
Enterprise architecture tools could be acquisition targets
Avolution, Bizzdesign, Mega and Software AG tools lead the Gartner Magic Quadrant on enterprise architecture, but analysts see big players in neighboring markets joining the fray. Continue Reading
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Answer
21 Dec 2020
How can a pandemic business continuity plan cover employees?
A major element in maintaining business continuity during a pandemic is taking care of employee health. Pandemic-specific planning must be a part of the overall BCDR plan. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
16 Dec 2020
4 reasons to involve CISOs in mergers and acquisitions planning
As mergers and acquisitions go virtual due to COVID-19, the C-suite should include CISOs to help identify security risks, expedite cyber processes, review the new threat landscape and more. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Dec 2020
5 strategies to deliver customer service in information technology
Organizations undergo digital initiatives with the customer in mind, but to deliver outstanding CX, CIOs and their teams must provide the same service and UX to employees. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
24 Nov 2020
5 ways to keep developers happy so they deliver great CX
Companies need to work on ensuring their developers are satisfied with their jobs and how they're treated, otherwise it'll be customer satisfaction that inevitably suffers. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
24 Nov 2020
Link software development to measured business value creation
Companies must balance customer needs against potential risks during software development to ensure they aren't ignoring security but not falling behind competitors at the same time. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Nov 2020
How does bureaucracy affect business? It's complicated
In his new book, 'The (Delicate) Art of Bureaucracy,' Mark Schwartz, enterprise strategist at AWS and former government bureaucrat, reveals how IT leaders can use bureaucracy to their advantage. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
20 Nov 2020
Cloud and data considerations for new business models
Enterprises need to manage complex data structures in the cloud without sparing security and compliance. Here's what companies need to consider as they move to embrace cloud adoption. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Nov 2020
Enterprise execs talk post-pandemic strategy
At the Connected Enterprise conference, a cross-section of CIOs and other IT leaders discussed their plans for a future in a post-pandemic workplace and what they've learned so far. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Nov 2020
Leading CIOs say building digital-ready culture is top priority
During the fifth 2020 MIT Sloan CIO Digital Learning Series, CIOs discuss how they've accelerated and sustained a digital cultural change in more traditional organizations. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
06 Nov 2020
Communication best practices for companies during COVID-19
Many teams have been separated for most of the year, but are they communicating effectively? Use these communication best practices to help collaboration as teams remain separated. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Oct 2020
Cybersecurity and resilience tips from the city of Atlanta CIO
Gary Brantley, CIO of the city of Atlanta, spoke at the 2020 Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo Americas about how the city's IT department rebounded after a 2018 ransomware attack. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Oct 2020
How to develop a technology strategy
Implementing a technology strategy can be difficult for any CIO, but following this step-by-step guide enables them to build one that delivers on an organization's needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Oct 2020
How COVID-19 will reshape 2021 enterprise network spending
COVID-19 has shifted enterprise network spending. Campus LAN traffic may never be the same, but companies are earmarking funds to better support the remote workforce. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
21 Oct 2020
Is your company's IT governance strategy cloud ready?
As companies prepare to migrate to the cloud, they need to review their IT governance strategy before making any decisions to ensure there won't be any issues later. Continue Reading
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News
20 Oct 2020
Enterprise architecture tools add pandemic-related updates
The COVID-19 pandemic spurs vendors of enterprise architecture products to add new online and mobile capabilities and promote business functionality to address changing customer needs. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Oct 2020
Data literacy skills key to cost savings, revenue growth
As organizations develop data-driven cultures, they need to implement programs to teach employees how to work with and make decisions based on high-quality data. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
15 Oct 2020
8 ways CIOs can help companies emerge strong after COVID-19
We continue to navigate the choppy waters created by the COVID-19 pandemic, but here are eight ways companies can enable digital transformation and overcome an uncertain economy. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Oct 2020
6 tips for CIOs managing technical debt
Managing technical debt can be a challenge, but stepping back and positioning each project in the bigger picture can help minimize it going forward. Continue Reading
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News
07 Oct 2020
New LeanIX EA module can ease linking IT to business goals
LeanIX's new Business Transformation Management module tries to simplify planning through its 'GitHub for IT architecture' approach and Apple Time Machine-like visualization tool. Continue Reading
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News
06 Oct 2020
Ardoq architecture tool adds new Scenarios planning module
The new Scenarios module in Ardoq's enterprise architecture tool enables customers to model and analyze potential future states in a collaborative way. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
05 Oct 2020
During digital transformation, CIOs are the secret weapon
Organizations need to look toward CIOs again as they move forward with digital transformation. CIOs can help navigate the uncertainty of how the pandemic affects their business. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Sep 2020
Enterprise architect job still requires IT in critical role
Jeanne Ross offers advice to existing and aspiring enterprise architects and discusses the latest trends as she reflects on 26 years of researching enterprise architecture at MIT. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Sep 2020
Holy Grail still elusive in enterprise architecture strategy
MIT's Jeanne Ross discusses why enterprise architecture projects succeed and fail and what companies can do to better align technology with strategic business goals. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Sep 2020
MSP roles and responsibilities are undergoing rapid change -- here's why
It's a new era for managed service providers and CIOs. MSPs increasingly act as strategic partners, helping IT teams fulfill the outsized role technology plays in business success. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Sep 2020
Enterprise architecture strategy experts offer pandemic tips
Enterprise architecture experts offer up advice and tips for organizations coping with budget constraints and staffing pressures in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Sep 2020
Top 5 executive soft skills CIOs need to lead today
To help navigate through a crisis like the pandemic, IT executives are drawing on their leadership and interpersonal skills as much as -- if not more than -- their technical ones. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
02 Sep 2020
The return-to-work challenge: Ensuring employees remain safe
Simone Fenton-Jarvis offers some advice on how companies looking to reopen their offices safely could do so, allowing employees to actually be safe and feel it too. Continue Reading
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News
01 Sep 2020
Gender bias in tech an issue at conferences
Tech conferences may seem like welcoming environments, but a study from IT services vendor Ensono reveals their structure can make women feel like outsiders. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Aug 2020
Rooting out racism in AI systems -- there's no time to lose
A confluence of events has made this the right time for enterprises to examine how racism gets embedded in AI systems. Is your leadership up to the challenge? Continue Reading
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Guest Post
28 Aug 2020
Why you should consider the transformative power of Agile
Saggezza speaks with Mastercard and WillScot to offer a look at the Agile methodology for software development and how teams may benefit from using it in 2020. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Aug 2020
Everything CIOs need to know about IT business continuity plans
Carrying out a BC plan has become vital to organizations, especially as they deal with the effects of the pandemic. Here, we discuss what the plan entails and the role the CIO plays. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
18 Aug 2020
The framework for your digital transformation during COVID-19
Companies need to remain agile during the pandemic, especially when it comes to your digital transformation journey. Alisia Genzler offers a strategy for moving forward. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Aug 2020
How to hire a data scientist with AI skills during pandemic
As organizations ramp up their AI efforts during the pandemic and as they return to the workplace, IT leaders are now prioritizing how to find workers with the right AI skills. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Jul 2020
Why ISO 56000 Innovation Management matters to CIOs
CIOs looking to further drive innovation in the workplace can turn to ISO 56000 standards, which include the fundamentals, structure and support to sustain the right innovative culture. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Jul 2020
Why structural change in an organization is key
In her book 'Dynamic Reteaming,' Heidi Helfand dives into the importance of reteaming and provides strategies organizations can use to ensure it's done effectively in the workplace. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Jul 2020
The rise of 'modern applications': Why you need them
Flexible, scalable, user-friendly and predominantly cloud-based, modern applications are built for change. Read about the features of modern apps and why your company needs them. Continue Reading
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Feature
02 Jul 2020
Post COVID-19 strategies for CIOs on leading through crisis
To see their companies through the current crisis, CIOs should consider these five strategies focused around IT budgets, innovation, cybersecurity, trusted data and employee wellness. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Jun 2020
5 digital transformation strategies embracing the new normal
Here is a look at five digital transformation strategies companies should consider implementing now to overcome any setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue Reading