Colin Ashurst presented our research findings to some of NE England's leading CIOs.

1. Exploring the management of IT in the North East of
England
Is there an IT ‘attention deficit’?
How can we help organizations realize the strategic
potential of IT?

2. Outline of this session
• The research – drivers and outline
• Findings
– Strategic contribution of IT
– Insights into the current IT capability of organizations
– Key issues and themes
• Making a difference: next steps

3. The research: drivers for the study
• Continued IT innovation: pervasive impact and strategic
opportunities
• General evidence of a serious IT attention (& skill) deficit
• To develop the role / contribution of the CIO and IT function
• To contribute to business performance by developing a stronger
capability to realize the strategic potential of IT

4. The research: outline of the study
• Short questionnaire
• Dec 2009 / Jan 2010
• 117 responses
– 55% from Board level management
– 75% senior business & IT management
– 78% of respondents have head office in North East

5. STRATEGIC CONTRIBUTION OF IT

6. Benefits being realized from investments
in IT
% of responses

7. Contribution of IT to strategic objectives
% of responses

8. Contribution of IT to strategic objectives
% of responses

9. % of IT projects successful in realizing
benefits
% of responses

10. INSIGHTS INTO THE CURRENT IT
CAPABILITY IN THE NORTH EAST

11. There is a CIO who is a full member of
the senior management team
% of responses

12. There is a CIO who is a full member of
the senior management team
% of responses

13. IT is a major topic at senior management
team meetings
% of responses

14. Key issues considered by the senior
management team
% of responses

15. Senior management are effectively
engaged in the IT strategy
% of responses

16. IT are engaged from the very beginning
of a strategic initiative
% of responses

17. The IT vision is clearly aligned with the
corporate vision
% of responses

18. Senior business and IT managers speak
the same language
% of responses

19. The senior management team has
expertise in IT strategy and project
delivery
% of responses

20. Leadership development activities address
business manager engagement in IT
strategy and project sponsorship
% of responses

21. WHAT ARE THE KEY ISSUES?

22. Key points (Note – IT is critical to business
in 94% of responses)
Statement %
There is a CIO / IT Director who is a full member of the senior 45%
management team
The senior management team takes action to obtain information 27%
on IT trends and business opportunities enabled by IT
The ‘ IT vision’ is clearly aligned with the corporate vision 40%
Senior business and IT managers speak the same language 29%
The senior management team has expertise in IT strategy and 35%
project delivery
Leadership development addresses business manager 27%
engagement in IT strategy and project sponsorship
% agree / strongly agree

23. Success factors: contributing to
realization of benefits from IT
• High quality training, support and encouragement
• IT people understanding the business
• Business people understanding the potential use of IT
• Business sponsorship
• Alignment with business objectives
• Clear goals
• Engagement at all levels – from earliest opportunity
• Communication
• Openness to new ideas
• Resource allocation
• Technical and change skills Direct from the free
text responses

24. Barriers to realization of benefits from IT
• Time to implement systems
• Short term investment horizon
• Resistance to change
• Lack of business engagement
• IT is regarded as a cost
• Lack of training
Direct from the free
• Lack of vision text responses
• Skills shortages
• Lack of clear priorities
• Inability of IT professionals to communicate with non IT managers

25. Exploring three key areas….
MAKING A DIFFERENCE: NEXT STEPS

26. Three priority areas
1. Establish a programme of action to increase the benefits
realized from existing systems and information
2. Develop the role of the CIO and IT leadership team to make a
greater strategic contribution.
3. Develop an ‘IT savvy’ business leadership team.

27. What are the specific opportunities?
What would we like to know?
EXPLOITATION OF EXISTING SYSTEMS
AND INFORMATION

28. Exploit current systems and information
Knowledge Improve
worker existing
productivity capabilities
Benefits
Information focus to
management service
management

29. Exploitation: ITDF workshop
• The key challenge from the survey: realizing benefits from
current systems and information.
• The opportunity: a workshop session to share ideas and
opportunities with colleagues
– The workshop will tackle a number of key themes based on the
discussion on 15th June and the interests of participants
– There will be input on good practices
• Timing and format: 9.00am - 1.00pm on 17th Sept 2010 at
Durham Business School (breakfast from 8.30 & lunch at 1.00)

30. Three priority areas
• Establish a programme of action to increase the benefits
realized from existing systems and information
• Develop the role of the CIO and IT leadership team to make
a greater strategic contribution.
• Develop an ‘IT savvy’ business leadership team.
What can we do to tackle these areas?

31. Aligning the role of the CIO to the
strategic contribution of IT
IT Director IT supply. Technical focus.
Evangelist CIO Changing mindsets about information.
Identifying sources of competitive advantage.
Innovator CIO Delivering opportunities for securing advantage.
Raising profile of IT as a business partner.
Facilitator CIO Empowering and enabling the business with
information capabilities.
IT Director (II) IT supply orientation. Develops agile
infrastructure.
From ongoing work by Prof Joe Peppard at Cranfield

32. Building the IT leadership capability:
a project at Newcastle University
• Initial assessment
• 5 * 1-day workshops introducing the benefits toolkit and building
skills (25 people – business & IT)
• Apply the ideas in ‘real-time’ to specific projects
• Follow up activity to work with 5 key projects
• Provide a foundation for a new approach to ‘business as usual’

33. Building the IT leadership capability:
a project at Newcastle University