Achieving Business Outcomes in the Cloud

In 2023, CIOs across Evanta communities have shared that their top enterprise priorities are increasing operational efficiencies and driving growth. In their functional area of driving technology initiatives, infrastructure and cloud strategies are in the top 10 priorities for CIOs this year. How can effective cloud strategies potentially impact their goal to drive growth?

CIOs in the Minneapolis community gathered recently to discuss how the cloud is not just an alternative to data centers, but a strategic means to drive the overall business. As cloud capabilities continue to evolve, they discussed how their organizations should respond and change their approach to business operations. 

Tim Currie, General Manager, Wipro FullStride Cloud at Wipro, moderated the conversation with small breakout discussions led by Mark Murphy, Chief Information and Digital Officer at 3M, Kellie Christensen, CIO at Gray Construction, and Tony Peleska, VP and Head of Information Technology and Digital Transformation at Kraus-Anderson.

How IT is Increasingly Focused on Business Outcomes

Tim Currie opened the discussion by noting that the focus for IT leaders used to be on the technology that builds the cloud stack. Now, there has been a noticeable shift to how the cloud drives business outcomes. He noted that one way to think about this shift is considering whether their transformation is inside-out, such as trying to change the internal ownership for data management, or outside-in, where an instance outside the company drives a cloud initiative. 

CIOs then discussed how CIOs are shaping business strategy as the primary owners of digital, how cloud consumption and financial operations are evolving, and how they can identify potential disruptors in the industry. 
 

Key Takeaways from the Discussion on Cloud Strategies

1. CIOs increasingly see the need for a digital-first mentality at their organizations.
   CIOs know well that digital business initiatives drive growth and are needed to stay competitive. As one pointed out, “Digital needs to be at the core, not at the table.” They felt that it was their role as the digital leaders to engage with the business early on, plan strategically, collaborate, and motivate the business to find solutions faster around specific challenges.

1. The CIO role is ever-evolving – just like the technology they manage.
   CIOs also noted how their role is growing and changing with respect to digital. One IT leader said that while it’s “an increasingly big ask” to lead digital business for the organization, “it’s also a big opportunity.” Those executives at digital businesses have a more inherent digital-first mentality, and others at traditional businesses are being asked to “lean in” and help transform their organizations.

1. CIOs need to know the business — and align their initiatives accordingly.
   CIOs reported that having knowledge and context of the business was a recurring theme in their discussion groups. One said that it helps to have leaders in IT that come from the business or that have business experience from elsewhere. CIOs specifically felt that this business background allows IT leaders to measure and present the value of IT services back to the business “in ways they can understand and that are relevant and interesting to them.” The CIOs agreed that aligning IT and the cloud to organizational strategy is a must and should also govern their investments.

As their role continues to evolve, CIOs are increasingly called upon to be the driver of digital and organizational change. CIOs are close to the business and understand the need to align digital strategy and investments with the overall business strategy. Overall, budgets remain centralized and controlled by IT, and CIOs see a big need to collaborate with the business on delivering the value and outcomes from digital.

For more about the evolving role of the CIO and to stay on top of what your CIO peers are discussing, join a CIO community near you, or check out our calendar for opportunities to get together with technology peers in person and virtually. 
 

by CIOs, for CIOs
 

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