CIO Definitions

This glossary explains the meaning of key words and phrases that information technology (IT) and business professionals use when discussing CIO strategy and related software products. You can find additional definitions by visiting WhatIs.com or using the search box below.

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  • E

    e-commerce

    E-commerce (electronic commerce) is the buying and selling of goods and services, or the transmitting of funds or data, over an electronic network, primarily the internet.

  • e-procurement (supplier exchange)

    Electronic procurement, also known as e-procurement or supplier exchange, is the process of requisitioning, ordering and purchasing goods and services online.

  • ebXML (Electronic Business XML)

    EbXML (Electronic Business XML or e-business XML) is a project to use the Extensible Markup Language (XML) to standardize the secure exchange of business data.

  • Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA)

    The Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) is a United States federal statute that prohibits a third party from intercepting or disclosing communications without authorization.

  • Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM)

    The Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM) is a conceptual framework that outlines activities for the recovery and discovery of digital data.

  • electronically stored information (ESI)

    Electronically stored information (ESI) is data that is created, altered, communicated and stored in digital form.

  • emotional intelligence (EI)

    Emotional intelligence (EI) is the area of cognitive ability that facilitates interpersonal behavior.

  • enterprise agility

    Enterprise agility is a paradigm for scaling agile methodologies beyond development teams.

  • enterprise architecture (EA)

    An enterprise architecture (EA) is a conceptual blueprint that defines the structure and operation of organizations.

  • enterprise IT (enterprise-class IT)

    Enterprise-class IT (also known as enterprise-grade, or enterprise IT) is hardware, software and other IT services designed to meet the demands of a large organization.

  • enterprise project management (EPM)

    Enterprise project management (EPM) represents the professional practices, processes and tools involved in managing multiple projects taking place simultaneously across the enterprise.

  • enterprise project management office

    An enterprise project management office (EPMO) is a department within an organization charged with setting priorities, standards and goals for the organization's portfolio of projects.

  • enterprise risk management (ERM)

    Enterprise risk management (ERM) is the process of planning, organizing, directing and controlling the activities of an organization to minimize the harmful effects of risk on its capital and earnings.

  • ephemeral messaging

    Ephemeral messaging is the mobile-to-mobile transmission of multimedia messages that automatically disappear from the recipient's screen after the message has been viewed.

  • executive dashboard

    An executive dashboard is a computer interface that displays the key performance indicators (KPIs) that corporate officers need to effectively run an enterprise.

  • What is an entrepreneur (entrepreneurship)?

    An entrepreneur is an individual who identifies a need in the marketplace and works to fulfill it.

  • What is executive leadership?

    Executive leadership is the ability of those who manage or direct employees in an organization to influence and guide these individuals.

  • F

    Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)

    The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is United States federal legislation that promotes accuracy, fairness and privacy for data used by consumer reporting agencies.

  • FFIEC compliance (Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council)

    FFIEC compliance is conformance to a set of standards for online banking issued in October 2005 by the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC)... (Continued)

  • FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis)

    FMEA (failure mode and effects analysis) is a step-by-step approach for collecting knowledge about possible points of failure in a design, manufacturing process, product or service.

  • FQA (frequently questioned answers)

    FQA (frequently questioned answers) are conventions or mandates scrutinized by individuals or groups who doubt their validity.

  • FTC (Federal Trade Commission)

    The FTC, or Federal Trade Commission, is a United States federal regulatory agency designed to monitor and prevent anticompetitive, deceptive or unfair business practices.

  • G

    gap analysis

    A gap analysis is a method of assessing the performance of a business unit to determine whether business requirements or objectives are being met and, if not, what steps should be taken to meet them.

  • Gaussian splatting

    Gaussian splatting renders extremely high-quality images -- using numerous scans of an object -- that can then be viewed from any angle and explored in real time.

  • Generally Accepted Recordkeeping Principles (the Principles)

    Generally Accepted Recordkeeping Principles is a framework for managing records in a way that supports an organization's immediate and future regulatory, legal, risk mitigation, environmental and operational requirements.

  • Generation Facebook (Generation F)

    Generation Facebook (Generation F) is a term used to define millennials who have grown up using social media as their primary networking tool.

  • geolocation data

    Geolocation data is information associated with an electronic device that can be used to identify its physical location. The most common example of geolocation data is an IP address.

  • globalization

    Globalization is the process by which ideas, knowledge, information, goods and services spread around the world.

  • Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA)

    The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB Act or GLBA), also known as the Financial Modernization Act of 1999, is a federal law enacted in the United States to control the ways financial institutions deal with the private information of individuals.

  • green IT (green information technology)

    Green IT (green information technology) is the practice of creating and using environmentally sustainable computing resources.

  • group think

    Group think (also spelled groupthink) is a phenomenon that occurs when group's need for consensus supersedes the judgment of individual group members.

  • H

    hackathon

    A hackathon, also known as a codefest, is a social coding event that brings computer programmers and other interested people together to improve upon or build a new software program.

  • hard skills

    Hard skills are specific abilities, capabilities and skill sets that an individual can possess and demonstrate in a measured way.

  • holistic (holistic technology)

    Holistic technology is an approach to IT management that considers the infrastructure as a whole instead of as a collection of individual systems.

  • hyperautomation

    Hyperautomation is a framework and a set of advanced technologies for scaling automation in the enterprise. The ultimate goal of hyperautomation is to develop a process for automating enterprise automation.

  • Hyperledger

    Hyperledger is a collection of open source projects created to support the development of blockchain-based distributed ledgers.

  • I

    ICT (information and communications technology or technologies)

    ICT, or information and communications technology (or technologies), is the infrastructure and components that enable modern computing.

  • incremental innovation

    Incremental innovation is the introduction of small improvements or upgrades to already existing products, services, processes or methods.

  • Information Age

    The Information Age is the idea that access to and the control of information is the defining characteristic of this current era in human civilization.

  • Information and Content Exchange (ICE)

    Information and Content Exchange (ICE) is an XML-based standard protocol for electronic business-to-business (B2B) asset management.

  • information governance

    Information governance is a holistic approach to managing corporate information by implementing processes, roles, controls and metrics that treat information as a valuable business asset.

  • information technology (IT) director

    An information technology (IT) director is the person in charge of technology within an organization. IT directors manage technology resources and employees to ensure that IT operations run smoothly.

  • innovation culture

    Innovation culture is the work environment that leaders cultivate to nurture unorthodox thinking and its application.

  • innovation management

    Innovation management involves the process of managing an organization's innovation procedure, starting at the initial stage of ideation, to its final stage of successful implementation.

  • innovation manager

    An innovation manager is an employee whose responsibilities focus on the development of new products, services or processes.

  • Instagram

    Instagram is a free, online photo-sharing application and social network platform that was acquired by Facebook in 2012.

  • integration server

    An integration server is a type of computer server that facilitates the interaction between different operating systems (OSes), services and applications across an enterprise IT environment.

  • intrapreneur (intrapreneurship)

    The term intrapreneur is a portmanteau of 'internal' and 'entrepreneur,' referring to employees within a company who apply entrepreneurial skills like creativity, initiative and risk-taking to their roles.

  • ISACA

    ISACA is an independent, nonprofit, global association that engages in the development, adoption and use of globally accepted information system (IS) knowledge and practices.

  • IT asset management (ITAM)

    IT asset management (ITAM) is a set of business practices that combines financial, inventory and contractual functions to optimize spending and support lifecycle management and strategic decision-making within the IT environment.

  • IT audit (information technology audit)

    An IT audit is the examination and evaluation of an organization's information technology, operations and controls.

  • IT budget

    IT budget is the amount of money spent on an organization's information technology systems and services. It includes compensation for IT professionals and expenses related to the construction and maintenance of enterprise-wide systems and services.

  • IT controls

    An IT control is a procedure or policy that provides a reasonable assurance that the information technology (IT) used by an organization operates as intended, that data is reliable and that the organization is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

  • IT cost structure

    IT cost structure refers to the relationship between different types of expenditures within a larger IT budget.

  • IT innovation

    IT (information technology) innovation in an enterprise is about using technology in new ways, where the result is a more efficient organization and an improved alignment between technology initiatives and business goals.

  • IT modernization

    IT modernization is the process of updating an organization's information technology infrastructure, practices and systems to keep up with emerging technologies.

  • IT organization (information technology organization)

    An IT organization (information technology organization) is the department within a company that's charged with establishing, monitoring and maintaining information technology systems and services.

  • IT project management

    IT project management is the process of planning, organizing and delineating responsibility for the completion of an organizations' specific information technology (IT) goals.

  • IT project manager

    An IT project manager is a professional charged with overseeing the process of planning, executing and delegating responsibilities around an organization's information technology (IT) pursuits and goals.

  • IT strategic plan (information technology strategic plan)

    An IT strategic plan is a document that details the comprehensive technology-enabled business management processes an organization uses to guide operations.

  • IT strategy (information technology strategy)

    IT strategy (information technology strategy) is a comprehensive plan that outlines how technology should be used to meet IT and business goals.

  • IT transformation

    IT transformation is a complete reassessment and overhaul of an organization's IT systems to improve the efficiency and delivery in a digital economy.

  • ITIL V3

    ITIL V3 is the third version of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), a globally recognized collection of best practices for managing IT and for implementing IT service management (ITSM) practices.

  • What is an IT service catalog?

    An IT service catalog is a list of information technology resources and offerings available from the IT service provider within an organization.

  • K

    key risk indicator (KRI)

    A key risk indicator (KRI) is a metric for measuring the likelihood that the combined probability of an event and its consequence will exceed the organization's risk appetite and have a profoundly negative impact on an organization's ability to be successful.

  • knowledge-based systems (KBSes)

    Knowledge-based systems (KBSes) are computer programs that use a centralized repository of data known as a knowledge base to provide a method for problem-solving.

  • L

    leadership

    Leadership is the ability of an individual or a group of people to influence and guide followers or members of an organization, society or team.

  • lean management

    Lean management is an approach to managing an organization that supports the concept of continuous improvement, a long-term approach to work that systematically seeks to achieve small, incremental changes in processes in order to improve efficiency and quality.

  • Lean Six Sigma

    Lean Six Sigma is a data-driven approach to improving efficiency, customer satisfaction and profits.

  • Lean startup

    Lean startup is an approach to building new businesses based on the belief that entrepreneurs must investigate, experiment, test and iterate as they develop products.

  • ledger database

    A ledger database is somewhat modern and commonly refers to a type of database that uses cryptographic techniques, including blockchain, to secure data and enable an immutable ledger.

  • LOB (line of business)

    An LOB (line-of-business) application is one of the set of critical computer applications that are vital to running an enterprise, such as accounting, supply chain management, and resource planning applications.

  • localization

    Localization is the process of adapting and customizing a product to meet the needs of a specific market, as identified by its language, culture, expectations, local standards and legal requirements.

  • What are leadership skills?

    Leadership skills are the strengths and abilities individuals demonstrate that help to oversee processes, guide initiatives and steer their employees toward the achievement of goals.

  • What is a learning management system (LMS)?

    A learning management system (LMS) is a software application or web-based technology used to plan, implement and assess a specific learning process.

  • What is labor arbitrage?

    Labor arbitrage is the practice of searching for and then using the lowest-cost workforce to produce products or goods.

  • M

    managerial grid model (The Blake and Mouton Managerial Grid model)

    The managerial grid model was developed by Robert R. Blake and Jane S. Mouton in the 1960s to help companies and individuals analyze and improve management styles.

  • metered services (pay-per-use)

    Metered services (also called pay-per-use) are any type of payment structure in which a customer has access to potentially unlimited resources but only pays for what they actually use.

  • microtargeting

    Microtargeting (also called micro-niche targeting) is a marketing strategy that uses consumer data and demographics to identify the interests and preferences of specific individuals or small groups to send targeted advertisements that align with their interests.

  • mind-brain identity theory

    Mind-brain identity theory is a philosophy that purports the mind and brain are the same.

  • model-based systems engineering (MBSE)

    Model-based systems engineering (MBSE) uses models to share information across collaborators in the design, development, test and operation of complex systems.

  • mPOS (mobile point-of-sale)

    MPOS, or mobile point-of-sale, is a smartphone, tablet or dedicated wireless device that performs the functions of a cash register or electronic POS terminal wirelessly.

  • multisig (multisignature)

    Multisig, also called multisignature, is the requirement for a transaction to have two or more signatures before it can be executed.

  • multisourcing (multi-sourcing)

    Multisourcing (multi-sourcing) is an approach to outsourcing in which IT operations and technology infrastructure are contracted to a number of vendors, usually in combination with some internally provided elements of information technology.

  • N

    nearshore outsourcing

    Nearshore outsourcing is the practice of getting work done or services performed by people in neighboring countries rather than an organization's country.

  • newsfeed

    A news feed (newsfeed) is list of newly published content on a website. End users can receive push updates for new content on a site by subscribing to the site's news feed. 

  • Nvidia Omniverse

    Nvidia Omniverse is a computing platform built to enhance digital design and development by integrating 3D design, spatial computing and physics-based workflows across Nvidia tools, third-party apps and AI services.

  • O

    onshore outsourcing (domestic outsourcing)

    Onshore outsourcing, also known as domestic outsourcing, is the obtaining of services from someone outside a company but within the same country.

  • OODA loop

    The OODA loop -- Observe, Orient, Decide, Act -- is a four-step approach to decision-making that focuses on filtering available information, putting it in context and quickly making the most appropriate decision, while also understanding that changes can be made as more data becomes available.

  • organizational change management (OCM)

    Organizational change management (OCM) is a type of change management framework for managing the effect of new business processes, changes in organizational structure, or cultural changes within an enterprise.

  • outsourcing

    Outsourcing is a business practice in which a company hires a third party to perform tasks, handle operations or provide services for the company.

  • What is an organizational goal?

    Organizational goals are strategic objectives that a company's management establishes to outline expected outcomes and guide employees' efforts toward the achievement of those outcomes.

  • P

    paternalistic leadership

    Paternalistic leadership is a managerial approach that involves a dominant authority figure who acts as a patriarch or matriarch and treats employees and partners as though they were members of a large, extended family.

  • PCAOB (Public Company Accounting Oversight Board)

    The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) is a congressionally established nonprofit that assesses audits of public companies in the United States to protect investors' interests.

  • PICK chart (Possible, Implement, Challenge and Kill chart)

    A PICK chart (Possible, Implement, Challenge and Kill chart) is a visual tool for organizing ideas. The purpose of a PICK chart is to identify which ideas can be implemented easily and have a high payoff.

  • pilot program (pilot study)

    A pilot program, also called a feasibility study or experimental trial, is a small-scale, short-term experiment that helps an organization learn how a large-scale project might work in practice.

  • platform economy

    Platform economy is the tendency for commerce to increasingly move toward and favor digital platform business models.

  • prescriptive analytics

    Prescriptive analytics is a type of data analytics that provides guidance on what should happen next.

  • privacy compliance

    Privacy compliance is a company's accordance with established personal information protection guidelines, specifications or legislation.

  • process innovation

    Process innovation refers to a change in an existing operation or product that creates significant value for an organization.