CIO strategy
Today's CIOs, CTOs, CDOs and other IT leaders must tackle constantly evolving challenges. Get critical news, guides and tips on how to excel in business and technology leadership. Topics include CIO strategy, business disruption, hybrid workforces, change management, cross-departmental collaboration, and how to lead projects related to metaverse, AI, and blockchain.
Top Stories
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News
20 Nov 2024
Elon Musk, big tech ties to China raise security concerns
A U.S. senator warns U.S. tech companies that deep ties to China pose national security risks as cyberattacks rise. Time to choose a side, experts say. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Nov 2024
Best project portfolio management software and tools in 2025
Project portfolio management software and tools in 2025 promote strategic management of projects and agile tactics. Read our PPM list for guidance on which tools do what. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Apr 2017
Executing strategies: Close the gap between vision and implementation
That vision thing won't do CIOs much good if they fail to execute on strategy, management experts say. Here's how to overcome the hurdles that can get in the way of success. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Mar 2017
Two IT leadership strategies that made me a successful CIO
A new way to prioritize IT activities and an epiphany about leadership made all the difference in Niel Nickolaisen's career as an IT leader. Read about these two IT leadership strategies. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Mar 2017
The power of positive four-letter words to unlock employee potential
Four-letter words like can't and don't crush an employee's potential and quash creativity. Have the courage to use positive four-letter words and watch what happens. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
06 Feb 2017
Reporting lines for the CDO role: Context counts
The chief data officer (CDO) role may be gaining influence, but a lingering question that both public and the private sector organizations have yet to answer is: Who should CDOs report to? ... Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Jan 2017
What is the SIAM model and why do CIOs need it?
Multisourcing can boost IT and business agility, but the approach can also spiral out of control. The SIAM model aims to ensure delivery is seamless and strategic. Continue Reading
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News
29 Dec 2016
Teaching leadership to Millennials? First, get used to them
Teaching leadership skills is critical in a changing world, MIT's John Van Maanen says, but coaching Millennials comes with unique challenges. Continue Reading
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Opinion
29 Dec 2016
The commanding presence of quiet leaders
The MIT CFO Summit explores the inverse of the stereotypical extroverted leader and the effect that quiet leaders can have in an organization. Continue Reading
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News
22 Dec 2016
Becoming a strategic CIO
Strategic CIOs create customer value, improve profit and enhance shareholder value. According to Phil Weinzimer, they jumped through four high hoops to get there. Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Nov 2016
To be leaders, technical professionals must move beyond IT expertise
Technical professionals sometimes flounder when adapting to leadership roles. Here are the four critical skills that they must strengthen to become high impact business leaders. Continue Reading
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Guide
16 Nov 2016
Key IT metrics: A CIO guide
As technology and the business evolve, so do IT metrics. In this Essential Guide, learn how to navigate KPIs, IT investment and cloud cost optimization techniques. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Sep 2016
Become a change agent: Stop procrastinating
Don't be like the white-haired bride and groom who put off the big event until they could afford it. Now is the time for action, says organizational agility expert Joseph Flahiff. Continue Reading
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News
27 Sep 2016
Macro trends HP is tracking: Urbanization, globalization, demographics
HP Inc. CTO Shane Wall weighs in on three big macro trends that are shaping the company's long-horizon strategy. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Jun 2016
Delegator vs. micromanager: What kind of boss are you?
Being a delegator is one of the hardest jobs for a leader. Joseph Flahiff explains. Continue Reading
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News
20 May 2016
How three digital leaders overcame resistance to change
Digital leaders at CBS, IBM and SAP point to culture as one of the biggest digital transformation hurdles. Here's how they prevailed. Continue Reading
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News
06 Apr 2016
Instagram roundup: Disruptive business models, digital investments
2016 Fusion CEO-CIO Symposium caught on Instagram: Follow along as senior news writer Nicole Laskowski chronicles sessions on disruptive business models and digital investments. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
30 Mar 2016
To beat odds, procurement officers should focus on value, not cost
Chief procurement officers (CPO) have a very short window of time in which to make their mark at a company: The average tenure is less than five years. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Mar 2016
Three keys to a good business reorganization
The typical reorg evokes fear, stress and suspicion -- and kills productivity. Here's how to change that. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Feb 2016
8 free IT budget plan templates for CIOs
Creating a reliable IT budget plan is no cinch, especially in today's digital age. Here, we've rounded up free, customizable IT budget templates to help. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Nov 2015
How organizational agility will save and destroy your company
Aiming for organizational agility? Prepare to change how you scope work, structure teams, develop talent, practice leadership, and deliver and sell your products. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Oct 2015
Building an online game platform: Startup caters to developers
The online game platform startup STOVE aims to solve the catch-22 of platform businesses by offering business assistance to its content producers, in addition to user analytics. Continue Reading
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Guide
30 Sep 2015
A CIO's guide to enterprise cloud migration
Considering an enterprise cloud migration? This Essential Guide delves into the process and lays out best practices for getting the job done. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Sep 2015
Infographic: Strategic IT plan checklist for CIOs
A company's IT strategy can determine whether it sinks or floats in today's competitive marketplace. Download our free checklist to find out what components should be in your strategic IT plan. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
31 Jul 2015
Duolingo cofounder explains crowdsourcing to the MIT crowd
When Luis von Ahn was 12, he dreamed of becoming a "gazillionaire" by building a chain of free gyms where the kinetic energy people expended on exercise equipment would be captured and sold to ... Continue Reading
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Definition
31 Jul 2015
incremental innovation
Incremental innovation is the introduction of small improvements or upgrades to already existing products, services, processes or methods. Continue Reading
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News
04 May 2015
The secret to becoming a 'digital master'? Close the IT/business gap.
Capgemini's Didier Bonnet shines a light on how businesses are mastering the digital transformation: The Data Mill reports from the CDO Summit. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
10 Mar 2015
Reverse mentoring turns Millennials into teachers
In 2007, Apple introduced its first generation iPhone. Yesterday, it announced the launch of its much-anticipated iWatch. It's just one example of how consumer technology is marching on at an ... Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Feb 2015
Loss of focus chief reason for startup failure
Too much passion, too little passion, too many cooks -- there are many factors that can lead to loss of focus and, ultimately, to startup failure. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Feb 2015
Chief innovation officers need friends in high places
Hyatt, Merck and Nestlé Purina execs explain their business processes for innovation and detail why backing from on high is important. Continue Reading
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Guide
24 Jul 2014
CIO Innovator profiles: Industry groundbreakers, great IT leaders
SearchCIO's award-winning CIO Innovator profile series features IT executives who are applying information technology to enable, grow and transform business. Continue Reading
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Guide
06 Jun 2014
The CIO cloud blueprint: A strategic planning guide
In this CIO Essential Guide, learn how to craft an enterprise cloud blueprint that supports your organization's software and infrastructure needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Mar 2014
Free IT templates for CIOs and technology managers
SearchCIO rounded up free IT templates from around the Web to help technology managers organize their IT departments, projects and service offerings. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Mar 2014
Out of the shadows: Rogue IT is becoming CIO business as usual
The consumerization of IT and increasing demands for business agility are forcing the evolution of rogue IT. How are CIOs responding? Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Feb 2014
Free project management template examples for strategic IT planning
These free project management template examples from around the Web provide project guidelines and strategic IT planning tools to CIOs and IT leaders. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Sep 2013
Free technology roadmap template examples for CIOs
These free technology roadmap templates and examples will clear up your organization's strategic vision, combining detail with overarching goals. Continue Reading
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Guide
03 Sep 2013
The history of cloud computing and what's coming next: A CIO guide
In this enterprise guide, learn about the history of cloud computing and how to successfully implement cloud technologies in your organization. Continue Reading
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Quiz
30 Jul 2013
IT service management and delivery: A quiz for CIOs
Is your IT organization doing all it can to improve user experience? Review our CIO coverage and take our quiz on IT service management and delivery. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Feb 2013
Free cost-benefit analysis template examples for CIOs
Check out this collection of free cost-benefit analysis examples to determine, in a systematic way, which decision or project is the most beneficial to your organization. Continue Reading
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Tip
04 Oct 2012
Free IT department budget template examples for strategic investments
Making strategic tech investments could help your business stay afloat. Take a look at these free IT department budget templates from around the Web. Continue Reading
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Quiz
21 Jun 2012
Millennials 101: Test yourself with our generational diversity quiz
As the Millennial generation enters the workforce, CIOs are balancing a lot of generational diversity. Test your knowledge about managing Millennials. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Jul 2011
How adopting an ITIL framework can lead to cost savings for business
An ITIL framework isn't easy, but it can drive huge cost savings. Learn how ITIL cost reduction strategies translate back to your business. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jul 2011
The IT organization of the future: An enterprise within an enterprise
The IT organization of the future is shifting to become not only a business but also a part of an integrated business services organization. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Mar 2011
Seven categories for evaluating mobile device management products
Do you need a mobile device management product to control an employee-driven revolt against corporate-issued devices? Consider these MDM selection tips. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Dec 2010
Must-have ITSM tool features
When looking for an ITSM tool, audit the capabilities of the tool sets you have in place, and follow this check list of must-have features. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Aug 2010
Storage area network fundamentals: The right questions to ask
Will a storage area network be a good fit in your IT environment? Consult our guide to storage area network fundamentals, including how to evaluate your current setup and needs. Continue Reading
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News
11 Aug 2010
Free sample gap analysis templates: Software, security, architecture
Learn how other organizations tackle gap analysis, from software projects to IT portfolio assessments, in this list of sample gap analysis templates. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Mar 2010
Don't skip ITIL Service Design: Questions, checklists to get started
ITIL Service Design sits between strategy and implementation -- and is often skipped by midmarket companies. Learn which questions and checklists can keep Service Design simple. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
29 Oct 2009
An IT outsourcing contract without penalties? A state pays the price
You hear a lot of analysts, clients and, of course, vendors touting the benefits of IT outsourcing, especially as the U.S. emerges from this economic recession, which the latest government numbers ... Continue Reading
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News
22 Oct 2009
Gartner's top 10 strategic technologies for 2010
Gartner's list of technologies that bear examination during the next three years show an agile, mobile, secure enterprise that can spot early warning signs and predict trends. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Oct 2009
How to decide if changing technology vendors is worth the time, risk
The cost savings offered by a second-tier vendor may or may not be worth the risk and expense of migration. Here's how to decide when to make a switch. Continue Reading
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News
06 Oct 2009
Software vendor evaluation criteria: Sample scorecard templates for IT projects
Need a hand in evaluating prospective vendors or managing your current crop? Here's a sampling of software vendor scorecards and requirements to help you create your own. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
17 Jul 2009
What is transparency, and how is it relevant to IT?
We’ve all heard about Obama’s promise for government transparency, but what about IT transparency? First, what is transparency? Transparency is basically defined as openness and accountability in ... Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Jul 2009
Even with a PPM solution, IT project and portfolio challenges remain
A PPM solution can help you allocate resources among IT projects and calculate ROI, but it's no panacea for organizational issues. Here's why. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
07 May 2009
Adding a 'business downturn' clause to your telecom contracts
Telecom providers will do whatever it takes to keep your business, even in a business downturn. And that’s not just lip service. Did you know that you can insist on a “business downturn” contract ... Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Aug 2008
How to perform a cost/benefit analysis: Build a model, not a number
CIO Niel Nickolaisen recommends doing a cost/benefit analysis based on building a working model, not numbers. Continue Reading
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Tip
04 Aug 2008
Database security: Who should have access?
The only users who should be allowed full access to any data store should be your system administrators. What about everybody else? Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Mar 2008
Computer recycling: Dangers for even the well intentioned
Recycling computers involves more than just passing them off to another company for cleaning. Due diligence requires CIOs to go even further to make sure data is eradicated. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Feb 2008
Software license agreements: Scope is key
Been through a usage audit lately? Here are some license terms to watch for so you'll be on the up and up. Continue Reading