6 Secrets 100 Winning IT Organizations Share
We asked the IT leaders in the 2016 InformationWeek Elite 100 about how they're addressing important IT issues, such as tech spending, organizational priorities, and strategy. Find out what we learned, and see how your IT organization stacks up.
![](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt69509c9116440be8/blt491de249cf7db37c/64cb3efaa8678b288110d403/intro.jpg?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Every year, InformationWeek releases the Elite 100 -- a ranking of the nation's most innovative users of business technology. As part of the process, we also conduct the annual InformationWeek Elite 100 Executive Research Survey, which offers a unique glimpse into the strategies of these 100 large, leading-edge IT organizations.
The survey, which is open only to Elite 100 applicants, polled US-based companies and higher education institutions that have $250 million or more in revenue. Subsidiaries with revenues below $250 million may apply for the Elite 100 if their parent company has qualifying revenue and their parent company did not apply. Federal, state, county, and local or municipal US agencies are also eligible to apply.
The survey responses give us insight into how these organizations address important IT issues, such as tech spending, organizational priorities, and strategy. For example, we asked respondents to name the top three ways their organizations plan to innovate with technology this year. Using data analytics to make better business decisions, engaging customers in new ways, and making business processes more efficient were at the top of the list.
We also asked how well IT is playing with others in the organization, and what processes are in place to facilitate collaboration. The most common processes are: having business-unit leaders on technology steering committees, conducting agile development with business unit guidance, and having a business-unit member embedded within agile development teams. The survey results also show us how involved CIOs are with business functions at leading organizations, what the chain-of-command looks like for CIOs, and whether respondents expect their IT budgets to change this year.
Once you've reviewed our findings, join us in the comments section below to tell us what you think, and share how your organization stacks up against the Elite 100.
Respondents were asked to identify the top three ways their organizations plan to innovate with technology in 2016. Here's what they said (multiple responses were allowed):
Use data analytics to make better business decisions -- 74%
Engage customers in new ways -- 46%
Make business processes more efficient -- 43%
Introduce new IT-led products or services for our customers -- 40%
Improve customer service -- 35%
Lower IT or business costs -- 24%
Create a new business model or revenue stream for the organization -- 17%
Improve collaboration with partners and suppliers -- 14%
Respondents were asked to identify the top three ways their organizations plan to innovate with technology in 2016. Here's what they said (multiple responses were allowed):
Use data analytics to make better business decisions -- 74%
Engage customers in new ways -- 46%
Make business processes more efficient -- 43%
Introduce new IT-led products or services for our customers -- 40%
Improve customer service -- 35%
Lower IT or business costs -- 24%
Create a new business model or revenue stream for the organization -- 17%
Improve collaboration with partners and suppliers -- 14%
We wanted to know more about the role of the CIO, specifically whether the CIO is responsible for areas other than IT. Here's what we learned (multiple responses allowed):
Telecommunications -- 70%
Innovation -- 41%
Business process management/improvement -- 33%
Operations -- 18%
Business services -- 17%
No, our CIO is not officially responsible for any areas outside of IT -- 16%
Procurement -- 12%
Budgeting or financial -- 10%
Facilities/physical security -- 5%
Logistics or supply chain -- 3%
Respondents shared with us how their IT budget is faring in this fiscal year (2016) compared with the previous fiscal year. Here's what we learned:
Increase less than 5% -- 29.2%
Stay flat -- 27.1%
Increase more than 10% -- 16.7%
Increase 5% to 10% -- 12.5%
Decrease 5% to 10% -- 6.3%
Decrease less than 5% -- 5.2%
Decrease more than 10% -- 3.1%
Even in an environment in which nearly 60% of respondents expect IT budgets to increase less than 5%, we're seeing indications of the changing relationship between business and IT. For example, 88% of respondents said that business unit leaders sit on their company's technology steering committee. More than two thirds of respondents (67%) said their companies have business unit members embedded in their agile development teams; likewise, 66% of respondents said their companies have IT pros embedded in business units. When it comes to innovation, it's all about analytics: 74% of respondents said that using analytics to make better business decisions is one of their top innovation priorities this year.
What are your innovation priorities this year? Does your IT environment align with what we're seeing from our Elite 100 companies? Tell us about your experiences in the comments section below.
Even in an environment in which nearly 60% of respondents expect IT budgets to increase less than 5%, we're seeing indications of the changing relationship between business and IT. For example, 88% of respondents said that business unit leaders sit on their company's technology steering committee. More than two thirds of respondents (67%) said their companies have business unit members embedded in their agile development teams; likewise, 66% of respondents said their companies have IT pros embedded in business units. When it comes to innovation, it's all about analytics: 74% of respondents said that using analytics to make better business decisions is one of their top innovation priorities this year.
What are your innovation priorities this year? Does your IT environment align with what we're seeing from our Elite 100 companies? Tell us about your experiences in the comments section below.
-
About the Author(s)
You May Also Like