Gartner: What CIOs must do in 2003

NEWS
Chief information officers are guardedly optimistic for the next year but still have much to do to raise the credibility of the IT function in organisations and deliver value to their businesses. Among their priorities should be continued cost-cutting and championing of Web services and instant messaging (IM), according to Gartner Group. The industry analyst has come up with a top 10 New Year's resolutions list (below), which draws on a survey of IT users and a Gartner Dataquest poll of suppliers. Gartner's 10 'must do' chief information officer resolutions:
    1. Switch off at least 10 percent of legacy systems in 2003
    2. Prepare for some of your IT suppliers to consolidate or cease trading
    3. Create an IS organisation marketing initiative
    4. Create a 'real-time enterprise' (RTE) vision and roadmap -- then sell it to the leadership team
    5. Pilot two key RTE technologies: Web services and IM
    6. Set a timetable for renegotiating supplier contracts
    7. Establish leadership coaching and mentoring for CIOs and IS leaders
    8. Revise retention and recruitment strategies for key skills
    9. Understand and prepare for the impact of offshore sourcing
    10. Prepare to implement simultaneous security and transparency
The user survey found that while a year ago IT budgets were generally predicted to stay flat or be reduced, now the 12-month outlook is for flat to slightly increased. However, vendors think growth is only likely to return from the second half of 2003 onwards and then it will be nothing spectacular and vary from sector to sector. Commenting on rosy vendor forecasts, John Mahoney, Gartner VP and research director, warned: "It is certainly not the case that anyone is going to cheerlead their way out of this (downturn)." Gartner believes it is essential for chief information officers to be proactive and assess the value of IS operations to an organisation. If they aren't performing, chief information officers must consider getting better value from external providers. Mahoney said there are problems if an IS organisation "does not have the credibility or capacity to make strategic moves in the interest of the business." This approach is in line with the ongoing cost-cutting and 10 percent 'switch off' of legacy systems to be considered in these hard times. Gartner points out legacy systems are not just outmoded hardware or software but any technology with an outmoded business function. This move alone should save time for an organisation, show that a chief information officer understands wider business issues and free up time and resources for other areas. Mark Raskino, Gartner research director business management of IT EMEA, said: "It's about fighting the political fight, one which can actually be easier during a downturn." Raskino explained Gartner's focus on the real-time enterprise (RTE), a phrase which really means technology providing a user with what they need, in a time span that suits them. Two RTE technologies to be piloted during 2003 should be Web services and IM, according to Raskino. Web services, the dynamic tapestry of inter- and intra-company software for various types of business interactions, may not fulfil its promise for years to come and may even be going through the classic 'trough of disillusionment' in 2003 but chief information officers should be tactically testing the water by next year. More details about the 'must do' list for 2003 will be made available in a Gartner research note in early January.
For a round-up of the latest tech business coverage, see the Business News Section. Have your say instantly, and see what others have said. Go to the ZDNet news forum. Let the editors know what you think in the Mailroom.


For all job and work-related news, or to search for a job and get information on training, go to ZDNet Jobs. If you have something to say about work and employment issues say it here at the Jobs Forum. Let the editors know what you think in the Mailroom.

Post your comment

In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.

You can also log in with Facebook. Log in or create your ZDNet UK account below

  • Login

Will not be displayed with your comment

By signing up for this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understood our Privacy Policy. Questions about membership? Find the answers in the Community FAQ

Get ZDNet UK's daily newsletter

Enter your email address to sign up

ZDNet UK Live

BrownieBoy

@Jack, > Works really well for thieves.... Nice attempt to deflect the argument by tossing in a point that's totally irrelevant, even it were...

1 hour ago by BrownieBoy on AMD Ultrathins to challenge Intel Ultrabooks
bootlegger

Make that 13 people now - I got refused today at Manchester airport. I thought I was up to date on this legislation - I knew of the EU ruling from...

4 hours ago by bootlegger on UK airport body scans will not be opt out
tinycg

Don't forget to check out apps like GoodReader or SlideShark either, they're indispensible for people on the go in presentation situations. Best...

7 hours ago by tinycg on Four top iPad apps for people on the move
TerryRK

Well it seems there is something a number of us agree on. Why is the Ubuntu Unity launcher so ugly? I thought perhaps it was something to do with...

11 hours ago by TerryRK on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Freebies202

Duplicate comments are not made intentionally. Its very good to know that now you are keeping check on this problem because sometimes a commenter...

21 hours ago by Freebies202 on Microsoft fixes blog comments, speeds up blogs with open source
kevinmchapman

"the very significant number of users" and "many (most) of us" - you have no evidence for these statements. It is a fact that most users are saying...

1 day ago by kevinmchapman on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Marg Menzies Harrison

Another grammar faux pas is the improper use of "you". When sitting down down in a restaurant, for example, I get cringe when the waitress...

1 day ago by Marg Menzies Harrison via Facebook on 10 flagrant grammar mistakes that make you look stupid
zdnetukuser

And NOW, folks, for Canonical's next trick... Kubuntu is late. Here's a pencil. Draw your own conclusions. cf.:...

1 day ago by zdnetukuser on Linux Minterface
Moley

@kevinmchapman. The discussion here reflects the very significant number of users who really do like the traditional menu system and who wish to...

1 day ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
kevinmchapman

Er, no... It is an efficient means of finding the application/file/setting you need in one place. The icons are a simply a fallback for when you...

1 day ago by kevinmchapman on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
TerryRK

Isn't the provision of a text based search an admission by the developers that the mass of icons approach does not work? I don't need to use a...

1 day ago by TerryRK on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
kevinmchapman

"Unity and GNOME 3 both abandon the old text-based cascading menus in favour of a graphical icon-driven system." Point truly missed. Both use a...

2 days ago by kevinmchapman on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
TerryRK

whs001 - Thank you, I'm glad you liked the article. I absolutely agree with you on your first point. I should perhaps have made it clearer that...

2 days ago by TerryRK on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Dennis Nilsson

If we allow corporate interest to dictate the way our government circumvents due process against foreign entities then we should accept the same...

2 days ago by Dennis Nilsson via Facebook on ACTA stumbles in Germany
GHar123

I totally dislike pirating of works, I fear that artists will be deterred from creating works if they think that they are going to get ripped off....

2 days ago by GHar123 on ACTA stumbles in Germany
JCB33

How dare film makers, artists or anybody that invests in creativity stop us pirating their works for free. I want to be able to walk into my local...

2 days ago by JCB33 on ACTA stumbles in Germany
Moley

@GrueMaster. I prefer horses for courses rather than one size fits all. I, and I suspect most other computer users, do not really wish to have...

2 days ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
greycynic

The product that scares me every time I have to use it is the Office 2007 version of Excel. The first bug that I found was applying the median...

2 days ago by greycynic on Ten flawed products that derail productivity
GrueMaster

Nice review and very informative. One thing I'd like to add (in reply to whs001's 1st question), the main reason to have the same interface from...

2 days ago by GrueMaster on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Frederick Wrigley

I'be been using Mint 12 since the RC came out, and I am far more happy with the Cinnamon, the Mate, and, yes (with extensions), theGnome 3...

2 days ago by Frederick Wrigley via Facebook on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint