Is technology driving business processes, or is business process still influencing technology?
CEO in Services (non-Government), Self-employed
My answer is: process rules. Technology is an enabler. It is a hammer—if you have a nail, that's bad. You want to use a hammer. If you need a screwdriver, you should get one. The business wants what it wants but the most successful software vendors are those that actually understand that:1. You have to design for business value.
2. You need to effectively connect the top floor with the shop floor.
The prism through which I see these things may be an anomaly, because I've been called the world's worst customer in very large enterprises, but I also have the perspective of a person who went down this road as a software vendor.
Recent surveys are showing that 90% of CIOs in Fortune 500s fear job loss or career limiting moves by taking on transformation tasks. If it's that serious, the onus is on the vendor community but also on educating the CIOs in those enterprises to make sure there's strategic alignment to value, to what you need versus what you'll push your money into, and strategic alignment between the top floor and the shop floor. An ROI argument doesn't cut it anymore. That's used to get funding. Beyond that it sits in a drawer. You have to constantly bring the value argument up.
CIO in Software, 501 - 1,000 employees
“Process rules” = 100%. I think Business Analysts are the most important people in IT because they are focused on the People and Process side of things.
Director of IT in Software, 1,001 - 5,000 employees
+1 Karl—Business Analysts are the glue! Finding good ones who are techno-functional is like mining for gold.
CIO / Managing Partner in Manufacturing, 2 - 10 employees
People, Process, Technology in that order, for very good reason!
Board Member in Healthcare and Biotech, 1,001 - 5,000 employees
The answer is, it depends on the organization. For most of the companies born in the digital age, technology would be a driver of the business process. Evolution gets shortened and aligns to solutions available and implemented. That becomes a way of doing business.For the legacy enterprises of the past, the horse (Technology) and the cart (Business) keep trying to figure out which is a better way to approach the opportunity or solve a problem. Success comes when both sit together and define what needs to be achieved and let the technologists propose potential solutions, to be decided together.
Content you might like
Too many active projects at once43%
Poor communication46%
Too many customizations47%
Misalignment with business priorities34%
Skills gaps31%
Lack of resources26%
Other (please list in the comments)1%
338 PARTICIPANTS
Founder, Self-employed
Work travel is a privilege. Embracing your experience to meet new people, and see the beauty of nature and culture wherever you go.CTO in Software, 201 - 500 employees
Without a doubt - Technical Debt! It's a ball and chain that creates an ever increasing drag on any organization, stifles innovation, and prevents transformation.Director of IT in Healthcare and Biotech, 501 - 1,000 employees
Overall fit of the provider's services is key in any recommendation when selecting one of the big 3 clouds for any organization. Multi-cloud is significantly more difficult than most companies realize, and selecting a ...read moreYes43%
No57%
348 PARTICIPANTS
In my opinion, the business doesn't understand tools—they understand the capabilities they require. It’s on the CIO to educate the business to the realities and align them.