The Importance of Data and Analytics

There has been an emphasis on data and analytics for the past few years now, however, many organizations have not figured out where to start. And 2017 must be the year CIOs start taking advantage of data and run the right analytics to ultimately drive change. The pure data companies have coupled with proper analytics processes can become the foundation of an entire business.

The Potential of Machine Learning

CIOs must explore the potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning, built on top of data and analytics. As companies shift entire processes and data into a digital environment, CIOs have the opportunity to build entire operations that run autonomously and offer speed of delivery or tailored services to customers that is not currently possible.

Become the Strategy Officer

Given that technology is rapidly changing the way organizations do business, the CIO needs to be at the center of an organization’s strategy. Since the CIO is at the center of the technology transformation inside an organization, they need to have a seat at the table that sets the strategy for business transformation. The CIO has the pulse on what emerging technologies are available to a company and how they can be best implemented, so this knowledge should be part of a company’s strategy or they risk being left behind while competitors evolve.

Cybersecurity

Cybercrime will continue to be a top concern for the 2017 CIO and other business leaders. As more business processes become fully digital and the growth of smartphone devices in the workforce continues, malicious attacks gain more potential entry points into an organization. The threat is now too large not to be a crucial component of any strategy and will be at the forefront for IT decision makers in the coming year.