At the Leading Edge Forum, we believe that business and IT are increasingly co-evolving, each developing and changing under the influence of the other, in ways that are largely inseparable. Our research shows that business executives recognise this new reality, and they are looking to their IT peers to help them evaluate and seize the opportunities created by IT, while managing the related threats, and bringing more value to their organisations. But as information technology becomes increasing pervasive across the business, new business/IT relationship models are required.
No discussion of this co-evolving future can ignore cloud computing and where it can be used to the firm’s advantage. The cloud has enormous potential, but executives need to understand when the cloud is and isn’t appropriate and when and how to leverage it to achieve optimal results. There are a great many exaggerations and mis-perceptions about the practical road ahead, and firms need to think through what the cloud means to their innovation, governance and security strategies.
Similarly, collaboration is increasingly the key to building and sustaining advanced business/IT relationships, inside and outside the firm. Many CIOs seek to foster the needed collaboration by appointing Business Relationship Managers: senior individuals whose experience and influence are intended to elevate the business executives’ perception of the IT function and enable it to step up to its new challenges. This calls for a new breed of executive with ‘double deep’ experience, those that are skilled in IT but have excellent business credentials, at an industry and/or functional level.
In this briefing, David Moschella will draw upon several recent LEF research projects to explain the pro’s and con’s related to Cloud Computing using numerous examples of how customers are currently doing business in the cloud. Then, based on our own LEF engagements, Kirt Mead will discuss approaches clients are taking to improve the relationship between the business and IT functions.
To conclude, Alan Matcham, LEF's Programme Director, will discuss the Leading Edge Forum strategy and direction as we seek to provide tangible answers to the challenges our clients face today, balanced with action plans for the critical issues ahead.
Thursday 12 November 2009
09:00 – 09:30
Registration and Breakfast
09:30 – 09:45
Welcome and Introduction
Klaus Heinrich
Regional Director - Executive Programme, Leading Edge Forum
09:45 – 10:45
Choices and Risks in Moving to the Cloud
David Moschella
Global Research Director - Executive Programme, Leading Edge Forum
Cloud computing is part of a wave of change that is washing over IT organisations. Components of the wave include the consumerisation of IT, the rise of much more IT-savvy employees, and a shift in business models from vertical integration to horizontal, networked structures.
Backed by the massive scale of consumerised offerings, the cloud is a source for new enterprise services at multiple levels, ranging from basic infrastructure to complex business processes. In this session, David will provide the LEF's perspective on the overall impact of cloud computing, identifying where firms are having success today, and the major risks and challenges that the cloud computing movement has yet to overcome.
10:45 – 11:15
Break
11:15 – 12:15
Successful Business Relationship Management
Kirt Mead
Senior Consultant - Executive Programme, Leading Edge Forum
All IT organisations are continually challenged with the need to build sustainable business relationships that ultimately help increase the value of IT services provided to the enterprise. To this end, many firms are implementing business relationship managers (BRMs) to face off to senior users and managers. The BRMs are tasked with developing stronger relationships with these business people - relationships that are able to support more strategic discussions about IT. But how to make these roles successful? LEF EP recent research suggests that, while better techniques can help, the far greater need is for BRMs to be both more business-oriented and more sensitive to the political realities. Most importantly, they need to show up as 'powerful', with a track record of being comfortable working in ambiguity, and of having gotten important and difficult things done. It is the 'powerful' BRM who succeeds, not the one with the up-to-date techniques and the detailed briefing charts. To develop these qualities, people need case and field experience in difficult situations, not more bright ideas. Kirt Mead, who leads our BRM education practice, will outline some of the approaches that current clients are adopting.
12:15 – 12:30
Concluding Remarks
12:30 – 13:30
Lunch