What does it mean to be an IT leader in 2010 and beyond?

Rose Crozier: "Innovation is tough in a culture averse to risk, failure and spend"

There is a need to focus on ICT’s relationship with the business, to work together with the business to deliver value through new ways of working and new technologies.

Ultimately, we all have the same end-goal – improve service and cut costs. IT leaders must be outcome-focused and not afraid to drive transformation and advise the organisation from the top about IT’s fundamental role.

Working in the public sector is about making a difference to people's lives. As an IT leader, the challenge is always to demonstrate how ICT contributes to public value, in the real world. This means having a strategic perspective on information to support your organisation at all levels.

On a daily basis, IT directors deal with a vast cross-section of stakeholders, so good interpersonal, business and influencing skills are vital to complement technical ability. In my experience, to get results an IT leader has to do three things: communicate, communicate, communicate.

Innovation is tough in a culture averse to risk, failure and spend. However, now is the time to establish information as a core strategic asset and enabler that delivers new operating models.

The public sector is already reaping the benefits of partnering with private sector companies to drive efficiencies, streamline processes and realise significant savings.
Local delivery is also set to be key; the great track record of local government in delivering a national IT strategy is the most affordable and practical approach to success.

My view is that large-scale, centrally managed programmes are not only too difficult, cumbersome and costly but also anathema to the current political climate where community is king.

In line with Socitm’s manifesto, my advice for IT directors in the coming 12 months is to focus on the following priority areas:

• Focus on public services outcomes
Drive IT architectures by key public service outcomes and their scope across people, processes and organisations. It’s vital to base IT architecture on your knowledge and experience of citizens – from individuals and communities through to front-line staff and intermediaries. Manage performance using a small set of strategic, outcome-focused KPIs.

• Re-think public services design
ICT leaders should drive a culture to empower staff to use IT to their advantage supporting flexible and mobile working where it is needed. It is also important to support innovation in systems design, but to recognise that it won’t always work. Migration to online self-service will generate considerable cost savings.

• Assure information
Build security into all levels of systems design and implementation, including people, processes and organisations as well as using training to promote wider understanding of information assurance issues and benefits among staff and managers handling critical information.

• Procure intelligently
Contracts should be opened up to SMEs and small innovative IT companies; it may be these partners who can assist you to deliver the best for the organisation with the most savings. However, make sure that all IT procurements are manageable in size and cost, and build in a results-focused review process into all contracts.

• Continue to build IT professionalism
Perhaps most importantly, ICT leaders should encourage staff to develop their skills and competencies through professional development schemes. Often the best talent is found from within an existing pool of staff.

In the prevailing "do more with less" culture, IT directors and CIOs should develop their role beyond being suppliers of ICT, taking this chance to truly become leaders and shapers of their organisations. Yes, times are tough, but there’s a real opportunity here to re-focus IT governance and your alignment as an IT leader in terms of your value to the business.