The cloud is becoming commonplace in organizations' IT departments.
Here are seven elements CIOs should consider when trying to develop and implement an IT strategy using the cloud, offered by Tim Crawford, an analyst for Gigaom Research.
1. Challenge the status quo. Implementing new technological capabilities may require a shift in mindset, Mr. Crawford suggests. IT's cultural norms can be hard to shake, but it is necessary to do so when developing a new strategy.
2. Differentiate apps and select the most strategic to be hosted in the cloud. Instead of hosting all IT needs in the cloud, Mr. Crawford suggests focusing on the apps and services that are "true differentiators" for an organization and provide strategic value. Basic functions like email can be hosted in other applications.
3. Work within the business strategy. IT should work as a strategic business element, so aligning with the business strategy can help determine the benefits of implementation, Mr. Crawford said. "If IT is interested in making a technology shift, consider if it will bring direct positive value to the business strategy. If it does not, one should ask a number of additional questions determining the true value of the change," he suggests.
4. Consider internal changes. Organizations will internally function differently if they move to a cloud strategy, so CIOs should look at any potential operational changes and weigh the costs and benefits to such an IT implementation, according to Mr. Crawford. Employees may be excited about the new technology but at the same time be worried about losing control and even job reductions as a result of the new project, and such fears need to be considered, he said.
5. Outline vendor relationships. Unlike vendor relationships for other IT services, the relationship with a cloud provider extends past the service level agreement, Mr. Crawford said. This makes vendor management increasingly important to a smooth implementation.
6. Create an exit strategy. If an organization is leaving a cloud service, CIOs need to know what will happen to the data and what responsibilities both the provider and the vendor will assume, Mr. Crawford said.
7. Be innovative. Organizations should continually look toward new solutions and methodologies in IT and the cloud. This circles back to Mr. Crawford's first point of challenging the status quo and working to progress in the IT sphere.
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