{"id":2801,"date":"2019-02-25T16:23:06","date_gmt":"2019-02-25T21:23:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stratospherenetworks.com\/blog\/?p=2801"},"modified":"2019-02-25T16:23:06","modified_gmt":"2019-02-25T21:23:06","slug":"the-shift-toward-strategic-it-4-things-every-business-leaders-should-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stratospherenetworks.com\/blog\/the-shift-toward-strategic-it-4-things-every-business-leaders-should-know\/","title":{"rendered":"The Shift Toward Strategic IT: 4 Things Every Business Leaders Should Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"technology<\/a>What\u2019s different about how most businesses approach IT today<\/a>, compared to how they did it a decade or two ago? One of the biggest and most notable changes is that companies have shifted toward leveraging technology in more of a strategic (as opposed to tactical) way, according to the IT Industry Outlook 2019 report<\/a> from CompTIA.<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly, there has always been some mix of tactics and strategy in the directive of any IT function, with that mix varying based on the size of the business, the vertical industry, or the attitudes of upper management,\u201d the report states. \u201cBut the shift towards strategy is a general phenomenon that has affected all businesses and driven a new paradigm.\u201d<\/p>\n

Essentially, organizations used to see the IT department as something that supported the rest of the business and drove productivity and efficiency. Today, IT departments tend to not only perform tactical support work but also play a part in achieving business-wide strategic goals, CompTIA explains.<\/p>\n

That transition from a mostly tactical role to a more strategic one has presented new challenges for IT departments and CIOs<\/a> who now work alongside other departments and business executives on higher-level initiatives. Here are a few key things that every business leader should know about this notable shift toward strategic IT in the corporate world.
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\n1. Why has IT shifted from tactical to strategic? <\/strong>In the past couple of decades, people have become much more reliant on technology (e.g., smartphones and other mobile devices) to perform day-to-day tasks, both personally and professionally.<\/p>\n

For businesses, efforts to attract customers and maintain relationships with them now take place digitally, using platforms such as social media and unified communications (UC)<\/a> platforms with omnichannel capabilities. IT departments have become directly involved in working toward strategic objectives because technology has turned into \u201cthe primary mechanism for success,\u201d the CompTIA report states.<\/p>\n

2. What\u2019s an IT roadmap and why should my business have one?<\/strong> If you want your CIO and IT department to successfully take part in achieving company-wide strategic goals, it\u2019s essential to create an IT roadmap. Frequently, CIOs find themselves wanting to have a hand in moving toward larger goals, instead of getting bogged down with minor daily tech problems, according to the CIO article \u201cWhy You Need a Strategic IT Roadmap<\/a>.\u201d Establishing an official, strategic plan for the IT department will ensure they stay involved in and act in line with your business\u2019s big-picture, long-term objectives.<\/p>\n

This roadmap can serve as an important point of reference during discussions between the CIO and other executives, in addition to helping with planning and budgeting. Here are some elements that a strategic IT roadmap should include, according to CIO.<\/p>\n