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Overview

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The notion of IT as a discrete business unit is dead. Chief information officers no longer run tidy, self-contained operations ¿ they lead ecosystems. Although the technology leader's objective to make or save money through the use of information technology is simple, getting there requires juggling many relationships. These interactions include links to technology suppliers, business stakeholders, and ultimately, the end users. While these groups have always influenced IT, companies' increased investment in technology, coupled with the maturation of technology, have raised expectations. We are entering an environment at once more stable yet more complex to manage.

Consider the relationship challenges facing today's technology leaders:

Business stakeholders. The lines between technology and "the business" continue to blur, an effect of the maniacal focus on business outcomes instead of technology inputs. This shifts the scope of information technology further toward business process and away from the domain of traditional IT shops. Forrester's own data shows that two-thirds of CIOs feel that business leaders outside of IT will have even more control over IT in the future.
Technology suppliers. Companies more than ever demand industrial-strength IT services, where the benefits of global delivery are realized from more than just application software. As a result, the infrastructures of service providers begin to look more appealing. But while CIOs want to ease their vendor management burden, they also want the benefits and lower risk of multisourced, best-of-breed environments. The role and makeup of vendors in the ecosystem change as well, as they consolidate and search for new means of differentiation.
End customers and users. Companies cannot afford to only look inward for technology-enabled innovation; instead, they must expand their search across an ecosystem of partners, including end users and customers. Open source projects and open technology communities are just two new options for technology leaders to consider. Meanwhile, an increasingly mobile workforce and a network of devices expands the ecosystem beyond just people.

Forrester's Technology Leadership Forum 2006 examines the dynamic changes facing our industry and presents innovative strategies, methods, and tools that will help you lead and prosper in your own IT ecosystem.

Who Should Attend?

CIOs and senior IT managers.
Enterprise executives and change agents who drive technology investment initiatives.
Senior business leaders who set business objectives based on technology capabilities.