For CIOs

Value-Based Communication Boosts Business' Perception Of IT

Best Practice CIOs Take A Personal Leadership Role In Marketing IT's Value

by Bobby Cameron, May 15, 2009

CIOs list IT-business alignment as a perennial challenge. They fail to achieve the business partnership they seek as the gap persists between business execs' expectations of IT and those execs' sense of IT's ability to deliver. But CIOs themselves are . . .

For CIOs

Business Satisfaction Survey Tool  (168 KB XLS)

by Alexander Peters, Ph.D., April 9, 2009

To help IT executives who want to address business satisfaction through a systematic approach, Forrester has developed a list of questions to guide them through the deployment of a list of business satisfaction questions.

For CIOs

Is IT Qualified To Satisfy The Business?

Use Forrester's Systematic Approach To Understanding Business Satisfaction

by Alexander Peters, Ph.D., April 9, 2009

IT executives increasingly implement marketing initiatives to improve the communications with their business customers. But these efforts often focus solely on the brand aspects of the services under the IT's control without understanding the business' . . .

For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

IT Marketing Manager — Job Profile And Description  (28 KB XLS)

by Evelyn Hubbert, March 26, 2009

Position overview: This crucial person is responsible for developing and implementing an IT marketing plan to align IT with business.

For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

Role Overview: IT Marketing Manager

The Time Is Right: Ready, Aim, Hire!

by Evelyn Hubbert, November 7, 2008

The lack of marketing in IT is obvious when we take a look at the changes in how IT is perceived. Back in 2006 when Forrester asked how IT's perception had changed, 50% of the respondents stated that IT was viewed about the same as one year before. Forty-five . . .

For CIOs

Improving The Perception Of IT Requires A Focus On Business Trust, Not Just Technology

IT Demand Management Should Face Off Against The Business Organizations

by Bobby Cameron, August 15, 2008

CIOs are improving the way their business clients perceive the IT organization, mostly through actions that improve business' trust of IT — consistent IT processes and transparency of IT's performance. To continue this change, CIOs should charge their . . .

For CIOs

Case Study: CIOs Can Learn From Kimberly-Clark's Innovation Design Studio

by Bobby Cameron, December 12, 2007

Innovative initiatives cascade from corporate strategies down to action. Example? Kimberly-Clark Corporation (K-C) advanced its enterprisewide strategy "to become an indispensable partner to \[its\] customers" with a virtual reality system that helps . . .

For CIOs

Next Up: The 21st Century CIO

Business Change Agent And Innovator — Or Gone

by Bobby Cameron, December 6, 2007

The pace of technology change — and therefore business expectations and IT culture — is accelerating, fueled by three things: IT's brief but turbulent history, a crush of external forces that reset IT spending and user attitudes, and the strength and . . .

For CIOs

Marketing IT In 2007: Desire, Uncertainty, And New Tools

Perspectives From Forrester Client Roundtables

by Bobby Cameron, August 29, 2007

IT executives are well aware of the requirement to market IT, although they are not always certain whose job it is, how much to do, or which channels to use — based on perspectives offered by executives at Forrester IT Forum roundtable discussions. These . . .

For CIOs

Target IT Marketing Using IT Archetypes And User Roles

by Bobby Cameron, August 17, 2007

CIOs increasingly turn to the marketing of IT to deliver clear, accurate, and timely communications with IT's business constituents. But many of these efforts overwhelm the users while failing to deliver the information the user needs. To remedy this . . .

For CIOs

CIOs: Look Around — Your World Is Changing

How To See It And What To Do About It

by Laurie M. Orlov, June 27, 2007

While CIOs understand that the world of technology is always changing, some may not be alert to the implications of business, organizational, or expectation change. And they are not always aware that IT's delivery of technology may reset business expectations. . . .

For CIOs

HP: One CEO's View Of IT

Mark Hurd's Advice — IT Is An Investment

by Laurie M. Orlov, April 23, 2007

In a recent keynote address to industry analysts, Mark Hurd, CEO of Hewlett Packard, surprisingly focused a substantial portion of his remarks on the effort underway at HP to transform each of the dimensions of HP's IT: what technology the firm uses, . . .

For CIOs

Presenting IT To The Board Of Directors  (339 KB PPT)

by Laurie M. Orlov, Bobby Cameron, March 7, 2007

IT executives are occasionally asked to present to the highest level of enterprise oversight, the board of directors, usually at the recommendation and invitation of the CEO. A board presentation is an excellent opportunity for the CIO to elevate his . . .

For CIOs

My View: The CIO And The CEO

by George F. Colony, February 27, 2007

Quickly: The CIO must become a teacher.

For CIOs

Presenting IT To The Board Of Directors

An Overview And Slide Structure Template for CIOs

by Laurie M. Orlov, Bobby Cameron, February 15, 2007

IT executives are occasionally asked to present to the highest level of enterprise oversight, the board of directors, usually at the recommendation and invitation of the CEO. A board presentation is an excellent opportunity for the CIO to elevate his . . .

For CIOs

Closing The CEO-CIO Gap

CEOs And CIOs Need Loftier Aspirations For IT's Contribution

by Laurie M. Orlov, February 7, 2007

IT executives continue to cite IT-business alignment as a key worry; at first glance, however, they shouldn't worry — the boss likes them. On deeper reflection, many CIOs and their shareholders should worry because CEOs don't expect much proactive behavior . . .

CIOs: Do Your Peers Need An IT University?

Training Business Execs On Their Role In IT

by Laurie M. Orlov, November 22, 2006

CIOs often complain privately that their business peers, the heads of functional departments and business units, don't "get" IT. Furthermore, they don't understand the basics of processes, systems, and data and don't grasp the importance of their own . . .

Marketing Information Security

Three Successful CISOs Tell Their Stories

by Khalid Kark, August 1, 2006

Security has an image problem in the enterprise. Execs, managers, and end users alike see information security as a money pit, roadblock, or policeman. What's more, security lacks visibility in the enterprise because successful security practices mean . . .

Intel's IT Marketing: Progress Report

by Laurie M. Orlov, May 23, 2006

Forrester interviewed John Hotze, director of Intel's IT marketing group and a leader in the use of structured approaches to marketing IT's value and rollouts, for its August 2005 research report "The Marketing Of IT." We spoke with Mr. Hotze again in . . .

Is Enterprise Architecture Meeting Its Customers' Needs?

by Alex Cullen, May 23, 2006

Enterprise architecture (EA) groups provide value to IT and the business through their influence on IT's plans and projects. Effective influence depends on how well EA is meeting the information, direction, and advice needs of its customers: IT management . . .

Step By Step: A Template For Marketing IT To The Business

by Laurie M. Orlov, May 23, 2006

Many IT organizations are just beginning the journey toward more effectively marketing IT to their business constituents. But what is the right step-by-step approach to use to jump-start their efforts? This document examines and synthesizes Forrester's . . .

Taking The Pulse Of IT Marketing

by Laurie M. Orlov, April 27, 2006

IT leaders are aware of the need to market IT, but they have not dedicated a role or structured a process for marketing. Therefore, they are missing opportunities to communicate IT's value and are contributing to uneven perception of IT across the business. . . .

Marketing EA's Value

IT Must Understand The Value For EA Groups To Be Successful

by Alex Cullen, January 3, 2006

Enterprise architecture (EA) groups believe their work is valuable — but they struggle with how to communicate this value to the rest of IT. Underlying this struggle is EA's focus on future options and improvements, while the rest of IT is focused on . . .

The Marketing Of IT

A Core Element Of Improving IT's Business Value

by Laurie M. Orlov, August 23, 2005

IT's inability to market effectively cements its cost center role in the enterprise: communicating status but not value, fulfilling requests but not solving problems, and partially deploying technologies but not delivering expected results. IT organizations . . .