2013 CIO Budget Priorities

Budgets represent more than a spending schedule for CIOs. They also are an essential tool for creating collaboration with business leaders regarding tech-related business priorities, as well as a crucial mechanism for sustaining focus within the IT organization during the budget's term. However, in many functions — IT and other — budgets are presumed to be static, once established. Given the enormous changes facing IT in 2013, which are fostered by technology change, business evolution, and viable alternatives to traditional IT, CIOs must periodically use the budget to test priorities and expectations with business leaders and IT staff. Data from our global Forrsights Budgets And Priorities Tracker Survey, Q4 2012 suggests a modest uptick in 2013 IT spending, good alignment between CIO plans and IT decision-makers, and continued challenges setting and meeting business leaders' expectations of IT. This report is an update of "2013 IT Budget Planning Guide For CIOs," originally published in December 2012.