Slaying the digital dragon

Ken McGee, VP and Gartner Fellow for Gartner Inc.

What is a digital strategy and do we really need it? (Part 1 of 2)
In the first of a two part series, Jim Love, CIO and Chief Digital Officer at IT World Canada interviews Ken McGee, VP and Gartner Fellow. Why do I need a digital strategy? What is digital business? Why don’t businesses see the threats that are out there from new disruptive technologies? What are the real obstacles to making the shift to becoming a Digital Business?

Building the digital roadmap.
The digital roadmap explains how you get to the digital strategy and starts with the question – “do we really need a digital strategy?” McGee maintains that the CIO should be leading this process as they are the most conversant with business and technology but they need to take the initiative.

Can the CIO lead the transformation to the digital enterprise?  (Part 2 of 2)
In the second of a two part series on transforming to a Digital Enterprise, Jim Love, CIO and Chief Digital Officer at IT World Canada interviews Ken McGee, VP and Gartner Fellow. Jim and Ken discuss how CIO’s can position themselves to lead the transformation to the Digital Enterprise. Ken explains why the word “technology” is a boat anchor holding back many CIO’s from a task that is necessary and which they may be eminently capable of and qualified for.

Going digital in your production is one thing, going digital in your thinking and culture is quite another. Yet making that change is essential. “What has made you successful in the past can hold you back” says Ken McGee. He suggests what he calls a “Revenue Threat Analysis” as one way of starting that important change in thinking. He gives other practical advice on how to move forward and how to become an advisor to the CEO.

The discussion closes with a look at what skills sets and development does the CIO have to develop to be a credible candidate to be seen as a “chief digital officer”

About the CIO to CIO series:

Fair warning – this series is for those who want to get to a slightly deeper level in some complex topics. Our discussions are still at a strategic level – we aren’t ‘in the weeds”. But we don’t simply “skim the surface”. The length and the depth of the discussion may go beyond what you are used to in typical internet videos. So I’ve broken them up into bit sized chunks at about 6 minutes each. Grab a cup of coffee. Close the door and let some of Gartner’s leading analysts bring you up to date on key issues.