EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
JUSTIN PERKINS , CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER ,
IMAGE RELAY
By necessity , the CIO ’ s role is modernizing from that of a traditional IT manager into a more proactive , more strategic leader who can usher in real and lasting digital experience transformation across their organizations . Employees ’ digital experiences have an increasingly decisive impact on company productivity , talent recruitment and retention , and market competitiveness . Smooth digital experiences are no longer a “ nice to have .” With CIOs ’ decisions having an ever-greater influence on broader business success , the role is under more pressure to improve these experiences with the right technology and automation strategies .
In pursuing process automation to improve digital experiences , CIOs are smart to work closely with employees themselves to get the strategic details correct . Employees are eager to remove pain points from their processes – and they understand those pain points better than anyone . Often , existing processes can be streamlined even before introducing new automation technology , thereby improving the ultimate success of these initiatives .
As part of their evolving role , CIOs should also leverage employee knowledge to select appropriate metrics for success and ensure that employee expectations around new workflows are positive and realistic .
Employees ’ goals for their own careers and day-to-day happiness ( especially among highdemand talent ) are fully aligned with those of the CIO . Where employee digital experiences include shortcomings – such as being forced to work with legacy technologies , overcome outdated workflows , and perform tedious busywork – it ’ s no surprise when employees update their resumes and set out for greener pastures where they can be more effective .
CIOs who make it their role to eliminate obstacles to efficiency ( and , frankly , the boredom that dampens employees ’ digital experiences ) do their organizations a tremendous service . Where a CIO implements a digital experience blueprint that empowers employees to take initiative and do their best work , the direct results are more employee satisfaction , greater operational agility , and an edge over competitors .
The CIO ’ s role is modernizing from that of a traditional IT manager into a more proactive , more strategic leader .
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