How To, Technology

Not Your Average CIO: How to Be Seen as a Chief Productivity Officer

There’s a lot more to a CIO’s list of responsibilities than just managing the department that fixes computers. For instance, finding innovative solutions that can improve productivity or cut costs is another important part of their duties. Unfortunately, finding the time to research and develop these solutions isn’t easy. Here’s a few ideas that may help you be seen as more than just the CIO!

Regular Productivity Evaluation of Current Processes – It might be a good idea to schedule your team to review current processes and procedures. Technology is constantly changing. Software is constantly being upgraded. It’s likely that a process that is several years old could do with a tune-up. Task your team to sort through these operations and ask if there is anywhere your organization can tighten up or streamline the procedure?

Virtualization Solutions – Odds are that, like most businesses, you’re already partially in the cloud. One question that is important to ask when considering methods of productivity increase is, if there are additional cloud solutions that you can benefit from. About 56% of enterprises are still identifying IT operations that can move into the cloud. Furthermore, the capabilities and security of cloud technology will continue to expand. CIOs and IT managers should make it a priority to keep an eye out for more ways that the cloud could boost productivity.

Internal Automation Survey – Each department within an enterprise has an intimate knowledge of daily operations and how technology is used to assist performing those operations. Even if your IT department installs software and regularly ensures that it is running properly, they aren’t actually using the software. Similarly, employees who have used other technology elsewhere or have heard about technology might have some insight as to how a new technology solution may further improve a process. Consider asking the people using the processes how they can be improved. It is a great way to find the gaps in your company’s operation that might not have been detected.

There are many possible ways to boost productivity by introducing innovative technology. If you don’t have as much time to devote to research and development as you’d like, there is always the option to outsource your department’s more daunting tasks, such as end-user support or maintenance. At IronEdge, we believe everyone deserves great experiences with their technology. Contact us today to propel your business forward!

Ruben Lombrana