The CIOs Dilemma
Introduction – “Necessity is the mother of invention”
Our world is changing. Aging digital infrastructure, inadequate transportation monitoring & limited energy resources are will have a severe influence on how we live in the future. The only sparking news is that cloud computing is enabling access to massive amounts of data and computational power enabling us to solve problems from a new perspective.
Let’s take Vancouver for example, a simulated version of the entire city was built by combining terrain files, building footprints, satellite photos and GIS data. They tried to demonstrate how population shifts affect density and its impact on new infrastructure projects. These simulations are becoming even more affordable and accessible now that they run in the cloud, not on the desktop.
As we continue into the Cloud adoption, Companies have more power leveraging the cloud to transform their business interaction with their customer’s. As these interactions mature, CIOs are constantly facing their biggest bottleneck yet with the Cloud Industry – Data Privacy and skills shortage.
The CIO Dilemma
Most CIO’s will agree that the scarcity of cloud skills is taking a toll on their sales. The foundations of a Cloud Reliant company are based on the foundation of a dangerously skewed skill base and there aren’t enough Cloud IT professionals with working knowledge. What’s more alarming is, that the skills gap has emerged at a time when almost every global organisation is planning and implementing a move to the cloud realm. In statistical terms – The demand has raised exponentially, but the supply has kept up.
A CIO needs the cloud ready skills to help them develop meaningful business cases and have this conversation with the management to identify the What, When, How to make a move to the cloud. Another crucial thought has to be given to integrating onsite systems with the cloud and still securing the entire platform.
The Solution ?
How can you have an IT dept. stocked with the best IT skills when the talent pool has little depth and your Competition is fierce. What if you couldn’t possibly compete with the billion dollar titans when hiring cloud professionals ?
Find the Right Partner.
The skill gap can be filled by using a pool of resources – Identifying the right vendord (AWS, Azure, Google cloud) and working with integration consultants (Deloitte, KPMG etc.) This solution could help CIOs implement the switch safely and effectively.
Other interesting aspect of the CIOs dilemma is:
- Cut costs vs build new capabilities
- Be more Efficient vs Responsive
- Invest to Standardize vs Customize
- Open Cloud vs Private Cloud
- Enterprise goals vs business unit goals.
“Through consistency in execution, we get speed. And where we get speed, we get improved value . Through standardization, we get consistency, we get quality, we improve delivery on all dimensions.” Stuart McGuigan, CIO Johnson &Johnson
Sources :
- https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/urban-sustainability-smart-city-future
- https://www.cio.com/article/3016340/leadership-management/cio-of-healthcare-giant-drives-the-need-for-speed.html
- https://www.optimalnetworks.com/2015/06/03/what-are-the-problems-with-cloud-computing/
- Mishra, Nitin. netmagicsolutions.com. https://www.netmagicsolutions.com, 27 Jan. 2017. Web. 12 Jul. 2018.
<https://www.netmagicsolutions.com/blog/addressing-the-cios-biggest-problem-with-cloud-adoption-skills-shortage>.
One comment on “The CIOs Dilemma”
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Hi, it is very complicated to hire engineers, not to mention IT professionals with experience in the latest technologies, why? given the high salaries of qualified ones, the scarcity of them and the limited interest they might have in company A vs company B. That without mentioning how volatile professionals are now a days with people lasting 2-3 years on a job before migrating to the next best thing. Outsourcing, partnering with bigger firms is certainly an option however the cost – benefit dilemma becomes relevant pretty quick. Technical skills training on the early stages of education is key in my mind to keep the pipeline of talent and the interest of the new generation on the field, some countries have done a better job than others on pushing on this direction with good results.