Tasking the CIO and CTO with driving innovation can make a difference in how the company moves toward new initiatives. But new ideas and ways to use technology to improve operations can't be the sole province of top level-technology executives. Good Technology's CTO Nicko van Someren suggests the CIO and CTO should lead the charge to innovate but also enlist other strategic thinkers to join the effort.
van Someren says: "Innovation is the responsibility of all employees within an organization, but the role naturally fits under the CIO and the CTO as the lead drivers of innovation and technological change.
"The CIO and CTO have very different roles within a company. The CIO spearheads how his or her company can strategically apply new technology, and it’s the CTO’s responsibility to apply new technology to do something different in order to create a new source of innovation. For example, a CIO will be driving innovation to find more powerful ways to mine the company's data so they can better serve their customers, and the CTO will drive innovation to mine the company's data to open up a new line of business.
"The process for generating ideas can also be sporadic. Innovation doesn’t always originate within the company’s office walls. Often, the inspiration can stem from having interactions with the customers or partners, and hearing fresh perspectives from new sources. It’s a combination of staying in tune with IT developments but also putting yourself in an collaborative environment where innovation is encouraged.
"For the C-level, all executives need to be thinking about IT innovation, not just the CIO and CTO. Providing the questions that need to be answered is often a useful exercise when dealing with a problem or brainstorming new ideas. Beyond the boardroom, sales teams and accountants are often excellent sources as they have a raw perspective on what really impacts the bottom-line. For example, using technology to improve the sales process, and accelerating the time from the customer’s initial agreement to payment finalization are all very important processes.”
Read, "How CIOs can develop future leaders while growing the company."
