The transformation of IT: From technology-driven to business-driven

Information Technology (IT) managers must be significantly more advanced in today's technology driven business world in order to contribute to an enterprise's global productivity and success. This means discovering and assessing methodologies that can move and grow revenue based on the mountains of data that are collected, and analyzed, everyday about every aspect of an organisation, from external to internal.

IT no longer just about delivering IT services

Modern IT departments are responsible for creating and driving IT-headed revenues and for delivering value. IT strategy is no longer just about delivering technical services and solutions simply to maintain technology functions; today, the IT team is held accountable for identifying and implementing solutions that empower organisations to achieve higher levels of performance.

Information Technology as a Service (ITaaS) has developed as a result of cloud computing and virtualisation. Greater agility, flexibility, and reliability are easily delivered now through cloud computing and that has, in turn, enabled IT leaders to take a strategic approach to developing and incorporating essential productivity benefits.

Taking a strategic approach

Business transformation is rapidly occurring through IT transformation and the revolution of mindset that has accompanied that has allowed organisations to move forward, obtaining that competitive advantage needed to progress and succeed. To do that, IT leaders have taken a strategic approach, setting priorities according to organisational need:

• Broaden the objective to move beyond IT support and dispense IT solutions and systems that facilitate the competitive edge
• Drive Productivity through information technology strategies to increase revenue
• Incorporate processes that empower the organisational workforce
• Evolve from a cost centred entity to a value generator by making positive contributions to the organisation.

Information technology is no longer simply a support for business, but rather, information technology IS business; IT is now a service to the business as a whole. With cloud computing and a "massive build-out" of devices, business is entering into an entirely new era.

The time is now

Never before has there been a more optimal time for IT leaders to subsidise organisational growth and prosperity. Leaders must earmark a portion of their strategic planning cycle to a focus on revenue generation. By identifying segments where cloud computing can benefit the organisation, the IT division can become a genuine value creator.

ITaaS distribution across an organisation encompasses information technology production, business production, and automation. First, IT departments must look at infrastructure virtualisation, as well as cloud solution deployment, if it does not already exist. Second, IT must work with business executives to implement cloud infrastructure to business critical applications. Finally, organisations must move into full conversion ITaaS, with IT Department leaders proactively addressing end-users and process issues.

The compelling force

As we move into the future, the competitive advantage an enterprise can achieve will depend heavily on the capacity of that enterprise to leverage its interests in IT and do so in conjunction with innovative ways of doing business.

With an IT philosophy centred in ITaaS, Information Technology departments will be the compelling force behind organisations through front-office engagement, evolving corporate culture, intelligent progressive processes, innovation through the delivery of "always on" platforms, empowerment of cloud-savvy end-users, and value creation that outweighs cost concerns.

Though IT has not been traditionally expected to generate revenue, but rather be only a support centre for the organisation, a new era has surfaced and CIOs are asked to step up and develop IT based business models that drive new, and increase existing revenue. The new model of business is the IT-Led Business and cloud computing has made that possible.