Key findings from a new global survey on the Changing Role of IT. New research commissioned by CA Technologies and conducted by Vanson Bourne illustrates how radically the role of IT is changing in today’s business—and not always to the benefit of IT leaders and staffers. The survey of 1,300 senior IT leaders from large organizations in 21 countries explored the IT department as it is today and what it might become in the future.

1. Seven Changes Driving the
Future of IT

2. Key findings from a new global survey
on the Changing Role of IT
New research commissioned by CA Technologies
and conducted by Vanson Bourne
illustrates how radically the role of IT is changing in
today’s business—and not always
to the benefit of IT leaders and staffers.
The survey of 1,300 senior IT leaders from large
organizations in 21 countries explored the IT
department as it is today and what it might become
in the future.

3. Change 1. Business is IT, and IT is the
business
Business is growing more tech savvy, and controls more of the IT budget.
More than one-third (35%) of IT spending is occurring outside of the IT
department today – and that number is expected to grow to 44% in
three years.

4. IT touches the customer now, more
than ever
All online customer touches – websites, mobile,
even interactive voice response – involve
technology, whether or not the IT department is
involved

5. Change 2. The CIO is now more likely
to report to the CEO
As a measure of how strategic technology
has become to the business, more CIOs
now report to the CEO than ever before

6. Yet CIOs are Less Likely to Think
of the IT Department as Strategic
Technology is important, not IT…

7. Change 3. Greater spending on new
business services
IT spending overall is moving away from “lights
on” towards new business initiatives. Spending
on new products and services is expected to
grow in the the next three years from 49% to
59% of the total IT budget.

8. Change 4. IT is becoming a consultant
or broker to the business
• Broker, Consultant, or Sole Provider?
• 39% of respondents now see the IT
department as a service broker or consultant
to the line of business, rather than a sole-
source provider of IT services.

9. Change 5. Everyone sees change coming, but there is
disagreement on what it means
• IT Functions: Who Will be Responsible in Five
Years?
– Stay the same as today: 28%
– Some IT functions will move to other departments but
IT will remain a separate specialized department: 34%
– Most IT functions will move to other departments but
IT will remain a separate specialized department: 17%
– All IT functions will be incorporated into other
departments and IT specialists will report to LOB
mgmt.: 8%
– All IT in the organization will be outsourced: 13%

10. Change 6. Technical roles shrink,
while business roles grow
• “Which of the following best describes the primary role of
IT within your organization currently and in three years’
time?”
– Technical Roles
• Ensuring the organization’s critical data is secure
• Maintaining the organization’s infrastructure & apps
• Providing technology support to employees
• Fixing problems as they arise
– Business Roles
• Strategic business partner and advising the business
• Improving the customer experience
• Driver of new business
• Developer of new, innovative products/services

11. Change 7. Today’s IT organizations are
not quantifying the value they
provide to the business.
– Measure benefits of current IT investments
– Share key performance metrics with the business
– Model how a shift in IT investment impacts
business

12. The danger: If IT can’t prove value …
… then IT won’t have the credibility it needs to
act as a consultant or a broker to the business!

13. Act now, before it is too late to shape
your future
IT leaders need to understand the full scope of
the changes taking place in IT, learn the value
that only IT can provide to the business, and get
the specific guidance needed to evolve their role
and increase IT’s relevance.
Download the white paper, TechInsights
Report: The Changing Role of IT and What To
Do About It