Key points:
88% of CIOs say their role is increasingly digital and increasingly focused on innovation. This begs the question: How can education, a notoriously slow industry, keep pace with digital transformation?
During the FETC 2024 session, Marlon Shears, CIO of IDEA Public Schools, provided a realistic look at what CIOs across all sectors are prioritizing and how digital transformation is driving change and investment in education.
But defining digital transformation is easier said than done. Because digital transformation varies from organization to organization. But while there is no set definition, Shears said, this shift can generally be defined as the integration of digital technologies into all areas of the business, resulting in fundamental changes to how the business operates and how the business delivers value to its stakeholders.
But to drive this change, Shears said, CIOs must challenge the status quo and be comfortable with failure.
“We have to challenge ourselves and say, ‘We don’t do that here,’” he said. “You have to be a leader who challenges that. You may not always like it, but achieving digital transformation requires building a culture of dependence and trust. “This is not a success story that happened overnight.”
CIOs seeking change must be comfortable with failure. “This is one of the hardest things,” Shears added. “No one is perfect when trying to change, integrate and do different things to add value to an organization. If we are uncomfortable with failing and our organization is uncomfortable with our failures, are we really digitally transforming? “You have to convey that to the supervisor.”
CIOs in other industries are prioritizing AI. A new study of CIOs shows 80% are spending their time on AI and machine learning. This is an increase from 55% in 2023. 70% are focused on cybersecurity, and 61% are focused on data privacy and compliance.
Challenges include staffing and skills shortages, changing business conditions, addressing security threats, and budget constraints/demonstrating ROI.
CIOs expect to increase their technology budgets in 2024 due to improved security, rising costs of technology and services, investments in emerging technologies such as AI, investments in new skills and talent, and modernization or migration of infrastructure.
“Digital transformation is not just computers, it’s how you take your organization to the next level,” he said. “This is something we all started with, but we also need to know where we want to go. “This means making bold choices.”
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