What’s in a name? The practicalities of being a public sector CIO

Produced by: Socitm Insight

Type: Reports

The ICT function is often the principal enabler of service modernisation, and has a pivotal role in the public service. Who is best able to ensure that organisations seize the opportunity?

Love it or loathe it, the term CIO is taking hold in the public sector. The government sees the CIO role as critical to implementing the transformation agenda, and has made appointments in every major department. Some local authorities have followed the lead. Others running public sector ICT functions behave as a CIO, albeit without that title. We know that many Heads of ICT and Chief Technology Officers have difficulty in knowing what they should do differently, how they should spend their time, and with whom. Our report provides the answers.

We surveyed 76 public sector organisations, and interviewed ten CIOs to get to the heart of the matter.

The report contents are:

• Introduction
• CIO and CTO compared
• CIO role as agent of business change
• CIO role as information manager
• CIO role as manager of the ICT function
• Conclusions

This report focuses on the practice of those who carry out the role now. It is a pragmatic not a theoretical guide. Whether you are a CIO already, aspire to the role, or are uncertain about whether the role is right for you, this is an essential guide.

Last modified: 20th July 2011