Strategies for the “New Normal”
Debra Allison | March 15, 2010
Interim Vice President for Information Technology
Miami University
AGENDA

Strategic Planning at Your Institution
 Today’s Environment: The New Normal
 Discuss Strategies for the New Normal
 What Does This Mean for the CIO?
Does your institution have a strategic plan?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
We have both an institutional strategic plan &
an IT strategic plan.
We have an institutional strategic plan only.
We have an IT strategic plan only.
We don’t have either an IT or institutional SP.
Not sure.
Are your IT projects driven by a strategic
plan?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Yes, the strategic plan is the primary driver of
the projects we undertake in IT.
Yes, the strategic plan is one of the drivers of
our IT projects.
No, the strategic plan isn’t referenced.
No, the strategic plan is outdated.
We don’t have any strategic plan (inst’l or IT).
Today’s Higher Education Environment

Widespread demands for access, affordability,
accountability
 Permanent financial pressures
 “Disruptive Innovations” in education
 Consumerization of technology
 Increased need for prioritization of initiatives
 Competition for students
 Higher ed is becoming a competitive business
How does your institution view the IT org?
A.
Our IT organization is primarily viewed as a
technology provider



B.
IT is an expense
Goal is to keep IT expenses as low as possible
CIO viewed as a technologist
Our IT organization is primarily viewed as a
service partner & innovator



IT is viewed as an investment (at least sometimes)
Goal is to innovate & move the institution forward
CIO viewed as an academic & business strategist
In the “new normal,” IT must view itself as a
innovation partner. For CIO, this means…

Relationship competencies



Management competencies



Emotional Intelligence
Adaptive communication style
Data-informed management (traditional business skills)
Proactive service management
Leadership competencies


Capture opportunities as a servant-leader
Transformational leadership
New Business Models in Higher Ed IT
More than “aligned;” strive for “embedded”
 Leverage past investments in IT
 “End of Life” services to make room for new



Cut budgets AND invest
Capture opportunities
 Evaluate new sourcing options
 Implement “Shared Services”
 Evaluate TCO over 5-10 years
 Evaluate ROI
What is your career goal?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
I am a CIO and I plan to continue as a CIO.
I am a CIO and I do not plan to continue.
I am an IT professional and plan to pursue a
CIO position for the future.
I am employed outside IT but plan to pursue a
CIO position for the future.
Why in the world would anyone want to be a
CIO?
What is the single best way for you to obtain
skills/competencies for the “new normal?” at
this stage in your career?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
On-the-job training
Mentoring by your boss
Mentoring by a CIO outside your institution
Participation in EDUCAUSE & other organizations
Pursue higher degree
Fundamental Question

How do we plan in the midst of the chaos?
 One creative approach…
Miami University

IT vision http://www.muohio.edu/itplan
 Light on forums
 Emphasis on web-based interactions
 Crowdsourcing
 “Ideas” campaign

Based upon “My Starbuck’s Idea Campaign”

Share, Vote, Discuss, See
Miami University
IT Ideas Campaign
http://www.muohio.edu/ITideas
•Discuss-Comment-Vote
•Submit
New Ideas
•Ideas in Action
Continuous
strategic planning
Miami University
IT Ideas Campaign
http://www.muohio.edu/ITideas
Specific Strategies in the “New Normal”

End-of-Life services
 Collaborate internally & outside the institution
 Implement instit’l solutions, not point solutions
 Evaluate all sourcing options
 Create IT “Communities of Practice”
 Organize around services
 Proactively deal with under-performers
 Scenario planning to improve agility
 Build a leaner IT organization
Discussion

Tell us what skills are most critical to become a
successful CIO in the future. Is the “new normal”
forcing new or enhanced skills?
 What do you most need in order to be an
effective CIO at your institution?
 What does the “new normal” mean for IT
organizational structures?
 What other challenges & opportunities would you
like to talk about?
THANK YOU