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However , we ’ re living at a time when businesses are looking to increase their digital footprint and as businesses are forced to evolve and provide alternate offerings , CIOs are also needing to evolve into revenue drivers . IT is now moving organisations toward their financial goals , not just in e-businesses , but in traditional in-store businesses as well .

For the most part , the CIOs we work with are prioritising their spending on day-today operations and securing their now remote workforces . However , some more progressive CIOs have started to shift their focus externally , directing spending toward engaging with their new and growing online audiences in a frictionless and secure way .

This is no doubt critical for businesses who ’ ve had to launch new consumer-facing services in light of physical store closings .

Unfortunately , many CIOs believe Digital Transformation must take several years while they update complex , monolithic IT infrastructures built for a specific moment in time . In reality , we are seeing CIOs achieve quick wins by replacing parts of their legacy technology with ‘ componentised ’ digital technologies ( think building blocks ) that can be more easily reused across their infrastructure .

These include services like online payments , messaging and communication and identity management that allow businesses to speed their Digital Transformation and adapt to changing environments , whether that be a pandemic , new cyberthreats or consumer devices and expectations .

At the root of this is the idea that adaptability is a strategy , not a response . CIOs must prioritise digital technologies , development methodologies and organisational structures that promote adaptability . This doesn ’ t mean reneging on a long-term strategy , but rather making choices that give them the capacity to switch gears in the short term to meet their goals . �

SOME MORE PROGRESSIVE CIOS HAVE STARTED TO SHIFT THEIR FOCUS EXTERNALLY .