5 minute read
CULTURE IS BECOMING
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IS ABOUT FAR MORE THAN JUST TECHNOLOGY. IT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY CLEAR THAT THE HUMAN SIDE CERTAINLY NEEDS A LOT OF ATTENTION, ESPECIALLY IN VIEW OF LABOR SHORTAGES AND THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABILITY. VP ANALYST JORGEN HEIZENBERG CONSIDERS HOW THIS TOPIC TIES IN WITH DATA, ANALYTICS, AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
By: Marco van der Hoeven
“Our customers deal with data, analytics, and artificial intelligence every day,” says Gartner’s VP Analyst Jorgen Heizenberg. “Of course, this has been on the agenda of organizations for a long time, but we can see that it has been accelerating enormously over the last two years. I’ve been working in this field for more than 25 years now, and I don’t think it’s ever been happening as fast as it is today. More and more people are taking an interest in this subject, and they are getting better and better at understanding what it is and what the possibilities are.” “We’re seeing many interesting initiatives emerging in practice; the growth is explosive. This development is good news, of course. But the downside is that, in practice, there is a huge shortage of knowledge and employees with the right skills on data and analytics teams. The market simply can’t meet the demand.”
AN ACCELERATOR
“This is an interesting development, yet a striking complication when it comes to digital transformation. Research shows that most organizations see data, analytics, and artificial intelligence as an accelerator. Even if they don’t explicitly mention it, it’s often happening indirectly.” “For example, when they talk about improving the customer experience, this often includes customer analytics. Or improving the supply chain, this includes operational analytics. Essentially, I think we are now seeing data, analytics, and artificial intelligence play a crucial role practically everywhere and in every corner.”
IT SYMPOSIUM
This development fits in well with the theme of the IT Symposium: Meet the moment, make the difference. “Every business moment revolves around data and analytics. That’s also how you as an organization make the difference. So, the theme of IT Symposium is very apt.” One of the trends in data, analytics, and artificial intelligence – within the broader trend toward sustainability – is how to use this technology for good. Heizenberg recently investigated this phenomenon. “Because you can see data and analytics everywhere, you need people, such as data engineers and data scientists, to get started. The big challenge is finding those people and keeping them involved in your organization. In my recent publication, I make a number of recommendations on looking at this issue from a different perspective. You don’t always need someone with two years of experience, plus knowledge of three programming languages. Maybe there’s someone at your organization who may not have the experience, but they do have the potential.”
A CLEAR SHIFT
“Gartner also sees a clear shift, even beyond data and analytics, toward the values surrounding a job role. It’s not just about how much you get paid, but also what you can learn and whether you feel at home at an organization. Basically, there’s more and more appreciation of the human side.” “One of our recommendations is to ensure that people can develop in an organization, maybe by engaging in a data-for-good initiative. So, in addition to the time
JORGEN HEIZENBERG
they spend on the business, they might also work on optimizing the business process, or pick up a data and analytics project for a good cause. This is an effective means of recruiting and retaining staff.” But it’s important not to approach it from a purely transactional perspective. “You need to ensure that it supports what you as an organization deem important. So, make sure it fits the culture of your organization. Avoid greenwashing, and don’t just do it to get staff through the door. Do it simply because you think your organization should have a social goal, as well as a commercial goal.”
SUSTAINABILITY
“We see this increasingly coming up in practice. Research shows that more and more organizations taking sustainability seriously, often as part of an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiative. Climate change, helping people, and fighting poverty are things that companies are becoming more and more engaged in alongside their commercial operations. It’s nice to see a business that is about more than just business. A people-oriented culture is becoming more important than just maximizing profits .” “Companies can see perfectly well that the world is changing and that they are not only dealing with shareholders in the commercial sense, but they also have to take into account stakeholders from wider society. Of course, that doesn’t mean they need to stop everything they’re doing to save the world, but just consider the social aspects, such as their impact on the environment. This is reflected in the fact that more and more companies are publishing ESG reports and are intrinsically motivated to do their bit to make the world a better place.”
HUMAN-CENTERED
This also means that the role of the CIO is changing, and more human-oriented components are needed. “Instead of a traditional platform-focused institution, that human side will have to play a role. CIOs might need to think more about bringing more balance to their teams. How can they ensure that they have not only technical experts on their team, but also people with more knowledge of the business side? Or how do they make sure that they include people who are highly analytical in their team, and people who are more empathetic in nature?” What’s more, CIOs will need to consider the changes occurring right now in society. The turmoil in the labor market and all those external factors will continue to affect their own duties and responsibilities. “And the same goes for them: If they want to attract and retain employees, they need to adopt that human-centered approach.” “In practice, we are seeing more and more CIOs recognize this; they also want to be part of these initiatives. I think this picture that some may have of a CIO as head of a boilerhouse is outdated. Most CIOs really do understand that tools and technology are the means, not the end, and that these can support them in making all kinds of changes within their organization.”
