Technology

Modern IT operating models are increasingly structured around agility, collaboration, and alignment with business goals to enhance value delivery. This change is occurring in several notable ways. First, many organizations are shifting from project-based to product-based operating models, which involves organizing IT teams around specific products or services, aligning them closely with business outcomes and end-user needs, and ensuring continuous improvement rather than episodic project deliveries. ongoing improvements rather than project-specific timelines. Second, IT teams are increasingly embracing Agile and DevOps methodologies that allows teams to deliver iterative improvements, accelerating the deployment of features and responsiveness to business needs while fostering a culture of collaboration, where cross-functional teams continuously refine solutions based on feedback and evolving requirements. Finally, the deployment of centralized, platform-based models for common services, such as data management, cybersecurity, and customer engagement, allows IT to serve diverse business units with scalable, reusable components, improving efficiency and reducing redundancies. 

To build a solid foundation for responsible and effective AI use, organizations must start with a well-defined Responsible Use of AI Policy. This policy serves as a guiding framework that aligns AI initiatives with ethical standards, regulatory requirements, and organizational values. Another critical aspect to starting thisthe AI journey is identifying and prioritizing specific AI use cases that align with the organization’s strategic objectives. By conducting an assessment to identify areas where AI can create the most value – such as improving operational efficiency, enhancing customer experience, or driving new revenue streams – organizations can manage resources more effectively as each case will likely require different data sets, expertise, and technology resources.

Technology teams are the backbone of operational resilience, building and maintaining systems that can withstand disruptions, adapt to changing conditions, and ensure continuity of critical business functions. They typically achieve this by designing robust, fault-tolerant infrastructure with built-in redundancies that keep systems running even when parts of the infrastructure fail. Sensitive data is protected through advanced, multi-layered security protocols, paired with proactive threat monitoring to address risks before they escalate. Thes technology teams also play a pivotal role in developing disaster recovery and business continuity plans that quickly restore operations after a disruption. By continuously monitoring system performance, technology teams can detect anomalies early and respond swiftly to potential issues. 

To ensure that they make the right technology investments, organizations should begin by comprehensively documenting both business and technology requirements. This involves gathering input from various stakeholders to create a holistic view the organization’s technology needs, including functionality, scalability, integration capabilities, user experience, security, and compliance requirements. This documentation serves as a blueprint, ensuring all teams are aligned on the solution’s essential capabilities. Once requirements are established, they should be prioritized based on business value by ranking them how each one supports strategic goals. Requirements that are most closely aligned with business objectives, should be given priority in the selection process. This approach avoids “feature creep” and ensures the chosen technology delivers tangible, value-driven results.