Thought Leadership on AI & Tech Leadership
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Latest !nsights from our Experts
Beyond Vanilla · The Power of Tailored IT Recommendations
Generic best practices found on the internet often fall short of an organization’s unique needs and challenges. Tailored IT recommendations consider current IT capabilities, overall strategy and industry-specific trends. Real expertise makes the difference, from interim or virtual leadership to advisory services.
Innovation Vista Acquires CIOconsulting.com
Innovation Vista has acquired CIOconsulting.com as the next step in enhancing the firm’s reach and domain portfolio. Founder and CEO Jeff Roberts says the domain aligns perfectly with the firm’s core service offerings and broadens its footprint.
Critical Success Factors for CIOs & CTOs
A high-performing CIO or CTO balances technical expertise with strategic vision and leadership skills. Critical success factors include learning the business and collaborating with organizational leadership on an IT strategy aligned to its vision. Building an innovative culture and managing vendors also drive sustained success.
The CIO Mindset that Wins · Leading Tech is Mostly About Leading People
Many CIOs still put technical issues ahead of business impact despite being seen as business strategists. The modern CIO must be a human-centered leader who helps people understand and embrace the value technology creates. Leading technology is mostly about leading people.
Starting Small Doesn’t Mean Having Small Horizons · The Case of Oak Street Health
Oak Street Health practiced a strategic version of starting small, compressing scope to generate the learning that large success requires. It began with one clinic and built a flywheel of adjacent possibilities. The result was a $10.6 billion acquisition.
Innovation Vista Surpasses 400 C-level IT Consultants
Innovation Vista announces that its network of C-level IT leaders has grown to over 400 consultants. That pool lets the firm hand-pick the best consultant, uniquely positioned and qualified, to guide each client’s IT strategy and innovation efforts.
The Easiest Choice · Hand-picked IT Consultant or Next One off the Bench?
Companies buying IT consulting face a complex spectrum of options, yet most firms share one staffing model. Hand-picking a consultant avoids the square peg in the round hole by matching industry expertise, tool proficiency and strategic alignment.
Innovation Vista honored as one of Top 5 Most Disruptive Companies
CEO Views magazine named Innovation Vista one of the Top 5 Most Disruptive Companies of the Year for 2024. The firm says the award fits its model of helping clients disrupt their industries with unique IT capabilities that create competitive advantage.
The Power of One · The Opposite of “Land and Expand”
Many IT consulting firms use land and expand, where senior consultants on strategy work pave the way for more staff engagements. Innovation Vista takes the opposite approach, the Power of One, delivering tailored, high-impact guidance through individual expertise.
Navigating Business & IT at the Inflection Point
Technology is moving so fast that traditional leadership skills alone are no longer enough. The new leadership paradigm calls for integrating external expertise and collaborating more closely with consultants. Specialized outside knowledge helps organizations weather the storm of change.
AI Strategy Crossroads · Building AI vs Buying AI vs Waiting for Free AI
Companies face three AI options: build custom systems, buy existing solutions or wait for AI to arrive in current products. Each path has unique advantages. Expert advice helps align the choice with the company’s overall objectives.
Business Planning in the Digital Era
Business planning in the digital age means understanding and integrating technology’s role in every facet of the organization. Effective frameworks help, but the key to success is staying informed, being agile, focusing on digital literacy, using data wisely and embracing digital transformation.
Accelerating ROI · the Flywheel Effect of Digital Investments
Digital investments are usually justified on ROI from efficiencies, compliance or added revenue. The flywheel effect reduces friction and increases pace as investments build on one another. The edge may evaporate for companies that wait, so think beyond immediate gains.
Innovation Vista’s 2026 Mid-market Picks · Top Ten CRMs
Midsize companies have myriad CRM options, and this comparison ranks the top 10 on features, scalability and affordability. The list starts with Odoo, Salesforce Sales Cloud and Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM. Match the choice to your growth plans through a professional evaluation.
The Key Ingredient for Innovation Isn’t What You Think
Most people believe the key to innovation is investing in technological capabilities, but culture matters more. A poor culture has a dark side, while a healthy culture lets innovation flourish. Leaders who want innovation should treat culture as their most potent weapon.
The Art & Science of Turning Around an IT Department
No single article can describe exactly how to turn around an IT department, because every organization has different strengths and weaknesses. The approach builds trust with leadership, then with the IT department and vendors. The final analysis shows the organization’s resilience, adaptability and capability for change.
The Fox Guarding the Henhouse · Why your MSP is your Worst IT Strategy Advisor
Managed service providers excel at keeping systems operational and secure, but expecting them to define your IT strategy may be misguided. Conflicts of interest, a cost-efficiency bias and limited exposure to industry trends get in the way. Seek advice that is uncompromised and focused on your organization’s best interests.
CIOs must Unlearn some of their Training in order to Succeed
CIOs often have to leave part of their training behind to succeed in the C-suite. The modern CIO is a business leader first, so business vernacular and objectives should come before technical jargon. That means balancing technological proficiency with business acumen.
How to Find Impactful AI Projects for your Company
Excitement over AI often runs ahead of identifying the needs and opportunities where it could be used. A practical approach first categorizes high-volume tasks by AI feasibility, then analyzes the economic return. Targeting areas where AI complements or supersedes human effort is where the efficiencies appear.
The SEC Formally Raises the Cybersecurity Bar for Public Companies
The SEC has adopted sweeping new cybersecurity rules for publicly traded companies. These rules are set to change how public companies approach data protection and incident reporting. Companies that respond proactively can meet requirements while raising investor confidence and gaining competitive advantage.
The Power of Personalization · Progressive Insurance
In 2011 Progressive Insurance was a mid-tier player in a commodity market, about 10x smaller than today. Auto insurance was priced in buckets by age, zip code, gender and driving record, so nobody knew how people actually drove. Progressive collected the data no one thought to collect, and a flywheel began turning.
A Bottom-Up Path to Innovation – Obviate your Open Jobs
Top-down digital transformation plans are not always feasible or palatable for leadership. A bottom-up path automates the duties of open jobs, turning vacancies into a starting point for innovation. Organizations that adopt it can maintain or even build their competitive edge.
How much do Interim & Virtual CIOs cost? · A Transparent Pricing Guide for the Mid-Market
Innovation Vista’s CIO services range from $4,000 to $50,000 per month, depending on the scope of leadership required. Most mid-market engagements fall into three bands: strategic advisory, part-time fractional or virtual leadership, and full-scope interim or turnaround leadership.
AI · Solutions in Search of the Right Problems
ChatGPT reached 100 million users in 60 days, and AI has inverted the traditional IT and business challenge. Now coming up with the right problems is the hard part. Finding them is a collaborative exercise pairing your knowledge of strategy and process with an expert’s knowledge of the art of the possible.
Innovation Vista Earns 2nd Innovation Award in As Many Months
SuccessKnocks magazine chose Innovation Vista for its Innovation Awards, the firm’s second innovation award in as many months. The firm is especially pleased that the magazine recognized both the innovation it brings to clients and its innovative model.
It’s the Customer, Stupid
Customer experience drives organic growth, yet it is often forgotten and maligned in the name of controlling costs. Technology can optimize the experience for both B2B and B2C companies. Businesses that invest in it to deliver personalized and efficient experiences will be better positioned to grow.
Innovation Vista named a Top 50 Most Innovative Company to Watch
CEO Views magazine named Innovation Vista one of its Top 50 Most Innovative Companies to Watch in 2023. Its writeup highlighted the firm’s network of over 450 proven IT leaders and the unique approach that sets the firm apart.
Aren’t CIOs just for Large Companies?
CIOs are not just for large companies, because experienced IT leadership matters even for small organizations. Asking the right question is key, and it matters whose hand is on the steering wheel for your technology. Experienced leadership will typically pay for itself, and going without leaves blind spots.
We have an IT manager; Do we also need a Virtual CIO?
Companies that rely heavily on technology need a competent IT manager or vendor partner, and for some organizations that is sufficient. Others benefit from adding a Virtual CIO to guide technology strategy. Companies that invest in one are likely to see significant benefits.
When Governance Becomes an Unlock · Spotify
Governance is usually treated as a tax paid for operating at scale, a necessary drag on the business. Spotify engineered it differently, with four layers working as one system. Most organizations have never asked what governance would look like if engineered to enable them.