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The expert consultants on staff with Innovation Vista bring C-level Technology leadership experience to their roles and insights for our clients.
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Why the IT Bar is Usually Set Too Low

The IT bar is set too low by business leaders Most CEOs and COOs spend their days trying to increase revenue and market share, while most CFOs spend their time optimizing their company’s balance sheet and ensuring that accounting is handled correctly. None of these top executives have the time or the background to focus their efforts on IT, even though all of them need it in order to achieve their goals. Without the context and knowledge of what is possible and what the paths to innovation should be, it is difficult for business executives to set, or even to push for, a vision for the full impact of technology. The bar is also set too low by IT leaders There is a misconception within many corporations that IT is merely backup and tech support for other departments. CIOs are often disincentivized to go beyond operating their platforms reliably, securely, [...]

By |2021-02-24T09:26:15-06:00February 19th, 2021|Innovation, IT Leadership, Monetizing IT, Optimizing IT, Tech Disruption|
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Change is Faster than Ever, but Will Never Again Be This Slow

This succinct summary of the challenge of modern life is a quote from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, from his keynote at the Davos World Economic Forum in 2018.  And although that organization tried to downplay the sentiment later that year, Trudeau's claim seems an accurate summary of our times. Change is hard for human beings; we are accustomed to a great deal of consistency from one day to another: in what is expected of us, in the tools we use to perform those duties, in how we're perceived by others and how we interact with others, in what constitutes the necessities of life, and in how we obtain those necessities.  Most of us feel we can "handle" change, but when we say that we usually mean one change at a time, and with a pause after each change before we're forced to confront the next one. The challenge today [...]

By |2021-02-11T10:10:56-06:00November 15th, 2020|Digital Transformation, Innovation, IT Leadership, Tech Disruption|
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Need an Expert Speaker on Innovation?

Searching for a keynote speaker for your conference or seminar?  Looking for an expert on Innovation or IT strategy to stoke the creative fires of your group? Many of Innovation Vista's expert consultants are also expert public speakers! Sometimes an outside expert can bring just the new perspective that's needed to get your group thinking differently.  Any of our core services or areas or expertise are fair game: Innovation IT Strategy Virtual/Fractional Part-time CIO Services Using IT to Drive Revenue & Market-share Artificial Intelligence Weaponizing Data as a Competitive Advantage Digital Transformation Monetizing Your IT Optimizing Your IT Stabilizing Your IT Weaponizing Data Information Security Disrupting Your Industry with Tech Interim/Transitional IT Leadership How to Succeed as a CIO System Implementation Tech Assessments Contact us today if you're seeking a speaker for your event.  (Also note: We are happy to do pro bono speeches for non-profits and worthy causes...)

By |2021-02-11T10:12:17-06:00November 8th, 2019|News|
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Not Every Company Needs Our Services – Only Those Which Have Data

A recent McKinsey study found that companies which invested in data quality and analytics increased their profit margin an average of 6%.  For context, the average profit margin across Fortune 500 companies was just 10.7%...!  Who isn't interested in pursuing an increase in their profits of 2/3?  And unlike traditional IT automation, Digital Transformation can not only reduce costs but also potentially increase revenue. Unless your company does not track or utilize data at all, you are missing an opportunity at these kinds of returns if you're not "weaponizing" your data.  GAAP Accounting does not currently allow companies to book their data as an asset on the balance sheet, per se, but it’s safe to say that between two companies with similar financials, the one with the highest quantity & quality of data is truly “worth more” (and will have tangibly better results!) than one with limited, low quality data.  [...]

By |2021-02-11T10:12:45-06:00September 29th, 2019|Data & Analytics, Digital Transformation, Innovation, IT Leadership, Monetizing IT, News|
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Innovation Vista Announces Acquisition of Tech-Advisors.net

Houston, Texas, USA   For immediate release   Innovation Vista announces the acquisition of Tech-Advisors.net, a tech site originally established in 2011 as an online IT consultancy. Effective today, visitors to tech-advisors.net will be redirected to InnovationVista.com for our combined online materials and consulting offerings. "This acquisition represents a quality addition to our online offerings, and we could not be more excited. The resources acquired will add significant depth to our client-only materials", a spokesperson for the company commented. Innovation Vista, LLC is a technology consultancy providing senior business leaders technology insights and a full suite of strategy consulting services from experienced C-level IT leaders with proven track records.   Please direct inquiries to news@innovationvista.com.

By |2021-02-11T10:12:57-06:00August 28th, 2019|News|
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Turning IT into a Profit Center · Client Success Story

Innovation Vista keeps our past clients and partnerships confidential.  Unless you choose to publicize our joint work, the public - and specifically your competitors - will not know you are working with us, or planning anything new or different.   Sun Tzu said it well: All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.  -- Sun Tzu, The Art of War It is often useful for new and potential clients, though, who are envisioning possible innovation and digital projects, to consider how our approach has benefitted other companies, even just in broad anonymized strokes... One recent example was a financial intermediary involved in connecting counterparties with specific investment needs [...]

By |2021-02-11T10:13:20-06:00May 1st, 2019|Artificial Intelligence, Data & Analytics, Digital Transformation, Innovation, IT Leadership, Monetizing IT|
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Kodak – April Fools Day cautionary tale

Kodak was a household name. Everyone either knew of Kodak or owned one of their cameras. Their success was admired by brands worldwide. Their success didn’t last forever. Over the course of a few short months, the brand started to disappear. Other brands, like Sony and Canon, took center stage. It wasn’t too long before younger generations were asking, “What’s a Kodak?” Kodak failed. But how did such a successful company fall so hard in a very short period of time? The answer has a lot to do with their resistance to change. Resistance to Change Kodak invented the first digital camera in 1975. Most people don’t know this because it was kept secret. Why? They were afraid if they let anyone know about it, their film-based business would end. Unfortunately, not releasing that information ended up leading them to their fear. Sony and Canon jumped on the chance to [...]

By |2021-02-11T10:15:24-06:00April 1st, 2018|Tech Disruption|
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Borders – April Fools Day cautionary tale

The bookstore giant Borders at one time operated over 500 stores and employed 20,000 people.  From these highs, the company crashed quickly - so quickly that most people had no idea it was going under until it did. The debts were high, and the income wasn’t high enough. No one, including publishers, wanted the bookstore to die, but it couldn’t be resuscitated.   What Happened to Borders It started in the 1970s in Ann Arbor. Tom and Louis Borders created an inventory tracking system that was as intelligent as computer systems allowed at the time. In addition to their books, the Borders’ brothers licensed out their inventory system starting in the 1980s. This enabled them to expand their store into Michigan and Philadelphia.  From their they launched nationwide. In 1991, Borders was sold to KMart, who was interested in both their stores and their inventory system. This was the start [...]

By |2021-02-11T10:16:01-06:00April 1st, 2017|Tech Disruption|
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Be the Business – CIOs in the New Era of IT

Be the Business is the latest offering from well-known CIO recruiter Martha Heller, author of the CIO Paradox, a well-written guide to the myriad trade-offs involved in being a successful CIO. In her latest book, she further explores the challenges faced by CIOs in the new Digital era of disruption and transformation, and she proposes a significant shift in mindset as the key answer.  Rather than a service provider, partner, or other analogous relationship, Heller’s suggestion is to envision IT as identical with the business, in the sense of how it measures its success and how it should set its priorities. Increasingly, with new technologies rising in impact and disrupting so many industries, it is IT which both enables and envisions many companies’ futures.  Owning that responsibility helps CIOs set their mindset on the right compass heading, and should also increase their wingspan and influence at the executive table as [...]

By |2021-02-11T10:16:07-06:00September 27th, 2016|Book Review|
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