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Learning from those that have experienced IT Transformation!

The CIO Challenge

Don’t just sit there, read some of the experiences many experts have already come across! Then engage your IT Department.

At CIOstraightalk, we believe in fostering a community of like-minded CIOs who are passionate about IT transformation in corporate environments. Our platform provides a space for CIOs to read and share ideas, enabling them to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and innovations in the industry. Join our network of forward-thinking leaders who are ready to take their technology departments into the future. Together, let’s shape the CIO office for the twenty twenties and beyond. Embrace straight talk and collaborate with us at CIOstraightalk – where ideas become reality.

Craig Ashmole

Founding Partner, CCServe Limited

Trusting in Interim Consulting

Due to the nature of what Interim Consultants do they bring with them many years of exposure to multiple different IT change programmes across many differing business corporations. This is the experience one cannot just learn in a classroom environment. We all know that IT and Operational migration or change programmes are probably better handled by experience that’s been there or done it before, so CIO’s should utilise Interim’s to support their transition projects.

Cloud is here to stay

Brace yourself as we see major Cloud providers such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google and VMware all building data centres in the European Union (EU) as locally based enterprises insist their cloud data stays in the region. Don’t use the lame excuse of security concerns to prevent your department exploring the Cloud. Cloud is not for every application in every business but it is for many applications especially Microsoft 365 and some utility applications to run one’s business. CIOs need to choose.

Technology Comfort Zone

The more open minded CIO would certainly recognise the value in the market of seasoned and experienced interim consultants. So take advantage of a temporary short term period using Interims to move the CIO office out of one’s comfort zone. Interims have agility, and gravitas to see what’s needed to be done and usually over qualified for the role, however interims often open up technology innovation and bring new fresh ideas to the table.

Straight Talking Technology Topics:

Virtual Shared Services after COVID

Virtual Shared Services after COVID

The new way of business in the Virtual Shared Services Centres post COVID-19 Social, Collaborative, Yet Virtual will be the New Shared Services model post-COVID-19 With each passing day, more countries are nearing lockdown amid fears of widespread COVID-19. While it...

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Homeworking In The Contact Centre

Homeworking In The Contact Centre

Homeworking In The Contact Centre Industry During COVID-19 Challenges of homeworking in the contact centre industry and why balance will be key in future flexibility COVID-19 has even more businesses talking about and having to engage with homeworking. Some advocate...

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Hiring the old guy

Hiring the old guy

Do you or don't you, hire ‘the old guy’! Perhaps I am just getting a bit older, but the IT industry seems to be more of a game for younger people these days. Although, to be fair, Police Officers are looking younger all the time too. “As time goes by...

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CIOs benefiting from Interim’s

CIOs benefiting from Interim’s

4 key objectives CIOs can benefit from using Interims to deliver less politics, and more action Taking charge of a programme by an interim for what’s considered a short period of time doesn't mean the Interim can't make a big impact to an organisation. Full-time...

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Customer Service Effort

Customer Service Effort

Great Customer Service Requires Very Little Effort Why the Financial Service Industry Needs to Simplify Every Customer Interaction In the early 1990’s I remember reading the following story in the IT press: McConnell got so fed up with not being able to...

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Changing Data Centres

Changing Data Centres

Traditional data centre’s are undergoing many revolutionary changes as we head to the 2020’s Hybrid cloud infrastructures, hosted servers, virtualized servers, and new methods to save energy and reduce costs in the data centre create an ever-challenging...

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Data Centre Managed Services

Data Centre Managed Services

Five network security market trends that matter for Managed Services It’s no secret that organisations of all sizes are changing the way they run their businesses. The move toward a digital economy, combined with the need to be “always on,” means that...

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Interim Consulting Demand

Interim Consulting Demand

IT contractor demand at highest point for over a year IT Consulting and Interim management skills are at the highest demand in more than a year now that post Brexit has kicked off. Demand for freelance IT contractors rose to a 14-month high in March 2017, according to...

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Microsoft Azure Hybrid Cloud

Microsoft Azure Hybrid Cloud

Microsoft Azure launches 3 new tools to speed migration to hybrid cloud and optimize deployment In a Microsoft blog post, the company detailed three new tools to aid in cloud adoption: Cloud Migration Assessment, Azure Hybrid Use Benefit, and Azure Site Recovery...

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CISO moves to the top

CISO moves to the top

The CISO moves from the basement to the boardroom A growing threat landscape has changed the role of the chief information security officer in the past decade. Here's why this position and its evolution are vital in the modern enterprise. “With the recent ransom virus...

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How PMs succeed in procurement

How PMs succeed in procurement

How project managers can succeed with procurement management Check out these tips on how to successfully use procurement management in your projects. Also, two experts share their experiences on what simplifies the procurement process for their businesses Procurement...

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Website Hacking on the increase

Website Hacking on the increase

Here are the top 6 ways websites get hacked, according to Google Google recently noted that it had seen a 32% rise in hacked website over 2016. Here are the most common tactics it found. In 2016, the number of hacked websites rose by 32%, according to a blog from...

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Breaking bad news to stakeholders

Breaking bad news to stakeholders

8 steps to breaking bad news to difficult project stakeholders There is no easy way to deliver bad news to anyone, especially difficult project stakeholders. Cushion the blow with clear open transparent PM communication. Bad news is inevitable at some point during a...

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Is Interim Management Dead

Is Interim Management Dead

Is the market changing the way that we engage and work with the use of Interim Management? In short, the answer is no, Interim Consulting is not dead! In fact, perhaps the question we should be asking instead is: “are we all interims now anyway?” Permanent contracts...

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Cloud Migration done right

Cloud Migration done right

Lessons on How Juniper Networks made the switch in the cloud and what you can learn There are many steps for a company to transition to the cloud. At the 2016 Structure Conference, Juniper Networks' CIO Bob Worrall explained how the company is managing the change. For...

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Is contracting the future

Is contracting the future

Is tech turning contract work into the future of employment? Technology has made it easier than ever for employees to work remotely. This article has gathered comments from experts and CEOs about why more and more companies are using contract workers. Technology has...

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Global Employers choose consultants

Global Employers choose consultants

Over 70% of global employers now use contractors to help fill IT skills shortages A new report found that 40% of US businesses now have a hybrid workforce of permanent and contract IT employees to fill talent shortages and fast-changing technical skill needs. If...

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