Communicate IT’s Business Value

Build credibility by focusing on business outcomes

63% of CIOs struggle to communicate IT’s value

CIOs should become the central agent in demonstrating the business value of IT and ensure IT’s credibility within the organization. They too often focus on technology and operational performance metrics that bore business leaders and fail to convey IT’s value to the business.

49% of respondents sais their IT department is sometimes successful in demonstrating IT's businss value, 30% said usually successful, 14% said they had rarely been successful and only 7% said they had consistently been successful.
We look at the business impact of new IT investments and educate business stakeholders on their TCO... The ultimate goal is to allocate more specific costs of IT services to allow the operators to correlate return on investment for those who consume the services.

Laishy Williams-Carlson

CIO, Bon Secours Health System

Craft a value story tied to business outcomes

To build a compelling business value story, leading CIOs start by understanding business leader priorities. By focusing on the business goals, outcomes and pain points of their business stakeholders, rather than the underlying technology, they are able to elevate the business value of IT conversation.

Gartner predicts that through 2025, CIOs who successfully communicate their organizations' business value will maintain 60% higher funding levels than their market peers.

Insights you can use

Gartner’s insights, advice and tools help IT leaders navigate critical business value of IT conversations to increase IT's credibility and secure funding for new initiatives.

Identify the metrics that matter to business leaders

IT performance reporting too often involves countless tactical metrics that bury key messages. Gartner can help you identify the metrics your business leaders care about most and use these to craft a compelling business value story.

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Focus IT spending and cost conversations on business outcomes

It is critical for IT leaders to demonstrate the value of IT expenditures. Gartner can help you build a strategic budget framework to guide resource allocation and show how IT is funding innovation and growth.

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Speak the language of the C-suite

The majority of CIOs speak the language of technology fluently, but communicating effectively with other business areas can be a challenge. Gartner can help you with techniques to close the communication gap between IT and the rest of the business.

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Questions about becoming a Gartner client?

See the research

Tell an IT Value Story That Matters to Business Leadership

Many CIOs struggle to communicate the business value of IT to executive leadership. Gartner helps CIOs craft an effective value message that shows how IT impacts critical business outcomes.

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Driving Cost Optimization Across the Enterprise: An Executive Perspective

Leaders across the business must connect cost optimization efforts to the organization’s larger objectives. Gartner helps leaders in numerous business areas determine how they can work individually and together to optimize costs without undermining strategic objectives.

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Digital Business KPIs: Defining and Measuring Success

CIOs should develop metrics and set goals that lay out their digital business journey and sharpen expected business outcomes. Gartner can help you identify the performance indicators necessary to do so.

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Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo™

The World’s Most Important Gathering of CIOs and IT Executives™

Join a community of trailblazers, thought leaders and industry experts in nine worldwide locations to explore the technology, insights and trends shaping the future of IT and business.

  • Meet with Gartner experts for insights to achieve your mission-critical priorities
  • Get inspired by visionary leaders
  • Explore game-changing technologies that will add value to your business
  • Network with peers and discover answers to shared challenges face to face
What I like about Symposium is that it takes me out of the daily routine and gets me immersed in what is happening now, and what is coming in technology and business around the world.
CIO, Retail/Mall Developer
Historically, IT as IT, we’ve not been great at marketing our success.

Sanil Solanki

MVP, Gartner
Podcast

The True Business Value of IT

Get ready to voice IT’s value. This is the digital era of business, so it’s time for IT to step out of the rhythm section, grab the microphone and belt out your song for everyone in the enterprise to hear.

Dig deeper with Gartner

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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak: Short- and Long-Term Actions for CIOs

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Drive Cost Optimization and Efficiencies With IT Vendor Portfolio Rationalization

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2019 IT Skills Roadmap

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How to Have Engaging Conversations With Your CEO

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Kickstart Your Business Value of IT Conversations With Business Leaders

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Tell an IT Value Story That Executives Will Care About

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