By Marie Alonso 1

You don’t often think of the term “fierce” when you think of CIOs, but that is exactly what CIOs are: fierce. Of course, one online publication is a trumpet for the fiercest of today’s CIOs—FierceCIO.

The online resource FierceCIO is a robust online platform providing CIOs with IT best practices, business intelligence and forward-looking IT strategies. The information must be solid—there are more than 30,000 industry insiders receiving FierceCIO’s daily email, loaded with the latest in topics, trends and controversies surrounding everything from content management for the mobile and social workforce to IT security reports and the latest in perceived risks and threats posed by VoiP to enterprise networks.

As 2014 comes into focus, FierceCIO offers a glimpse of three top trends impacting CIOs today:

The CIO-CMO Alliance: According to FierceCIO contributor Len Shneyder, there is a massive disconnect between those who understand their mobile audience and those who view mobile messaging as a one-size-fits-all solution.  Increasingly, both CIOs and CMOs understand the power and appeal of mobile technology, and are applying sophisticated tools and strategies such as analytics and testing to their mobile apps. Unfortunately, some newcomers to the channel view it as a bullhorn to send cheap push without understanding how mobile app users interact with brands, lacking the visibility to connect that usage to existing customer profiles. CIOs and CMOs must strike partnerships in 2014 to devise solutions that bridge the divide between the mobile marketplace and other, more mature channels. FierceCIO reports that, as brand stewards, CMOs are charged with extending their brands’ reach through mobile’s constant, real-time presence in consumers’ pockets. The data harvested from mobile devices must be tested, analyzed and amplified through the careful application of action analytics. In 2014, CIOs and CMOs will work together closely to deliver mobile solutions that deliver the greatest options in flexibility and content management.


Cloud Computing: Luring Many CIOs To IT Contracting: While cloud-based computing continues to dominate technology headlines, FierceCIO contributor David Weldon reports that cloud’s impact on the changing IT workforce is beginning to get more attention. Specifically, Weldon asserts, the increase in outsourcing due to cloud services and a corresponding need for more and more contractors. During late 2013, FierceCIO reported on the growing ranks of IT professionals being lured to contracting and consulting firms. In fact, the trend of organizations to hire more IT contractors during 2013 was reported in FierceCIO in recent months. According to FierceCIO, a finite number of cloud service providers gives CIOs the option of running part or all of an application workload using external data centers whenever they see fit, while at the same time providing the ability to play one cloud service provider against the other—essentially turning the internal IT organization into a services broker.

Enterprise Content Management Trends: By January, FierceCIO was reporting on the key enterprise content management trends to watch during 2014. Turning to the insights of FierceCIO contributor David Weldon, once again, the online executive IT management briefing looked to recent technology developments in cloud computing and mobile technology and the impact each have had on traditional enterprise content management trends and best practices. What topped the trends for enterprise content management (ECM)? According to FierceCIO experts, hybrid, cloud-based ECB holds the promise of being the wave of the future, as content apps that automate workflow will be in high demand by users looking to optimize business processes. Additionally, integration with business applications, such as customer relationship management (CRM) or enterprise resource planning software, increasingly will be in demand. Mobility will be the key to nearly every decision a CIO makes in 2014, including ECM software that enables mobile capabilities.

With factors including the continued rise of the CMO, an increase in cloud adoption and an upsurge of BYOD trends driving mobile workforce demands, CIOs have more than enough decisions to keep them busy in 2014. Whether it’s analyzing the merits of cloud computing to tailoring data-driven engagements that fuse CIO and CMO strategies, CIOs are tasked with assembling the right talent—internal and external—to create the greatest degree of efficiency and functionality for their corporate infrastructures. CIOs are a remarkable breed of executive, driving business innovation, cultivating partnerships and developing technology and business strategies. As 2014 speeds forward, they will drive directions in everything from cloud adoption to the latest in mobile workforce platforms, always with an eye on the horizon for the next big thing.

Marie Alonso is an online marketing and media strategist at Miles Technologies, a leading IT company. The Miles Technologies team contributes business-driven content to The VAR Guy regularly.