Business units and IT teams are finding more opportunities to collaborate and share responsibilities as digital transformation takes on greater relevance within organizations, according to a new report by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), the world's leading technology association.

The study finds that IT departments are taking on a greater strategic role, and working alongside business units to use technology as the linchpin to drive corporate evolution. 

“This represents a dramatic shift from the traditional viewpoint, where business objectives were driven by business units and the technology team played a supporting role,” said Seth Robinson, senior director, technology analysis, at CompTIA.

While IT’s enabling and supporting role still predominates in many organizations, the report shows that its strategic role is growing, with 43% of the 350 U.S. companies surveyed online in October 2016 saying technology enables business processes.

Nearly 40% of the respondents said their organizations use technology to drive business outcomes, 36% say the technology function plays a critical role in strategy, and 34% are redefining their business thanks to technology.

The process of becoming a digital organization provides learning opportunities for business as well as and IT staffs. “Adventures in ‘rogue IT’ have shown business units that there is more to a technology solution than they initially assumed,” Robinson said. “IT professionals are changing their behaviors, too, learning more about business objectives and goals so they can help drive strategies and serve as an educational resource on technical matters.”

Source: Information Management, Bob Violino