Chief Information Officers (CIOs) are prioritising digital transformation in 2016, with 84% saying it is essential for their businesses. Digital transformation is seen as a way to improve customer experience, with 68% of CIOs saying that this is their top priority. Other key areas of focus include improving business processes (57%), reducing operational costs (57%), and increasing profitability (45%).
CIOs are also prioritising spending on analytics, with 69% saying they will invest more in this area. Other areas of investment include security (64%), cloud computing (50%), and mobile technologies (40%).
Despite this focus on digital transformation, many CIOs are struggling with a lack of skills in their teams. 88% of CIOs say they are experiencing a skills shortage, with the main areas of concern being analytics (38%), security (28%), and cloud computing (26%).
This skills shortage is leading to a focus on recruitment and retention. 57% of CIOs are planning to increase their IT staff in 2016, while 48% are planning to retain their current staff.
Overall, it is clear that CIOs are recognising the importance of digital transformation and are taking steps to address the challenges they face. However, the skills shortage is a significant hurdle that needs to be overcome.
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