By 2025, 60% of infrastructure and operations (I&O) leaders will drive business innovation using disruptive technologies, up from less than 5% who do so today, according to
"As businesses face increased pressure to lower operating costs, many I&O leaders have been siloed into a tactical role rather than a strategic one - essentially, becoming custodians of legacy infrastructure," said
Infrastructure-led disruption is the use of I&O technologies, processes, people, skills and capabilities to promote disruption and embrace risk. "I&O leaders who champion infrastructure-led disruption are constantly looking for new ways to use technology to deliver business value, rather than just remaining reactive to stakeholder needs," said
Gartner analysts are discussing infrastructure-led disruption and other I&O trends at the Gartner IT
IT infrastructure remains in a period of protracted change, spurred by new technologies that only increase the complexity of modern, distributed infrastructures. Recognizing the need for growth to remain relevant in the digital age, 45% of respondents in the Gartner 2019 I&O Executive Leaders Survey* indicated that improving maturity was among their top three goals for their I&O organizations. Embracing technologies such as automation, edge and quantum computing can help I&O leaders mature their infrastructure for the next wave of digital.
"Infrastructure-led disruption is about more than avoiding obsolescence," said
Evolve Talent, Culture and Practices for the Future of I&O
Through 2022, traditional I&O skills will be insufficient for more than half of the operational tasks that I&O leaders will be responsible for. Further, while 66% of I&O leaders believe that behaviors related to culture hinder their agility, 47% have not adapted these behaviors to align with their cultural and organizational transformation.
"I&O leaders are at a critical decision point, in which they can either choose to embrace disruption or sit in a 'watch and wait' mode," said
Strategic alignment and purposeful alliances with the C-suite will also be crucial for the future of I&O. As business becomes increasingly digital, I&O leaders have the chance to use their technology expertise to collaborate with other leaders on breakthrough opportunities.
"Digital transformation presents a real opportunity for I&O to align more closely with the CEO and other key business stakeholders, elevating the function to a more strategic role within the organization and helping the enterprise stay ahead of the curve when it comes to embracing disruptive technologies," said
Gartner clients can read more in the report, "The Future of I&O Is Infrastructure-Led Disruption."
*For Editors:
The 2019
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