91ÖÆƬ³§

Take Control of IT's Narrative

Transform IT's brand by redefining outdated and faulty perceptions.

Analyst perspective

Own IT's brand – don't let it be defined for you.

IT's rebranding is long overdue. As organizations become increasingly dependent on IT for success, the spotlight is on the CIO like never before. However, the IT brand can be either a powerful ally or a major obstacle.

For too long, IT's brand has been shaped by default rather than by design. Outdated perceptions of IT as a cost center or order taker have persisted, limiting IT's role and organizational expectations and even the CIO's career trajectory.

Although these misconceptions and the fact that IT interacts with so many stakeholders – each shaping IT's brand – make transforming the perception of IT challenging, the main obstacle is that many CIOs see branding as a marketing problem rather than their priority and hesitate to challenge the status quo – not because they don't see the need, but because they don't know where to start.

Shaping IT's brand is equally as important as shaping a CIO's personal brand and therefore should be a CIO's priority. IT will only be seen as the strategic partner it is or could be when CIOs focus on and invest in IT's brand.

Laura Herran Sanchez
91ÖÆƬ³§ Analyst, CIO
91ÖÆƬ³§

Executive summary

Your Challenge

A narrative gap around IT's ability to deliver often arises due to IT:

• Being perceived as delivering less value than it is capable of providing.
• Struggling to be recognized as a reliable and trusted partner within the organization.
• Services not being clear or accessible, making it difficult to demonstrate its full capabilities.
• This misperception prevents CIOs from fully achieving their potential and maximizing organizational impact.

Common Obstacles

IT continues to struggle with changing its perception within organizations due to key obstacles such as:

• Historical events where IT was reactive or, worse, unable to deliver great experiences.
• The misconception that all IT departments are cost centers and order takers.
• IT and the business are working in silos, making collaboration and alignment difficult.
• Struggling to use language that resonates with the organization.

Info-Tech's Approach

Info-Tech gives CIOs control of their IT narrative by:

• Understanding how IT is branded currently by both the IT team and the broader organization.
• Clearly defining the desired IT brand they want and are capable of embodying.
• Establishing clear initiatives to secure the IT team's buy-in and ensuring they reinforce IT's desired brand image.
• Establishing clear initiatives to improve IT's perception within the organization.

Info-Tech Insight

Too often IT's image is deeply rooted in outdated perceptions or left to chance; by defining a clear strategic identity, empowering your team, and establishing IT as an indispensable business partner, you can reshape its brand and its impact on the broader organization.

CIOs are deeply invested in positioning themselves as strategic partners

With technology driving today's business success, CIOs are looking forward to being perceived as key business partners and expanding their influence on the broader organization.

Yet, nearly all their CxO peers believe IT is incapable of being a strategic partner

According to Info-Tech's CxO Alignment Diagnostic results, the role organizational leaders want IT to fulfill and IT's current ability to deliver are misaligned:

Source: Info-Tech CXO Alignment Diagnostic, N=807 from 265 unique organizations between Jan. 1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2024

This trust gap highlights the urgent need for CIOs to reshape IT's brand

The issue isn't about readiness – it's the unrealized potential to elevate IT's brand

• The IT department has historically been undervalued, often perceived merely as laptop repair personnel, which has led to their services and abilities being underused.
• Even when IT leaders achieve significant improvements in service delivery and business satisfaction, they face challenges in enhancing their reputation.
• The role of the CIO is also affected by common misperceptions due to its traditional focus on operations and security, making it difficult to elevate their profile.
• This general lack of trust in CIOs and their capabilities has prompted organizations to create new roles, such as Chief Data Officers, Chief Digital Officers, or Chief Artificial Intelligence Officers, rather than assigning these responsibilities to CIOs.
• The hard truth is, even if a CIO is capable of being, or is currently acting as, a strategic partner, the work may not be recognized. Perception is crucial, and misconceptions about IT and CIOs hinder the acknowledgment of their contributions.

25% of CIOs spend their time managing existing and emerging technologies or processes.

Info-Tech IT Staffing Assessment, 2019-2024; n=715 organizations

CIOs must reframe the conversation to capitalize on existing and future opportunities

• Organizational strategies are increasingly driven by emerging technologies, leading to a significant reliance on IT for achieving organizational success. This is an ideal time for CIOs to transform the perception of IT and seize this opportunity.
• As C-suite IT roles created due to a lack of trust in the CIO are increasingly being seen as unnecessary or redundant, it is a perfect time for CIOs to step up and prove IT's abilities.
  • In fact, as found by Data & AI Leadership Exchange and cited by CIO (2025), 29% of Chief Digital Officers (CDOs) believe their role is a transitional one that will eventually disappear.
• While these roles may phase out, the need for the skills and tasks they perform is not diminishing. This is where CIOs must step in. They should work to build organizational trust to assume these responsibilities that should have been there from the beginning.

"The separation between digital and technology is gone. This gets the CIO into everything, from influencing strategy and culture to ways of work and how to think about customer and processes."

– Johnson Idesoh, CIO, Absa Group, from Spencer Stuart, 2024

What's holding IT back from changing the way it is perceived?

• CIOs and IT professionals often view brand management as solely a marketing concern, not realizing that they are creating their own brand through every behavior, communication, and interaction with stakeholders.
• Yet, it will be the daily symbols, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that the IT team reinforces in their own interactions that will bring this brand to life. And changing this is no small feat.
• CIOs hold the responsibility of managing the diverse and competing demands of various stakeholders across the organization. Yet, CIOs rarely measure and manage stakeholders' satisfaction in a consistent manner and focus on improving those relationships.
• CIOs haven't realized that satisfaction with IT's communication directly impacts the perceived value of IT. Not being able to speak in business terms leaves communication efforts unleveraged.

IT's low-value perception extends beyond executives to the broader organization

Source: 91ÖÆƬ³§ – CIO Business Vision
N=820 unique organizations since Jan. 1, 2021

Info-Tech's approach

The Info-Tech difference:

1. IT's brand is not to be left to chance or relegated to CIOs' second thoughts.
2. Info-Tech's approach empowers CIOs to consciously shape and redefine their IT brand, fostering stronger alignment within the IT team and recognition of IT's role and value within the organization.
3. In the process of transforming the IT brand, CIOs will concurrently address issues related to value perception, reputation, and service adoption challenges.