Summary: Perhaps no C-level position has undergone such enormous change in the last ten years as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) position. These days, modern CIOs face pressure from every side. Learn which major challenges face modern CIOs and IT leaders, and one way to address them.

Modern CIOs and IT leaders face a unique, and ever-changing set of challenges. They must address the current IT needs of the business and plan for future growth—all while constantly adjusting that plan as technology evolves.

What’s more, as technology becomes an increasingly important aspect of business, the pressure on IT leaders and CIOs increases. CEOs now demand more from their IT departments, end users now demand more self-service options, and consumer devices and applications now threaten data security. On top of that, technology now evolves so rapidly, delivering modern business solutions becomes near-impossible with their current resources.

All in all, the modern-day CIO faces a unique set of strategic challenges unlike any other C-Level Executive. The modern CIO must:

• Deliver solutions quickly: As the need for agility rises, IT departments must deliver solutions faster than ever–a burden that falls squarely on the CIO.
• Improve existing systems: Old applications and enterprise systems often handcuff CIOs–leaving them tied to old features and capabilities.
• Give end users self-service options: CIOs must deliver the self-service solutions the business users need, or risk being bypassed.
• Address the BYOD trend: With the number of employee-owned devices increasing, CIOs must establish a BYOD strategy that safeguards company data.
• Future-proof their architecture: CIOs must focus on creating future-proof applications that won’t hold their company back.
• Bridge the skills gap: As technology changes, CIOs must bridge the gap between their staff’s current skills and the modern skills necessary for web development.
• Adapt to a mobile world: CIOs must now deal with the complex issue of adapting their company’s development strategy to fit a mobile world.
• Break out of the 80/20 spending trap: CIOs must figure out how to shift their focus from maintenance to innovation, despite limited staff and budget.

The big question: With relatively flat IT budgets, how can CIOs address these challenges and prepare their company for future trends? We’ve put together a paper that covers each issue in more detail, and explains how to address each one. You can find it right here.