How Shadow IT Transformed the Role of CIO | CIO Insight

How Shadow IT Transformed the Role of CIO

Feb 5, 2015
2 minute read

How Shadow IT Transformed the Role of the CIO

New DirectionNew Direction

85% of CIOs and other senior IT decision-makers surveyed said the traditional role of the CIO is changing.

Top Changes That Are Drivers for CIOsTop Changes That Are Drivers for CIOs

Shifting customer demands: 96%, Greater need for innovation/creativity: 95%, Increasingly complex policies/procedures: 95%, Significant growth of data coming into and distributed throughout organization: 95%, Employees’ need for organization data when outside the office: 92%

Advantageous DevelopmentsAdvantageous Developments

69% of CIOs and other senior IT decision-makers surveyed view the changes as an opportunity to pursue greater innovation/creativity, while 62% said it is allowing them to add more business value to their organizations.

Shadow MoveShadow Move

More than three-quarters of CIOs and other senior IT decision-makers said either the majority or “some” of organization departments are sourcing and commissioning core tech products/services without involving the IT department (shadow IT).

Biggest Concerns About Shadow IT for CIOsBiggest Concerns About Shadow IT for CIOs

Impact on organization’s data security: 75%, Effect on organization’s IT infrastructure security: 73%, Impact on app performance: 71%, Duplication of efforts/resources throughout departments: 70%

Questionable RelevanceQuestionable Relevance

58% of CIOs and other senior IT decision-makers fear that shadow IT may make the role of CIO redundant.

Strategic FocusStrategic Focus

81% said the CIO “owns” more business-focused Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) than tech ones, compared to two years ago.

Game-ChangersGame-Changers

Two-thirds said that trends within mobility and unified communications provide to them a critical way to deliver real business results, while 64% cite the cloud.

Power MovePower Move

59% said the overall standing of the CIO within the boardroom has emerged as more central within the last two years.

Evolving RoleEvolving Role

68% said board expectations for CIOs have increased in the last two years, and 64% feel that their board recognizes the need for a creative CIO.

Dennis McCafferty

Dennis McCafferty is a contributor to CIO Insight. He covers topics such as IT leadership, IT strategy, collaboration, and IT for businesses.

CIO Insight Logo

CIO Insight offers thought leadership and best practices in the IT security and management industry while providing expert recommendations on software solutions for IT leaders. It is the trusted resource for security professionals who need to maintain regulatory compliance for their teams and organizations. CIO Insight is an ideal website for IT decision makers, systems integrators and administrators, and IT managers to stay informed about emerging technologies, software developments and trends in the IT security and management industry.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.