The Role of the CTO in a Growing Organization

The Role of the CTO in a Growing Organization Roger Smith US Army PEO STRI [email_address] Approved for Public Release. Security and OPSEC Review Completed: No Issues. Infrastructure Executive Council Corporate Executive Board 1 February 2008

CTO Practitioner Caveats
Perspective is influenced by personal activities and history in the CTO position
Constant information exchange with other CTOs leads to a practice-based perspective
“ To capture participants in their own terms one must learn their categories for rendering explicable and coherent the flux of raw reality.” (Lofland, 1971)
Lofland, J. (1971). Analyzing social settings . Belmont, CA: Wodsworth; as quoted in Qualitative research and evaluation methods , by M. Patton, 2002.

Organization CTOs Studied

Chief Technology Officer
Definitions
“ A CTO’s job is to worry about technology in the future – because when the future's here you won't have the time.”
Nathan Myhrvold, former CTO of Microsoft
“ The CTO’s key tasks are not those of lab director writ large but, rather, of a technical businessperson deeply involved in shaping and implementing overall corporate strategy.”
W.W. Lewis,
Origins of the CTO
Business accountability for the Director of R&D.
e.g. John Seely Brown, Xerox PARC
Executive post for tech wizard in a start-up company.
e.g. Steve Wozniak, Apple Computer
Innovation champion in a large company.
e.g. Peter Bridenbaugh, ALCOA

CTO vs. CIO
Technology Applied to Company Products and Services
Manage Scientists & Innovators
Stimulate Creation of New Products
Position Company for Long-term Advantage
IT Applied to Internal Operations
Manage IT and Admin Personnel
Reduce Costs of Internal Transactions
Improve Short-term Performance
Company’s Technology is IT
Competitive Advantage Comes from IT Services
CTO CIO Overlap

US Army Simulation & Training PRODUCTS CONTRACTS ADMIN
CTO Relationships
and Resources:
O6/GS15 Managers
Engineering Dept
CIO Shop
R&D Labs
Army Science Board
University Labs
Industry Research Orgs

CTO Activities
Identify the Future power of new technologies
Spread Technology within the business unit
Create New Opportunity by applying technical expertise to new projects
Cross-Pollinate and Leverage technology across the organization
Build Community of technologists through vision, mission, relationships, communication, partnership, friendship

5 Patterns of the CTO Smith, R. (Nov-Dec 2007). “What CTOs Do?”. Research-Technology Management , 50(6). Genius Founder/Creator Product Innovation Director Scientist/Researcher Innovation Mgmt Executive Engineer/Scientist Strategic Management Administrator Manager/Accountant Efficient Deployment Advocate Service/User Customer Features Void No CTO No New Technology

CTO Responsibilities Smith, R. (Nov-Dec 2007). “What CTOs Do?”. Research-Technology Management , 50(6). Companies that could benefit from a technology leader, but who do not understand how such a position could be applied. Void Focused on the applications of technology to improve the experience of the customer. Leverage technology to create a competitive advantage for the company through its relationship with customers. Advocate Strategic leader working with company executives to identify important technical trends in the future and how these will impact the company and the industry. Executive Manager of corporate research projects and investments. Handles the business aspects of a portfolio of different technologies that the company is pursuing. Director Guardian or watchdog over the organization’s selection and use of vendor technologies. Expertise with technologies is used to accurately evaluate vendor proposals and claims for their products. Administrator Personally involved in the creation of new technology and its application to company products and services. Uses personal technical talent to direct and motivate the technical staff. Genius Duties and Activities Pattern

Pattern Examples
Genius: Sergey Brin, Google
Turn a great idea into a great product
Director: Rita Schnipke, Blue Ridge Numerics
PC-based CFD Software
Executive: Dawn Merrickson, Defense Information Systems Agency
Standardize Computer Systems, Explore New Technology
Administrator: Melody Mayberry-Stewart, City of Cleveland
Improve City Services using IT & Comms Equipment
Advocate: Rob Carter, Federal Express
Customer’s Experience of FedEx Services
Void: Most Companies
No Technology Creation, Consume Vendor Technologies

GE’s Scott Donnelly
Senior VP for Global Technology
Power Turbines, Imaging Systems, Locomotives, Engines, Security Systems, Materials
Defined Mission:
Deliver Breakthrough Technology (R&D)
Leverage Core Technologies in Multiple Businesses (Energy, Medicine, Water, Engines, Security)
Drive Technology Across the Business (Lighting)
Infusing New Technology Value in Acquisitions (Financial Services)
Develop and Protect Intellectual Property (Mature Research Products)

CTOs Across Organization Phase Genius Envision, Create, & Champion the new opportunity Emergence Stabilization Expansion Dominance Administrator Optimize, Organize, & Staff for growth Administrator Manage product innovation Director Build research organization and target technologies Advocate Focus on competitive advantage of customer experience Executive Strategic innovation, research, and competitive position Organization Phase Director Focus research organization on future positioning

References
Smith, R. (Nov-Dec 2007). “What CTOs Do”. Research Technology Management , 50(6).
Smith, R. (July-Aug, 2003). “The Chief Technology Officer: Strategic Responsibilities and Relationships”. Research Technology Management , 46(4).
Christensen, C. (1997). The Innovators Dilemma: When new technologies cause great firms to fail . Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
Medcof, J. and Yousofpourfard, H. (May 2006). “The Chief Technology Officer and organizational power and influence”. Proceedings of the 2006 IAMOT Conference .
Adler, P. and Ferdows, K. (Spring 1990). “The Chief Technology Officer”. California Management Review .
Aspatore Editors. (2000). Inside the Minds of Chief Technology Officers . New York: Aspatore Books.

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The Role of the CTO in a Growing Organization

by Roger Smith on Jul 03, 2008

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