New CIO - Phase 1 - Learn!

I just finished my first 5 weeks in a new CIO position. Fun. Hectic. A ton of learning. I set out with a 90 day plan divided into 3 phases. The first phase focused on learning, the second on analysis, and the third on planning.

During the first phase - roughly the first month - I focused on learning two areas: the business and current IT environment. My new position is with a mid-size fast growing retailer - an industry where I have minimal experience. Learning our business in particular - and the retail business/industry in general - were equally important. On the business side, I first sat down with the IT management team and reviewed the business end-to-end from an IT perspective, i.e., what were the major systems and the major interfaces as you follow our product from conception through sales. I then had meetings with each department/business unit to learn about their business functions, their major systems, and their view on what makes us unique. This last point will become critical as we move forward with long term IT planning to make sure we understand how and where to prioritize investment dollars.

The second area of learning focused on the IT environment itself. People, processes, technology. I reviewed our many lists of tasks and projects. I reviewed the inventory of systems, technologies, tools, etc. I reviewed the relationships with existing partners and contractors. At this point, I have a handle on our current business and IT environment and can start working to identify areas for improvement and growth.