Goal of CIO Interview Transcript

For Assignment 5, you produce an approximate transcript of the interview, including the questions you asked and the answers provided. The wording does not have to be exact but should represent the basic ideas and responses provided.

Sample Questions

Your questions may vary depending on the industry in which you operate (e.g., systems may be important in terms of regulation and compliance), the context of your organization (e.g., a recent merger or reorganization), the type of organization (e.g., private vs. public, profit vs. non-profit), etc. At a minimum, you should ask questions related to:

• How technology decisions (hardware, software) are made, such as:
  • Who decided on the brand of technology components that you use?
  • Was the decision based on performance, software, contracts, warranty, and/or service?
  • What drives hardware upgrades?
  • How much consideration is given to user requirements when making these decisions?
  • What security/virus software package do you use? Why? What made this product the best choice for your company? How did dependability and cost figure into the decision?
  • Who determines usage policy? For example, are any Internet sites restricted? Why?
  • Is there a VPN? What access does it provide? Who uses it? What is its purpose?
  • Is there a need for some type of mobile app to help employees communicate and find information?
• How technology strategy is linked to IS/IT strategy
  • How has technology strategy evolved over the years? Does the organization have a formalized IS strategy? How are business strategy and IS strategy aligned?
  • What are the top 3 IS/IT priorities for this year? How do these priorities align with corporate strategy? What should the top 3 priorities be for this year?
  • How does the budget break down: Infrastructure___%, Apps Maintenance___%, Development/New Capabilities___%, Other %
  • Is IT viewed as a cost center or profit center? Why?
  • From an IT perspective, what does it take for our organization to be more competitive in today's challenging global economy? How can IT support rapidly changing customer expectations?
  • How has social networking changed the foundation of corporate computing? How has mobile computing changed the way employees interact with customers? What additional changes are planned to better reach and respond to customers?
  • Is the organization ready for future changes in technology?
  • Are there strategies in place for sustainable cost reduction?
• Ethical challenges in the context of technology and technology usage
  • What are the most common ethical situations that arise surrounding the use of technology and/or data within our organization (or industry)?
  • Is there a technology usage policy? How is it enforced?
  • Is there an employee monitoring policy?
  • Are there any ethical concerns that have arisen from the recent pandemic and the shift in employment to so much remote work?
• Current and future state of IS/IT in the organization
• Describe the current state of IT.
• Discuss the current trends within the industry.
• Discuss the planning and preparation that is in place for the future.
• Present your opinion - is the organization making proper use of technology? Are the plans for the future adequate? Will the organization be in a place of competitive advantage due to technology or simply keeping up with current industry trends? Do you feel comfortable working there for the next 10 years?