Why and how to organize your technology watch?

Staying one step ahead of technological developments isn't just an advantage, it's a necessity for every Chief Information Officer (CIO). Staying informed to guide your company into the future: technology watch is the key. This article shows you why and how to implement it effectively.

Why do technology watch?

To anticipate change

The IT and digital sectors are evolving at high speed. For a CIO, anticipating these changes is fundamental to maintaining and strengthening the company's competitiveness. This means seizing emerging technologies at the right time, to optimize benefits and minimize risks.

Legacy and obsolescence management

One of the major challenges facing IT Departments is the management of legacy systems, which are obsolete but critical because the company's entire information system is built on them. Technology watch helps to find innovative solutions for upgrading or replacing these systems, while taking into account the obsolescence of hardware and software.

Adding value to the company

In addition to technical management, technology watch enables CIOs to stay one step ahead of the company's other functions, thereby maintaining their credibility and avoiding being perceived as outdated. It also offers the opportunity to propose innovative solutions that bring real added value to the company and its users.

Who does the technology watch?

Responsibility for technology watch within the IT department does not rest solely with the IT department itself, but is shared through various roles:

• The dedicated R&D team focuses on new technologies and their applicability.
• Project managers and team leaders integrate intelligence insights into ongoing projects.
• Technical and business experts provide specific expertise on trends in their respective fields.
• All members of the IT department are encouraged to stay informed and contribute to the monitoring process.
• Subcontractors and suppliers also play an important role, providing information on innovations and market trends.

Organization of technology watch

Technology watch must be proactive, and involves reading, listening, sharing and cross-checking information. Of course, sources must always be checked to avoid misinformation.

Setting priorities

The first step is to clearly define where attention needs to be focused. This includes:

• emerging technological trends
• new standards and regulations
• and collaboration opportunities.

These elements must be aligned with the company's overall strategy.

Choice of actors and channels

Identify who will participate in the watch, and by what means. This can include technology watch managers, technical experts, technology partners, as well as online communities and market analysts.

Ways of sharing and exchanging

It's important to define how information will be shared: frequency, targets, media (newsletters, meetings, workshops), and information storage methods.

Technology watch media and channels

• Generalist media cover major trends and the impact of technological developments on the sector as a whole, providing an overview.
• Media specializing in IT & digital offer benchmarks, track specific developments and trends, and are essential for detailed analyses.

Collaboration with other channels

Links with other channels, such as CIO groups, IT/Digital trade shows and think tanks, enrich the watch. Active participation in these networks enables you to benefit from different perspectives and access cutting-edge information.

Integration with communication and innovation

Integrating technology watch results into the company's communication and innovation strategies strengthens the links between the IT department and other departments, fostering a culture of collective innovation.

Feedback and in-depth analysis

Prepare summaries and organize presentation meetings. It's also a good idea to set up PoCs, hackathons and tests to evaluate technologies in practice.

Technology watch is an indispensable tool for CIOs wishing to keep their company at the cutting edge of technology. Not only does it keep the IT infrastructure up to date, it also stimulates innovation and supports the company's overall strategy. By following these tips, CIOs can turn technology intelligence into a real lever for growth and competitiveness.

Example of an IT & digital monitoring plan

Objectives

1. Keep abreast of technical and technological developments.
2. Anticipate managerial and organizational trends.
3. Identify opportunities and threats for the company.

Workload distribution

R&D team

• Focus: New technologies, technical innovations and their applicability.
• Sources and actions :
  • Scientific publications and patents :
    • Review of scientific journals (IEEE, ACM).
    • Monitoring new patents on Google Patents.
  • Blogs and specialized forums :
    • Active participation on GitHub, Stack Overflow.
    • Monitoring of technology blogs (TechCrunch, Wired).

Project Managers and Team Leaders

• Focus: Integrating intelligence insights into current projects.
• Sources and actions :
  • Feedback and case studies :
    • Analysis of similar project reports (PMI, APM).
    • Participation in webinars (Web2Day, Paris Open Source Summit).
  • Thematic conferences :
    • Presence at Viva Technology, International Cybersecurity Forum (FIC).
    • Trend monitoring via specialized podcasts.

Technical and Trade Experts

• Focus: Trends specific to their respective fields.
• Sources and actions :
  • White papers and analysis reports :
    • Read white papers by Gartner and Forrester.
    • Review of technical reports from consulting firms (Accenture, Deloitte).
  • Trade newsletters :
    • Subscribe to newsletters such as CIO Magazine and Le Journal du Net (JDN).

Information Systems Department

• Focus: Global strategic intelligence and contribution to collective intelligence.
• Sources and actions :
  • General and specialized media :
    • Daily reading of Les Echos, Le Monde Informatique.
    • Followed by ZDNET, TechCrunch.
  • Conferences and round tables :
    • Attendance at events such as CES in Las Vegas (online if necessary).

Subcontractors and suppliers

• Focus: Innovations and market trends.
• Sources and actions :
  • Publications and supplier presentations :
    • Review of publications from key suppliers (Microsoft, IBM).
    • Organization of quarterly presentations with suppliers.
  • Meetings and discussions :
    • Participation in partner events (Cisco Live, AWS Summit).

Sample presentation of the watch report

Presentation structure

1. Introduction
   • Monitoring objectives.
   • Methodology adopted.
2. Summary of key trends
   • Technical and technological innovations.
   • Managerial innovations.
3. Details by area
   • Technological innovations.
   • Trends in project management.
   • Regulatory and safety developments.
4. Potential impact on the company
   • Opportunities to exploit.
   • Risks to anticipate.
5. Recommendations and next steps
   • Actions to be taken.
   • Follow-up and implementation.
6. Questions and discussions

Important questions to ask yourself

1. Relevance and reliability
   • What is the source of the information? Is it reliable?
   • Is the information relevant to our sector and activities?
2. Potential impact
   • What are the potential impacts of this trend on our business?
   • What opportunities and threats does this trend represent?
3. Applicability
   • How can we apply this new technology or practice in our context?
   • What resources and skills are needed to adopt it?
4. Follow-up and implementation
   • Who is responsible for monitoring this trend?
   • What are the success indicators for implementing this new practice?
5. Collaboration and sharing
   • How can we effectively share this information with internal and external stakeholders?
   • What collaborative mechanisms can we put in place to maximize the impact of intelligence?

This annual watch plan, integrating specific actions for each team member as well as relevant sources of information, ensures exhaustive and structured monitoring, essential for anticipating developments in the IT & Digital sector and guiding the company's strategic decisions.