IHG books big tech transformation

IHG is upgrading its IT systems and moving applications to the public cloud to remain afloat in a hospitality market where consumers have come to expect high-tech amenities ranging from mobile check-ins to robot concierges. Hotel chains have long under-invested in technology, opting to focus on white-glove customer service and other offerings that have a…

IT leadership’s new rules of engagement

In the lead up to Synchrony Financial being spun out from parent company GE and launching an initial public offering (IPO), Carol Juel was front and center explaining the newly independent company’s business strategy and innovation plans. Juel was even known to cart giant poster boards from meeting-to-meeting to help customers, partners, and internal employees…

6 reasons why AI projects fail

Eighteen months ago, Mr. Cooper launched an intelligent recommendation system for its customer service agents to suggest solutions to customer problems. The company, formerly known as Nationstar, is the largest non-bank mortgage provider in the U.S., with 3.8 million customers, so the project was viewed as a high-profile cost-saver for the company. It took nine…

IDG Contributor Network: Enterprise architecture short- and long-term wins

Enterprise architecture is not just about building a business and IT knowledgebase. It’s more and more about short and long-term wins, where enterprise architects participate in the selection of strategic priorities and about contributing specific knowledge valuable to the agile delivery solution teams afterward. Short term wins Traditionally, enterprise architects focused mostly on information technology…

Scaled agile helps modernize Guardian's operations

Scaled agile development, coupled with cloud software, is breathing new life into 159-year-old mutual life insurance company Guardian Life, a formula that is serving enterprises of all stripes today — and one for which Guardian needed a forward-thinking CIO to make happen. When Dean Del Vecchio joined Guardian as CIO in 2012, the company operated…

The future of IT leadership: 5 new roles CIOs must master

It’s more than an understatement to say the role of technology leaders has changed over the past few years. The widespread adoption of cloud computing and process automation has reduced the demands for IT departments to keep the lights on. Large-scale capital expenditures on infrastructure are being replaced by increased operating expenses on services. Meanwhile,…