The Chief Information Officer's Body of Knowledge: People, Process, and Technology

Preface

In the ever-changing world of technology, executives are increasingly busy, faced with multiple decisions to make, and fast. There is no doubt that executives are smart people, who have a deep understanding of their businesses, but their demanding schedules do not allow for painful details of everything that comes across their desks. So, while it might seem elementary, one of the most effective ways to communicate with executives is through Big Animal Pictures.

An easy way to understand the Big Animal Pictures concept is to think of the popular Little Golden Books. Each page has a big picture; for example, on one page, there is a picture of an elephant, and at the bottom of the page, there is an enlarged letter E, followed by the rest of the word. Nothing else appears on the page. Children learn quickly with little details, and so does everyone else. When we make presentations in this form, our audience will stay right with us, and they will ask questions about the details in which they are interested, so be prepared. Using the same elephant example, if someone asks, “What is that large tubular item protruding from the front of the elephant?” we must be prepared to explain that this is the elephant's trunk, and it is used to pick up food and water.

In orchestrating the writing and editing of this book, each of the contributors has presented an overview of his or her topic. Although it would be easy to write volumes on each of the topics presented, the authors have narrowed ...