Thirty years ago, most organisations operated in a paper-based world. IT, where it existed, was a peripheral tool - used primarily for accounting or finance functions running on mainframes. Standalone PCs were a luxury, often connected only to printers, while Local Area Networks and early applications emerged in a fragmented and uncoordinated way.
Fast forward to today: IT has become the backbone of modern organisations, underpinning nearly every function. Despite this transformation, the core organisational models that were designed for a paper-based era have not evolved to fully embrace technology as a vital function.
From paper to data: The shift organisations missed
Initially, IT was used to mimic paper-based processes, aiming to improve productivity while preserving existing workflows. Yet, even as IT became indispensable, organisations often treated it as a support function rather than an integral part of the organisational design.
Consider this:
- Decision-making still revolves around “documents” (digital replicas of their paper predecessors) rather than data. While all documents contain data, not all data fits into a document-centric framework.
- Traditional vital functions like Finance, Budgeting, and HR were deeply embedded into organisational structures from the start. IT, on the other hand, was added later—and often remains underrepresented or siloed.
This legacy mindset creates a dangerous gap. By failing to position IT as a vital function, organisations are:
- Under-optimising technology: Missing opportunities for efficiency, innovation, and growth.
- Increasing costs: Poor integration leads to redundancies and inefficiencies.
- Amplifying risks: Governance gaps leave organisations vulnerable to security and operational failures.
Why it’s time to redesign
The reality is clear: IT is no longer just a tool—it’s an essential driver of organisational success. Yet, many organisations still lack the structure to reflect this. Some traditional companies don’t even have a Chief Information Officer (CIO), and those that do often fail to give this role the strategic weight it deserves.
At Faseo, we believe this gap must be addressed if organisations are to fully exploit the potential of modern technology. This requires a fundamental redesign of organisational models to position IT not as a cost centre but as a core strategic function.
What needs to change
To thrive in a technology-driven world, organisations must:
- Integrate IT into strategic design
IT must be embedded into the organisation’s governance and decision-making structures, ensuring it is aligned with business goals and treated as a vital function, not an afterthought. - Move from documents to data
Shift the focus from document-centric workflows to data-driven decision-making, enabling faster, more accurate, and scalable processes. - Empower IT leadership
Elevate the role of IT leaders, such as the CIO, to ensure they have the authority and resources to drive innovation and align technology with organisational strategy. - Adopt a holistic view of IT
Treat IT as a continuous transformation journey, not a set of isolated projects. This approach ensures that technology evolves alongside the organisation, delivering sustained value.
The Faseo approach: Technology as a strategic asset
The Faseo Framework embraces this philosophy, guiding organisations to:
- Align IT with business objectives.
- Adopt modern, agile governance models that reflect IT’s vital role.
- Leverage data to drive decisions and deliver immediate business benefits.
By rethinking the role of IT in organisational design, we help businesses unlock the full potential of their technology investments while reducing costs and risks.