CIOs and CxOs who co-lead digital end-to-end achieve stronger ROI from digital initiatives.
Example of fusion team taxonomy
Fusion teams, composed of both IT and business area staff, are critical to delivering digital outcomes that align with enterprise objectives. By integrating diverse expertise, these teams create a shared accountability model that bridges the gap between technical capabilities and business priorities. Integrating IT and other business areas in multidisciplinary teams ensures that digital initiatives are not only executed effectively, but also deliver measurable value to the organization.
Gartner research shows that only 48% of digital initiatives meet or exceed their business outcome targets. This shortfall often results from siloed efforts and a lack of alignment between IT and business leaders. Fusion teams address this gap by making it easier for business areas to build digital solutions together with IT, enabling organizations to balance business needs with technology execution. When structured and governed effectively, fusion teams significantly enhance the ROI of digital investments and accelerate enterprisewide digital transformation.
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CIOs and CxOs who co-lead digital delivery see better results from digital initiatives.
Four out of five executive leaders outside of IT departments (CxOs) feel responsible for digital transformation, but many struggle to achieve meaningful outcomes. Gartner research reveals that only 18% of CxOs devote the leadership attention and staff resources necessary for their digital initiatives to consistently attain their desired business outcomes.
However, Digital Vanguards, a group of top-performing CIOs and CxOs, demonstrate that shared accountability for digital outcomes is key. These leaders are equally responsible, accountable and involved in delivering the digital solutions their enterprises need — a radical departure from the traditional paradigm of IT delivery and business “project sponsorship” that predominates in most enterprises. They are called the Digital Vanguard because 71% of their digital initiatives meet or exceed outcome targets, a huge increase from just the 48% stated earlier.
Co-leadership in the C-suite lays the foundation for effective fusion teams by aligning strategic priorities across IT and business functions. When CIOs and CxOs partner to co-lead digital delivery, they create the accountability and shared vision needed for fusion teams to thrive.
Fusion teams thrive by combining diverse skill sets from IT and other business areas to solve complex challenges. These multidisciplinary teams leverage technology expertise from IT and deep customer and business insights from business leaders. Instead of focusing solely on technical execution, fusion teams adopt product management principles to design and deliver internal or market-facing digital products with measurable business value.
This approach fosters agility, encourages cross-functional collaboration and keeps teams focused on business outcomes. The most effective fusion teams prioritize transparency, shared goals and iterative improvements, ensuring accountability for both technical and business outcomes.