Published on the 27/03/2015 | Written by Clare Coulson

The judges of the Awards want to hear from people who have done the extraordinary to bring significant benefit to their organisations through the implementation of technology…

This year’s CIO Summit and associated Awards, to be held in Auckland in June, bear the tagline “confronting disruption – shaping the future of business technology,” and that is what the judges of the CIO Awards will be looking for in the winners of this year’s Awards round.

The New Zealand CIO Awards celebrate and recognise individuals and teams who have shown leadership, innovation and foresight in their contribution to ICT and business. The categories include CIO of the Year, Emerging ICT Leader, Executive Team of the Year, Engaging Youth in ICT, and Outstanding Contribution to Technology in New Zealand.

Entries close on Thursday 2nd April so iStart caught up with some of the judges to find out what qualities and characteristics they will be looking for in the winners.

Both Ross Hughson, managing director of Personal Information Management Ltd and Wendy Bussen, director of Bussen Consulting, have been judging the awards for over a decade. Hughson said that over that time they, and their fellow judges, have put a lot of thought in to what they ask for in each category in order to be as objective as possible but they are looking for the extraordinary .

Bussen said that they receive a lot of very good applications but what they are really looking for is “the X factor”. She said that while it is expected that anyone in these roles is very proficient, it is the things they do outside of what is expected in their role that make the winners stand out.

“Anything that is outside the box is just hard work – that’s why not everybody does it. How did they go the extra mile and what did they see that differentiates them from just doing a good day-job? We are looking for innovative ways that they overcame things,” she said.

Michael Myers, Professor of information systems at the University of Auckland Business School has judged the awards for the past two and said he is looking for someone “who is both a champion of the organisation and a champion of the value of ICT to the organisation” – that is to say, someone who understands the strategic direction of the organization and how ICT help achieve it, but also understands how ICT can drive the organisation’s strategy.

Hughson said that since the first cut is judged purely on written submissions, entrants should make sure they look carefully at the criteria and answer the questions that are posed – and let their passion and dedication shine through. He also noted the judges are looking for demonstrable results that often come after two to three years in the job, so timing can be a factor. Myers added that last year all the winners demonstrated a clear understanding of the value of ICT to their organisation, and they had the leadership, influencing and negotiation skills to make a difference.

If you, or someone you know, deserve to be acknowledged for outstanding work in ICT, make your submission now. http://www.ciosummit.co.nz/cio-awards/how-to-enter