Vietnamese CIO: Not just a new title

While CIOs really have a place in the system of titles of companies, businesses or corporations in the world, in Vietnam, this is still a new title. The knowledge of the role of CIOs is still only in the 'coverage' of the occupants and not even in the dictionary of many leaders. But whether it is acknowledged or not, in fact, the silhouette of CIOs is still evident in the success or failure of any IT project.

CIO: Mind and Games

Project 112 was officially stopped. The failure of a project at this National level affects not only the application of IT in the State administrative agencies but also the consequences. That is something no one wants.

Expectations on a brighter computerization picture are repeated stories in the early days of project implementation. However, with thorough analysis and with further vision, many people foresaw the death of this project.

Mr. Le Manh Ha, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Post and Telecommunications, said: ' I took the position of Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Post and Telecommunications from the end of 2004 and really started work in early 2005. Right in the early days We have discovered what is not possible, the inadequacies of this project '.

Do not be overwhelmed by a project that is too big, not rushed to implement soon to have achievements, see the inadequacies of the project, the Director of the Department of Post and Telecommunications of Ho Chi Minh City, along with his colleagues has try to find new ways to implement, ensure safety and efficiency.

Slow but firm, deploying on the principle of oil slick . are the experiences drawn during the process of deploying large IT projects in Ho Chi Minh City. With undeniable achievements, Ho Chi Minh City has become a bright spot in the field of IT policy planning and implementation, a local leader in e-government implementation.

However, the failure of Project 112 is already the story. The cause of failure is being dissected to draw experience. People who intentionally make a mistake or profit from the project are being handled. That is so obvious. What makes many people worry is whether after the failure of this Scheme, there are excessive prudent, or in other words, do CIOs dare to take responsibility for implementing similar projects. .

According to Mr. Le Manh Ha: ' This is the time of the intersection of a wrong project, it can even be called a dead project. It just says that we have to be more careful, we have to draw lessons to move forward. We must accept defeat, draw experience to go on, not mean we are afraid not to do it anymore . '

Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Information and Communication - Vu Vu Dam said: ' There must be enthusiasm, belief and passion for career because information technology is not always successful. Worldwide, only 30% of IT projects in the state are successful, the rest 70% are failures. It is when the failure or steps slow down, we know how to draw and trust, the future will be very successful '.

Cases of Project 112 over the past few days have been causing unforeseen effects on the management of IT projects and the projects themselves. But a sad reality is hard to deny that the belief that society for IT is shaken strongly. It is at this moment that CIOs need to show that those who have the heart and the spirit, dare to stand up to difficult problems and dare to cope with risks to regain the trust of society in IT and most importantly give IT applications in life are in line with its role.

Vietnamese CIO: New title, old position?

According to Dr. Hoang Quoc Lap, Director of IT Application Department, Ministry of Information and Communications: ' IT applications and economic changes have been intertwined, and it requires us every organization even as a home agency. The country or business needs to have the structure of its organization, to keep it up to the new situation. On that basis, we see the urgent issue and the increasing role of information managers, operators and organizations as well as IT applications. Their presence in the leadership of each organization becomes an irreversible trend '.

Not only in the big technology powers in the world such as the US and India but in the neighboring countries of Vietnam such as Thailand, China, the CIO title has been recognized and recognized as those who have taken every step forward. and the ability to apply technology to management, on the basis of promoting the role of information technology as a competitive advantage.

Meanwhile in Vietnam, CIO is still present somewhere with the name of Information Director, Information Manager, Information Team Leader or Information Manager . Not many business cards with CIO titles, because put in, maybe not many people understand this title.

According to Mr. Le Manh Ha: ' The concept of Vietnam CIO is not as expected of IT people. In areas where IT and IT applications are not popular, very few people know about this title. This is a huge challenge for IT people. In the past, we thought it was the job of pure IT workers, but it is necessary to understand that this is the job of IT managers '.

Not being recognized as a leadership title, not being evaluated properly is a phenomenon that is easy to explain for an IT platform that is behind and all new in the initial stage like in our country. Even the leading people in deploying IT applications at organizations and businesses are probably also afraid of their CIO position.

This fact is reflected in the outstanding IT Leadership Program in Vietnam. Three times have been passed, but it seems that Vietnamese CIOs are still not very interested, or more correctly, do not know if they are called CIOs not to boldly send their votes.

According to Dr. Hoang Quoc Lap, Director of IT Application Department, Ministry of Information and Communications: ' The first and second year of the excellent IT leadership selection program has not been responded by IT leaders. Even in the third year, the number of voting participants is not very big, instead of choosing 10 excellent 2007 CIOs, we only choose 9. That gives us thoughts, we must do better. more work on training and training IT leaders for the country '.

The fate of Vietnam CIO had to wait until the Ministry of Information - Communications officially implemented Decree 64/2007 / ND-CP before it was officially recognized. The way to go to the official name date is a long story, but perhaps, the way for the official CIO status to be recognized is probably more time-consuming.

Vietnamese CIO: A challenge in awareness?

According to Ray Smith - former IT Director of Public Company Accounting Oversight Board: ' CIOs need to have the capacity to build teams. They need to understand their organization, need to understand the requirements set for a good organization, must demonstrate the leadership capabilities of the organization. They need to demonstrate the ability to interact and orient the organization with definitive decisions. The CIO also needs to pay attention to education and the development of the ability of its members, to help them understand technology, what technology can help with development. They dare to face the challenge, anticipate technology and assertiveness to bring the business forward '.

Of course, everyone understands, it is impossible to require Vietnamese CIOs to immediately meet the standards of an international CIO, especially when the majority of Vietnamese CIOs are going up from location of purely technical people. However, it is not the reason for the Vietnamese CIOs to go on to make excuses for their limitations.

Facing challenges, looking at the weaknesses is probably what CIOs should do to gradually assert themselves to a recognized title.

According to Mr. Nguyen Viet The, Director of the Department of Information Technology and Professional - General Department of Technology, Ministry of Public Security: ' In terms of professional knowledge, I see the majority of CIOs in Vietnam can meet. In addition, the standard of management capacity must have a training program on CIO's executive management capacity .

According to Mr. Le Manh Ha: ' Our apparatus is extremely bulky, extremely uncomfortable. A CIO needs to be more flexible in relationships and must understand the apparatus well, understand the planning of each unit '.

Deputy Minister Vu Duc Dam made the comment: ' If frankly speaking, CIOs in state agencies have not met the requirements of a CIO if compared to regional and international levels. Most of them come from technical people, while IT leaders require a very broad vision . ' ' I think one of the biggest challenges for CIOs in Vietnam is that it is also a challenge in a global world that has enough people with good standards of work. In many businesses around the world, competition lies in human factors with the ability to master technology. It is more about being able to attract good people. I think that's a big challenge for the CIO , 'said Ray Smith.

Vietnam is in the turn of the technological revolution and as a matter of fact, CIOs are present, play a leading and dynamic role . Born later, however definition and role Vietnamese CIOs do not change so much. It is not just a new title that is added to the senior management team, CIOs must show the pioneering role and have the right sensitivity, at the right time. And of course, in order to fulfill their responsibilities, Vietnamese CIOs, in addition to improving their knowledge and experience, also face challenges from the IT background that are making strong changes.

Nguyen Bich