Jonathan Reichental, Ph.D.

For over 20 years, Dr. Jonathan Reichental has been helping organizations leverage the value of information and communications technology to solve business problems, increase effectiveness, and support revenue growth opportunities. He spent over a decade at a Big 4 consulting firm focusing on IT strategy and innovation, delivering specific expertise in emerging technologies and the impact of macro trends such as demography on organizational success. He has also served as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of O'Reilly Media. Currently, he is the CIO of the City of Palo Alto, the heart of Silicon Valley, where his responsibilities span across city technology and innovation.

Dr. Reichental is also a highly sought-after public speaker and presents on a range of subjects. He is interviewed often and has been featured on NPR, Forbes, CIO magazine, InformationWeek and Computerworld. His TV appearances include a segment on CNBC.?You can follow him or begin a conversation through Twitter via @reichental.

My top 5 predictions for CIOs in 2011

Don't expect an easy ride in 2011. The challenges for CIOs will be more complex and disruptive.

As we look to 2011, the enlightened CIO must go after the most valuable projects and be a trusted adviser to those who commit dollars to organizational goals.

Taking stock of my 2010 tech predictions

4 "corrects," 4 "maybes," and 2 "nos": Jonathan Reichental re-examines his 2010 predictions.

In January 2010, I published a list of my technology predictions for the year ahead. While I hit a few right on, I certainly over-estimated the rate of change.

Cloud computing's fear factor: Acknowledge, reduce, move on

If cloud computing has so much potential, why are many organizations afraid of it?

A combination of negative messages and concerns about readiness have made cloud computing the most feared of the big technology innovations. There are legitimate reasons to approach the cloud with care, but we should not be consumed by irrational fear.

The four pillars of O'Reilly's IT strategy

We're embarking on a journey that will transform how we deliver and support our technology needs.

O'Reilly's new IT strategy had to consider the company's culture of innovation while introducing the right level of predictability. Too much unmanaged innovation or codified predictability would limit our ability to grow and be a recipe for IT failure.

The CIO's golden rule of management

With few exceptions, good data is the best way to make great decisions.

We make decisions with data and we measure performance with metrics. It's letting the data and metrics — the evidence — tell the story and then taking some form of action on it.

Being CIO: 5 tips for surviving the first 90 days

How chief information officers can set the tone during their early days with a new organization.

The amount and methods in which you initially make progress will be indicative of your pace and style. Getting it right can ensure you are in sync with the business. Being too slow or too fast has considerable inherent risk.

5 cloud computing conundrums

CIOs will need to unravel some challenging near-term puzzles to succeed in the cloud.

While every business needs to consider public cloud computing in the context of its own needs and risk profile, I've identified a sample of puzzles that most CIOs will likely need to address.

Can predictability and IT innovation coexist?

IT strategies that can reconcile process and innovation often have positive and measurable results.

Predictability and innovation: It's the combination every IT leader needs to consider. Organizations that can reconcile these agendas have positive and measurable results, while those that can't often see lower levels of innovation.

IT transformations must begin with hearts and minds

Radical IT change starts not with technology, but with collaboration.

IT transformation must be managed in a deliberate manner. Heavy lifting is essential, but it should not be the first thing that gets done. Radical change must start with the CIO and his or her managers engaging in collaborative discussions across the business.

CIO: Chief Inspiration Officer?

Creating a tech vision is one of the most effective things a CIO can do.

Inspiring staff through a tech strategy is one of the lowest costs, yet most effective activities a CIO can do. A vision that produces positive results reminds everyone why we do this work.