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Steven Romero

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IT Governance Evangelist, Romero Consulting & BOT International

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As an IT Governance Evangelist, Steve Romero's mission is to help enterprises realize the full potential of their IT investments for strategic and competitive advantage. He speaks around the world to users, prospective clients, industry organizations and IT luminaries ...

As an IT Governance Evangelist, Steve Romero's mission is to help enterprises realize the full potential of their IT investments for strategic and competitive advantage. He speaks around the world to users, prospective clients, industry organizations and IT luminaries to identify and communicate leading advances in Corporate Governance of IT.

Romero is an innovative, passionate IT professional with over 30 years experience working in almost every area of IT. For the past 15 years his career has focused on helping large enterprises transform their IT organizations from cost centers to strategic assets. Steve is a recognized expert in Corporate Governance of IT, Project and Portfolio Management (PPM), IT/Business processes, and business process management. He is a Certified Project Management Professional, a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, ITIL Foundation Certified, a Certified Process Master, and a Certified Computer Professional.

Romero is a member of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) and the Project Management Institute (PMI). He is a San Francisco Chapter committee member of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), and a Past-President of the Information Technology Service Management Forum (itSMF) San Francisco Local Interest Group. He is a Board Member for the Center for Electronic Business at San Francisco State University, and is a regular guest lecturer in their Masters Program. He is the author of the book, "Eliminating 'Us and Them' - Making IT and the Business One."

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WEB: IT Governance Blog

Jan. 26, 2012

Steven Romero answered this question

When using the term "analytics," must the analysis be automated?

Thanks for your insights Bill. If I understand your correctly, what you describe does not sound new. If I'm correct, then what is all the new buzz about? Analytics is descirbed as the next big thing. Gartner says it is the #6 technology trend for ... more

Analytics Application

Business Analytics

Business Intelligence

Jan. 13, 2012

Steven Romero asked a question

Is there such a thing as "IT" PPM?

Project and Portfolio Management

Jan. 11, 2012

Steven Romero and 5 other people answered this question

How thin is the line between business intelligence and business analytics applications?

Thanks Daniel, I'll take a look.

Business Analytics

Business Intelligence

Data Governance

Data Management Software

Jan. 10, 2012

Steven Romero and 10 other people answered this question

What are some of the first services or applications in an enterprise that should be deployed in the cloud?

Andrew and JP offer very solid answers - using sage methods for information technology decision-making. Given the "newness" of cloud computing, and the "yet to be seen" future, I would like to offer another dimension to historic deployment considerations.
Most organizations have little cloud insight ... more

Information Technology

Cloud Computing

Dec. 30, 2011

Steven Romero and 11 other people answered this question

Many think Facebook will replace e-mail. What other business apps might it augment or replace?

It is interesting that you went from "replacing" to "augment 'or' replace" in your question - because I would agree that Facebook has augmented email, but is nowhere near to replacing it. That said, I can't think of a single significant "business app" that will ... more

Professional Networking

Social Business

Dec. 23, 2011

Steven Romero and 2 other people answered this question

How should IT leaders address line of business users that develop business applications themselves?

I am glad John was the first to answer this question becuase he made a very critical point when he stated, "This is essentially a failure of the IT department, typically in user education and governance and/or execution on business needs." Having (or not having) ... more

Information Technology

Information Technology Management

IT Security Audit

Dec. 20, 2011

Steven Romero and 2 other people answered this question

What tips would you give technology marketers who are targeting content with you in mind?

Here is my list:
- Don't speak down to me
- Don't invent new terms
- Avoid jargon
- Don't claim "compliance" to unsanctioned or de facto standards
- Describe the business-value in non-technical terms
- Describe your differentiators with defensible data
- Speak with ... more

Information Technology

Content Marketing

Dec. 20, 2011

Steven Romero and 7 other people answered this question

What effect does good or bad marketing have on the buying process for technologists?

I think good marketing can have a very powerful influence - though I rarely see examples of this good marketing. Instead, I find myself snickering at most technology marketing efforts because they are so condescending, simplistic, inaccurate, or outright misleading. This "bad marketing" is so ... more

Information Technology

Technology Marketing

Dec. 20, 2011

Steven Romero and 7 other people answered this question

How do you stay informed on technology and IT trends?

In addition to the obvious analyst groups, consulting firms, and trade publications, I rely greatly on my social media contacts. Yes, Focus is one sources, but the vast majority of my access to new content is provided by Twitter. In fact, it is more than ... more

Information Technology

Technology Trends

Dec. 9, 2011

Steven Romero asked a question

Is cloud computing an IT initiative or a business initiative in your organization?

Cloud Computing

Dec. 9, 2011

Steven Romero is now following Steve Christensen and 1 other person

Dec. 7, 2011

Steven Romero and 2 other people answered this question

What is "the consumerization trend" and why is it a problem?

Hi Lisa, I actually wrote a recent blog post on the topic. Here are the first few paragraphs:
A persistent and inescapable phenomenon is beginning to have an impact on IT organizations everywhere. Whether IT likes it or not, users are bringing their “personal” technology ... more

Information Technology

Consumerization of IT

Nov. 22, 2011

Steven Romero and 33 other people answered this question

Is communication competency a skill or an art?

Communication is absolutely a skill, but after a little thought, I can't agree that it is an art. I understand why such a characterization would be applied to communication - due to the intricacies and nuances that must be addressed to do it effectively. But ... more

Human Resources

Information Technology

Nov. 11, 2011

Steven Romero asked a question

Is it appropriate to blog about general topics-of-the-day on a "business" site?

Business Management

Nov. 1, 2011

Steven Romero and 4 other people answered this question

How do we best apply lean to IT project management in a service oriented government agency?

Applying LEAN to project management processes can be tricky given LEAN was originally developed for and applied to manufacturing. Now there are many examples of applying LEAN to service processes such as software development. Many software development efforts are poorly organized, resulting in rework, unbalanced ... more

Information Technology

Lean Management

Oct. 31, 2011

Steven Romero and 10 other people answered this question

What do you think is the scariest job in the United States?

Interesting question. You asked about the "scariest" job vs. the most dangerous job. This implies you are inquiring about the jobs that prey most on the "fears" of people, vs. the jobs that are most likely to kill them. Our fears aren't necessarily based on ... more

Human Resources

Career Development

Job Description

Oct. 31, 2011

Steven Romero and 14 other people answered this question

Is it possible to run a 100% virtual office?

Given the parameters of your question, technology makes it very possible to "run a 100% virtual office." And you can expect technology advances to continue to deliver even more virtual business capabilities - at an exponential rate. If anything, businesses comprised of virtual offices should ... more

Oct. 24, 2011

Steven Romero and 31 other people answered this question

What will be the next big consumer product to become obsolete?

Students are generally allowed to use scientific calculators to take tests - but they are not allowed to use smartphones - or even have them in their possession. My highschool sophomore son just purchased his second scientific calculator - at a whopping $15. more

Information Technology

Consumer Behavior

Oct. 14, 2011

Steven Romero and 1 other person answered this question

What are your tips for instilling a proper sense of urgency in your employees?

By acting with a sense of urgency yourself. And 'acting with a sense of urgency' has less to do with long-hours than it has to do with a behavior that reflects the value of constantly striving for excellence. If you don't want people to get ... more

General Management

Human Resources

Sense of Urgency

Talent Management

Oct. 14, 2011

Steven Romero asked a question

Is lack of expertise inhibiting your organization's desire to deploy apps on "the cloud?

Human Resources

Information Technology

Cloud Computing

Oct. 10, 2011

Steven Romero and 3 other people answered this question

Do you think technological innovation is greater in times of economic hardship?

I would love to think so, but I think the answer is "no."
I am sure there are instances of necessity-induced inspiration as well as audacious enterprises who invest in innovation instead of "waiting out the storm." But I would bet the number of organizations that ... more

Information Technology

Economic Downturn

Oct. 4, 2011

Steven Romero and 1 other person answered this question

Is IT governance related to innovation or only project control?

Wow, what a question. I would love to simply answer, "Yes" - with a simple follow-up sentence like, "IT governance ensures all information technology decisions are aligned to the business, deliver value, and manage risk, resources and performance. Given this characterization, if one of the ... more

Information Technology

Following 6 Topics

General Management

Information Technology

Project Management

Following 2 People

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