The business value of IT: How CIOs drive competitiveness
Summary
In an interview with Tim Murphy, Chris Campbell, CIO of DeVry University, explains that IT’s business value comes from reducing friction and focusing squarely on customer (student) outcomes rather than chasing technology for its own sake. DeVry ties investments to measurable learner outcomes, uses advanced analytics and AI with strong governance, and deploys practical GenAI tools such as a Salesforce Agentforce chatbot to support students 24/7. Campbell stresses AI fluency for staff, human-in-the-loop controls, cross-functional leadership (an “AI Lab” governance group) and pragmatic partnerships with major vendors to balance innovation, cost and compliance in a regulated sector.
Key Points
- Competitiveness is defined as moving faster with less friction and a strong market focus, not merely adopting new tech.
- Investments are evaluated against learner outcomes (classroom success, career outcomes) rather than as isolated cost-cutting exercises.
- DeVry uses analytics and AI to speed decision-making while keeping humans in the loop for oversight and judgement.
- Practical GenAI use cases include a Salesforce Agentforce chatbot on the student portal and AI-driven monitoring/auditing of conversations for compliance.
- Strong governance: an internal AI Lab green-lights or halts initiatives and enforces guardrails in a highly regulated environment.
- Benchmarking is useful but often anecdotal; cultural barriers—especially around academic integrity—are a major friction point.
- Organisations should prioritise data and analytics readiness, using generative tools to prepare and evaluate datasets before full deployment.
- The CIO’s superpower remains business context: deep knowledge of the organisation and customers is critical to extract real value from AI.
Why should I read this?
Quick take: if you care about making IT matter, this is for you. Campbell cuts through the hype — showing how to use AI and analytics sensibly, keep humans involved and make decisions that actually improve student outcomes. It’s short on fluff and heavy on practical, usable ideas.
Context and relevance
This piece matters because it reframes the CIO role from a technology advocate to an outcomes-driven connector across the organisation. As AI and analytics reshape service delivery, Campbell’s approach—prioritise outcomes, enforce governance, partner with major vendors and build AI fluency—offers a replicable model for CIOs in regulated industries and beyond. The article aligns with broader trends: data-first strategies, pragmatic GenAI pilots, and tighter cross-functional governance to turn digital complexity into competitive momentum.
Author style
Punchy and pragmatic — the interview emphasises clear tradeoffs and actionable steps rather than abstract theories. If you’re a technology leader, the details here are worth your attention; if you’re stretched for time, the key takeaways give you a ready checklist to apply at your organisation.