Today, we’re thrilled to sit down with Chloe Maraina, a visionary in the realm of Business Intelligence with a deep passion for crafting impactful visual stories through big data analysis. With her extensive expertise in data science and a forward-thinking approach to data management and integration, Chloe has been at the forefront of transforming how businesses and IT collaborate. In this interview, we’ll dive into the evolving dynamics of business-IT relationships, exploring how trust is built, how challenges in processes are navigated, and what it truly takes to move beyond respect to genuine appreciation within organizations. Let’s uncover her insights and experiences on fostering stronger, more meaningful partnerships in the ever-changing world of IT.
How have you seen the expectations between business and IT shift over the years, especially since the early days of automation, and can you share a specific story where integration or optimization challenges tested a business relationship?
Oh, the shift has been monumental. Back when automation was the shiny new toy, IT was everyone’s hero for simply digitizing manual processes—think basic accounting systems that saved countless hours. But now, the bar is much higher; businesses expect IT not just to automate, but to optimize and integrate complex systems seamlessly. I’ve seen this play out in real time. A few years ago, I worked with a mid-sized retail company where the business side wanted a unified customer data platform to drive personalized marketing. The challenge was integrating disparate systems—some legacy, some modern cloud-based—and the business team was frustrated by initial delays. I could feel the tension in every meeting; there was this undercurrent of doubt about IT’s ability to deliver. We tackled it by breaking the project into smaller, visible milestones, hosting regular check-ins to show progress, and dedicating a small team to focus purely on data mapping and integration hurdles. Over six months, we turned skepticism into partnership by delivering a system that boosted their campaign response rates by double digits. It was a reminder that trust isn’t just given—it’s built through transparency and results.
What’s your perspective on building organizational trust between business and IT, especially when personal likability as a leader doesn’t guarantee affection for the IT team as a whole, and can you share an example of turning around a strained dynamic?
Building trust at an organizational level is a whole different beast from personal rapport. As a leader, you can be well-liked, but if the IT organization is seen as a roadblock, that personal goodwill doesn’t trickle down. Trust comes from consistent delivery, clear communication, and showing that IT exists to enable business goals, not just to maintain systems. I recall a time early in my career when I joined a company where the business units viewed IT as slow and bureaucratic—there was palpable frustration in cross-departmental meetings. I started by conducting a series of workshops to understand their pain points, which revealed that request turnaround times were a major issue. We implemented a triage system for IT requests, prioritizing based on business impact, and set up a dashboard for transparency so everyone could track progress. Within three months, feedback surveys showed a 40% improvement in satisfaction scores from business stakeholders. It wasn’t just about fixing processes; it was about showing we were listening and adapting. That shift in perception—from obstacle to ally—was something you could feel in the room during discussions.
The idea of business managers praising individual IT team members for bypassing bureaucracy caught my attention. How have you encountered this in your work, and what does it reveal about deeper IT process issues? Can you walk us through a time you overhauled a frustrating process?
I’ve seen this firsthand, and it’s a red flag. When business managers sing the praises of an IT analyst for dodging official channels, it often means the formal processes are too cumbersome or disconnected from real needs. It’s a symptom of a system that’s failing to serve its purpose. A vivid memory comes from a project at a financial services firm where managers kept bypassing our ticketing system to directly contact a favorite analyst for quick fixes. It created chaos—duplicate work, no documentation, and frustrated team members. I dug into the issue by shadowing both IT and business staff for a week, uncovering that the ticketing system was overly complex, requiring 15 minutes just to log a simple request. We streamlined it by cutting unnecessary fields, adding templates for common issues, and integrating a chatbot for instant status updates. Post-overhaul, bypass incidents dropped by 60%, and the business team felt heard because we addressed the root cause. It taught me that processes should never be sacred; they need to evolve with the people using them.
I’m intrigued by the approach of never saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to IT requests, but instead framing responses as ‘Here’s what it will take.’ How have you put this into practice, and can you share a specific instance where this mindset shifted the conversation with business stakeholders?
This approach is a game-changer because it pivots the conversation from confrontation to collaboration. Saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’ shuts down dialogue, but outlining what’s needed invites partnership and sets realistic expectations. I’ve used this often, but one instance stands out. A business unit at a healthcare client wanted a new analytics dashboard for patient data overnight—clearly an unrealistic timeline. Instead of refusing outright, I sat them down and said, ‘Here’s what it will take: a week to scope the data sources, two weeks for development, and another for testing to ensure compliance with regulations.’ I walked them through the risks of rushing, like potential data breaches, and offered a phased rollout to get critical insights sooner. They appreciated the clarity and felt like we were problem-solving together. You could see the relief in their faces when they realized IT wasn’t just a gatekeeper but a partner mapping out a feasible path. It turned a tense request into a constructive plan, and we delivered the first phase ahead of schedule, which only deepened their trust.
Finally, while keeping systems running and projects on track earns respect, the business’s love for IT seems to require more. What strategies have you used to foster genuine appreciation, and can you detail a project where you won over stakeholders in a meaningful way?
Respect is the foundation, but love—or at least deep appreciation—comes from going beyond the expected and showing you’re invested in their success. For me, it’s about anticipating needs, not just reacting, and delivering solutions that surprise and delight. One project that comes to mind was with a logistics company struggling with shipment delays. They hadn’t asked IT for help beyond basic system upkeep, but I noticed patterns in their data during a routine review that screamed inefficiency. My team and I proactively built a predictive model to flag potential delays before they happened, integrating it into their workflow. When we unveiled it, their operations head literally clapped during the demo— I’ll never forget that moment of pure excitement. Feedback later showed a 25% reduction in delayed shipments within the first quarter of using the tool. Their appreciation wasn’t just in words; it was in how they started inviting IT to strategic planning sessions, treating us as true partners. That’s when I knew we’d moved beyond respect to something deeper.
Looking ahead, what is your forecast for the future of business-IT relationships, especially as data and technology continue to drive organizational strategies?
I’m optimistic, but I think we’re at a pivotal moment. As data and technology become even more central to business strategy, IT will need to evolve from a support function to a core driver of innovation—think less about fixing printers and more about shaping business models. I foresee a future where IT leaders are embedded in every strategic decision, leveraging data insights to anticipate market shifts before they happen. However, this also means the pressure will intensify; businesses will demand faster, more agile responses, and IT will need to balance speed with robust governance. My hope is that we’ll see a deeper integration, where the line between business and IT blurs, creating truly collaborative ecosystems. It’s an exciting, if challenging, horizon, and I believe those who prioritize empathy alongside technical prowess will lead the way.
