It's a tradition to start the new year off with some resolutions to help guide you through what you hope will be a successful year. With that in mind, we asked several leading industry analysts to give us one good resolution for IT departments in the insurance industry for 2013.

Taking part in this Tech Discussion are Karen Furtado, a partner with Strategy Meets Action; Mike Fitzgerald, a senior analyst with Celent; Rod Travers, executive vice president of The Nolan Company; Matt Josefowicz, partner and managing director of Novarica, and Kimberly Harris-Ferrante, research vice president, Gartner.

Hopefully their advice rings true for your companies this year.

Karen Furtado, partner, Strategy Meets Action

Think Big, Start Small is a resolution for 2013 that will yield rapid results and pay dividends for years to come. Insurers should have a three to five year vision—one that paints a picture of where the organization wants to head and outlines the necessary functional capabilities for accomplishing goals.

The business needs to be clear about their current and future needs and should own any required business transformation. The IT organization can then take these requirements and, being realistic about their IT capabilities, determine the most successful path. The key is recognizing there are no silver bullets nor is there one magic answer. Companies that are the most successful will be able to break their key initiatives down into smaller, manageable, yet highly impactful projects.

While every insurer has unique characteristics and considerations, the one resolution that will work for all is a commitment to plan and execute more effectively by thinking big and starting small.

Mike Fitzgerald, senior analyst, Celent

Make time in 2013 to engage leaders in building new business models.

We can thank Dr. Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, for teaching us that it is difficult, but critical to spend time on issues that are important but not urgent. As all of us in the service delivery business know, the immediate "squeaky wheel" usually chews up our time and energy in the daily grind.

That dynamic certainly applies to the issue of innovation in insurance—implementing unique business models that create new and increased value for customers. When asked, insurance executives respond that innovation is central to their future business success. However, they also agree that our sector, as a whole, has a poor track record of delivery. When asked to rank 10 industries according to which "delivers useful, innovative service to you," end consumers rank insurance eighth.

This pattern will not be interrupted without concentrated effort. A useful 2013 resolution for CIOs is to commit to engage the business in building new business models. For organizations without a history of a focus on innovation, this will mean building consensus around the need to commit time and resources. For those with defined innovation activities underway, it will mean re-energizing them. Finally, for those which have tried and failed, it will mean reconfirming the need and restarting initiatives.

Insurers are better positioned than ever to leverage new business models. Many have invested heavily in modern administration systems which enable increased flexibility and speed. The emergence of data analytics and new, public information sources mean that underwriting and pricing can be accomplished with much more precision. Finally, the introduction of tablets, GPS technology and other mobile tools engage agents and customers in new ways. With the right effort, this next year can be about building the skills to deliver new value to individuals and businesses.

Rod Travers, executive vice president, The Nolan Company

Commit to Talent Development. The insurance industry is in a battle to attract and retain the best and brightest talent, especially in IT. We're competing for talent against healthcare, high-tech companies, the energy industry, and startups to name a few.

In 2013 insurance IT leaders should make talent development a priority. Think three years ahead: What might your IT department look like then? What is the corresponding mix of people and skills you will need to keep your company competitive?

Invest in skills development for emerging technologies, management and leadership, and effective communications. Core information systems' topics such as analytics, mobility, and agile development should be at the top of your department's professional development agenda. Make your priorities known; lead by example; and reward those who make a difference.

Matt Josefowicz, partner and managing director, Novarica

The best resolution for insurance IT leaders in 2013 is to resolve to see technology as a "how" rather than a "what." While it's easy for IT professionals to narrow their perspective on the "what" of technology—systems, applications, new platforms, etc.—their business executive peers think of technology only as a "how"—how am I going to reach my customers better? How am I going to get this product to market? How am I going to understand this market opportunity?

By resolving to shift their mindsets from a narrow focus on the "what" to a broader focus on the "how," insurance IT leaders can help ensure their continued value to the enterprise.

Kimberly Harris-Ferrante, research vice president, Gartner

In 2013, IT leaders should focus on filling skill gaps within the IT department and ensuring proper alignment of skills with emerging technologies. CIOs and IT leaders within the insurance industry often face staffing limitations and challenges associated with insufficient skills to manage legacy environments as well as support new technology initiatives such as mobility.

Strategically using third party partners and investing in staffing skills is needed to ensure overall success with ongoing and future IT endeavors. Building capabilities in business process modeling, data management, cybersecurity, application implementation and testing, portal design, and mobile platform management are essential in today's competitive market. Increased focus in 2013 is essential to help derive additional value to the business and help with new business-oriented tasks where IT can provide great value.

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