Majority of CIOs rely on instinct and experience over data or third-party advice when making decisions

Even though intuition is sometimes at odds with other sources, CIOs prefer to stick with their professional judgement, suggests Colt study

A whopping 68 per cent of CIOs base pressured decisions on instinct and experience, above any other factor - including data or third party advice, according to a recent study from IT services provider Colt.

In its ‘Moments that matter' study, Colt found that 71 per cent of IT leaders thought that intuition and personal experience, was, on balance, more effective than data intelligence when making decisions.

Interestingly, more than three quarters of CIOs admit that their intuition is sometimes at odds with other sources, such as data or advice from third parties.

When IT leaders were asked to rank four factors in order of importance when making decisions - professional experience came out on top of data and intelligence on three scenarios: managing external events, responding to customer requirements, and dealing with changing compliance regulations.

Colt suggested that the reliance on personal experience may be down to a feeling of personal risk from CIOs; the IT services firm had found that more than three quarters (76 per cent) of IT leaders felt more individual risk when making decisions, as IT has more of a pivotal role in a business.

"When the stakes are high and a CIO is feeling the pressure to make the right decision that will result in business and career success - the natural reaction is to draw on instinct and professional judgement," said Carl Grivner, EVP at Colt.

Grivner suggested that the IT department was too often "insulated", and suggested that other sources of expertise have limited influence - particularly input from peers in other parts of the business. He called on IT departments, headed by CIOs, to engage better with other business functions in order to drive success.

For this study, Colt commissioned research agency Loudhouse to conduct interviews with 301 senior technology decision makers from the UK, France and Germany. Business revenues for those interviewed spanned between €10m to €5bn, with the majority ranging between €100m and €500m.