A featured contribution from Leadership Perspectives, a curated forum for enterprise technology leaders, nominated by our subscribers and vetted by the CIOApplications Editorial Board.

the Texas Department of Transportation,

Driving Transformation with a Customer Lens

Can you walk us briefly through your leadership role as Chief Information Officer? What are your key responsibilities and areas of focus?

As the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), I lead more than 700 technology professionals supporting what is one of the nation’s largest and most complex transportation networks. To achieve success, I’ve selected and empowered high-performing, transformational leaders who are committed to TxDOT’s mission and values. Since taking on the role in 2019, our focus has been on providing excellent customer service and optimizing legacy Information Technology (IT) to enhance business productivity and efficiency. As CIO, I remain at the forefront of IT advancements to help TxDOT become the premier Department of Transportation (DOT) in the nation.

From your perspective, what does it take to successfully lead an IT organization through a customer-centric transformation?

Leading an IT organization through a customer-centric transformation requires a fundamental shift in mindset, culture, and strategy. At TxDOT, we successfully implement several customer-centric transformations each year.

Here’s how we remain successful:

We listen. We promote open communication and integrate feedback systems in all our activities. We aim to eliminate barriers to honest customer feedback and ensure it is effectively addressed.

We understand. We have adjusted our plans for customer-facing systems and processes based on the evolving needs of our customers.

We communicate. Effective communication and customer involvement are crucial during any transformation. We prioritize our customers, integrating and informing them as needed.

Customer-centric transformation requires empathy at scale, aligning technology, talent, and processes with the needs of those we serve. It focuses on delivering outcomes that build trust and create lasting impact.

Many CIOs are tasked with simultaneously maintaining legacy systems while advancing modernization efforts. What are some practical approaches to managing this balance without compromising service quality or innovation momentum?

The path to modernization must be pragmatic and mission driven. Many of our legacy systems are deeply embedded in critical public services. Modernization efforts are phased and outcome focused. Balance is achieved and protected by planning, prioritization and phased approaches. I lean on my leadership team to represent the divisions and districts they support to develop their yearly technology innovation priorities for their area of operations. Our aggregate agency modernization efforts are selected based on feedback from our agency customers and on careful consideration of legacy tools and their effectiveness, end of life, etc. Our technology transformation planning is guided by that prioritization. So, the balance is supported through the exceptional work of our leaders in informed planning and execution.

Driving a culture of innovation in highly structured or regulated environments can be challenging. What leadership behaviours or internal practices can help spark creative thinking while staying aligned with policy and compliance?

  • Customer-centric transformation requires empathy at scale, aligning technology, talent, and processes with the needs of those we serve. It focuses on delivering outcomes that build trust and create lasting impact.

As the CIO of TxDOT, I recognize that fostering a culture of innovation in a highly regulated environment like ours requires a careful balance of creativity, compliance, and accountability. Innovation does not mean bypassing rules, it means reimagining how we work within them to deliver better outcomes for the public. I would encourage executive leaders to model a mindset of curiosity and accountability, encourage, and embrace out-of-the-box ideas and approaches. If your leaders engrain creative thinking in their management, it will help create a safe space for idea testing and cross-functional collaboration. Make sure your managers are bold enough to give wings to their teams’ ideas, lifting them to higher level conversations and giving them the visibility needed to be further developed. When evaluating creative ideas, point out what is compliant and provide feedback to the originator. This affirms their input and guides future innovations.

What’s one piece of advice you would offer to aspiring CIOs who want to lead with both technical credibility and strategic influence in mission-driven organizations? .

I would encourage aspiring CIOs to lead with purpose. Do what you say you are going to do and focus on driving results for your organization. Be intentional in developing a reputation of being a doer in any job you fill.

The articles from these contributors are based on their personal expertise and viewpoints, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of their employers or affiliated organizations.