Benchmarking that Powers Smarter IT Decisions — Even Amid Constant Change

CIOs are under pressure to reduce costs, close talent gaps and deliver visible business impact — all while navigating AI disruption and future planning. In this environment, benchmarking is critical. Benchmarking equips you with the clarity to decide what to cut, what to protect and where to invest next.

Why CIOs prioritize benchmarking

CIOs can’t prove what they can’t measure. Without benchmarks, it’s nearly impossible to distinguish high-impact opportunities from status-quo noise. And as CIOs face growing accountability — from AI cost overruns to business outcome delivery — benchmarking offers an evidence-based foundation for better decisions. 

Why it matters now:

  • 49% of CIOs are responsible for financial performance management of AI

  • AI budgets are missing targets by 500-1000%

  • Over 80% of CIOs now report into business leaders who demand visible outcomes

  • 69% of CIOs plan to upskill or reskill IT talent to close the digital talent gap

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Benchmarking connects cost and strategy

Cost optimization and strategic planning often feel like competing priorities. One is reactive: reduce spending fast. The other is proactive: set direction and future growth. But benchmarking connects the two. It provides the evidence and insight CIOs need to strike the right balance.

From cost optimization to prioritization

Identify which costs are too high and which underfunded areas need reinvestment. Shift the conversation from cutting across the board to strategically reallocating spend toward what drives value.

From planning assumptions to performance baselines

Replace internal assumptions with real-world peer comparisons, so you plan from a position of truth, not guesswork. Strategic plans are only as strong as the data that informs them.

From operational efficiency to business value

Uncover where your IT organization delivers real business outcomes and where it falls short. A clear view into maturity and effectiveness ensures your cost and planning decisions stay anchored in what matters most: measurable impact.

Three benchmarking priorities for CIOs

Rather than benchmark everything, leading CIOs focus on the areas that most directly influence enterprise performance: cost, maturity and effectiveness. The following three areas help CIOs build a resilient IT organization and excel where it matters most.

Understand how your IT spend and staffing compares

Emerging technologies — from GenAI to edge computing — are rapidly shifting how IT dollars are allocated. But most CIOs don’t have reliable peer comparisons to guide financial decisions. That’s where benchmarking comes in.

Use Gartner benchmarking to:

  • Compare total IT spend and staffing by domain, industry and digital maturity

  • Identify cost optimization opportunities without sacrificing capability

  • Shift spend from run to grow and transform initiatives

Assess maturity and evolve your IT operating model

Transformation without clear direction leads to fragmented efforts and limited value. Benchmarking your maturity across IT domains helps ensure your operating model aligns to what the business needs now, and next.

Use Gartner benchmarking to:

  • Evaluate current-state maturity across key IT functions

  • Align future-state goals with enterprise strategy

  • Build a step-by-step roadmap to modernize capabilities

Measure role and team effectiveness

CIOs are now strategic business partners — but proving it requires more than anecdotal wins. Benchmarking your role and team performance shows where you lead and where you can grow. Use it to demonstrate value, identify development areas and align IT with enterprise outcomes.

Use Gartner effectiveness benchmarks to:

  • Measure your leadership performance against peers

  • Understand where your function excels — and where to improve

  • Justify strategic decisions in board and C-suite conversations

Leverage the largest database of key IT benchmarking data through Gartner.

Benchmarking FAQs

What is the value of benchmarking?

Benchmarking provides a framework for organizations to measure their performance against industry peers, identify areas for improvement and ultimately drive business goals. It allows companies to optimize costs, make better budget decisions and enhance overall effectiveness.

When should benchmarking be done?

At least annually or during major events: strategic planning cycles, digital transformation initiatives, cost optimization efforts, restructuring or board strategy reviews.

Why is benchmarking critical to cost and strategy?

It gives CIOs the visibility to eliminate waste, align investments and prove progress.

What IT functions does Gartner support for benchmarking?

CIOs and IT executives, Data and Analytics, Cybersecurity, Infrastructure and Operations, Software Engineering, Enterprise Applications.

Does Gartner offer custom benchmarking capabilities?

Yes, Gartner offers custom data cuts, by request,  that are not already covered in our benchmarking tools.

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