E-Clinical Platforms Enable Interoperative Trial Management: Gartner defines an e-clinical platform as an integrated suite of technologies connected in a platform architecture that provides services and solutions to manage clinical trial planning and execution. Modern e-clinical platforms are typically cloud-native environments, built either as SaaS, application platform as a service (aPaaS) or a combination. Integrated suites of point solutions exist primarily to support the setup and conduct of clinical trials (see  Hype Cycle for Life Science Research and Development, 2021). These capabilities consist of integrated solutions used for:
Trial planning, forecasting and feasibility; Protocol design; Electronic data capture (EDC); eConsent; Clinical trial management systems (CTMS); Randomization and trial supply management systems (RTSM); Risk-based and centralized monitoring (RBM); Clinical data repository (CDR); Electronic Clinical outcomes assessment (eCOA); Statistical Compute Environment (SCE); Trial analytics and Reports; Other capabilities that support trial operations.

Life Science E-Clinical Platforms

3D Print Service Bureaus

3D Printing Workflow Software

4G and 5G Private Mobile Network Services

4PLs

5G Enterprise Data Services

5G Network Infrastructure for Communications Service Providers (Transitioning to CSP 5G Core Network Infrastructure Solutions ; CSP 5G RAN Infrastructure Solutions)

A/B Testing Tools

AI Avatars

AI Code Assistants

AI Offerings in CSP Network Operations

AI and Data and Analytics (D&A) Service Providers

AI in CSP Customer and Business Operations

AI-Augmented Software-Testing Tools

AI-Enabled Interview Intelligence

AI-Enabled Translation Services

AIOps Platforms

API Management

API Protection

Absence Management Software

Access Management

Account-Based Marketing Platforms

Account-Planning Tools

Accounting Practice Management Software (APMS)

Accounts Payable (AP) Recovery Audit Services

Accounts Payable Invoice Automation Solutions (Transitioning to Accounts Payable Applications)

Active Metadata Management

Ad Tech Platforms

Adaptive Project Management and Reporting

Advanced Analytics Service Providers for Marketing

Advanced Contract Analytics

Advanced Distribution Management Systems

Affiliate Marketing Platforms

Alternative Legal Service Providers (ALSPs)

Analytics Query Accelerators

Analytics and Business Intelligence Platforms

Analytics and Decision Intelligence Platforms in Supply Chain

Anti Money Laundering (AML) Software

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) (Transitioning to 'Talent Acquisition (Recruiting) Suites')

Application Crowdtesting Services

Application Delivery Controllers

Application Development Life Cycle Management

Application Integration Platforms

Application Platforms

Application Portfolio Management Tools

Application Security Posture Management (ASPM) Tools

Application Security Testing

Application Testing Services, Worldwide

Artificial Intelligence Applications in IT Service Management

Asset Investment Planning Solutions for Energy and Utilities

Asset Leasing Software

Asset Performance Management Software

Audience Intelligence Platforms

Audit Management Solutions

Augmented Analytics

Augmented Data Quality Solutions

Augmented Reality Development Software

B2B Customer Community Platforms

B2B Gateway Software

B2B Marketing Automation Platforms

B2B Profit Optimization Software

BPM-Platform-Based Case Management Frameworks

Background Check Software

Backup as a Service

Banking Payment Hub Platforms

Bankruptcy Software

Barcode Software

Benchmarking Services for Transportation Rates and Logistics Performance

Benefits Management Software

Blockchain Consulting and Proof-of-Concept Development Services

Blockchain Platforms

Blockchain as a Service

Brand Advocacy Services

Brand Compliance Software

Brand Protection Software

Brand Strategy Agencies

Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS) Tools

Business Continuity Management Program Solutions

Business Process Automation Tools

Business Process Management Platforms

Business Valuation Software

Business-Outcome-Driven Enterprise Architecture Consulting

CPS Protection Platforms

CRM Customer Engagement Center

CRM and Customer Experience Implementation Services

CRM in Life Sciences

CSP 5G Core Network Infrastructure Solutions

CSP 5G RAN Infrastructure Solutions

CSP Customer Management and Experience Solutions

CSP Revenue Management and Monetization Solutions

CSP Service Design and Orchestration Solutions

CSP Service and Network Assurance Solutions

Candidate Relationship Management (CRM) Software

Capital Investment Management Software

Carbon Accounting and Management Software

Carbon Offset Platforms

Cash Flow Management Software

Category Management Solutions

Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) Platforms

Channel Integration Software

Chaos Engineering Tools

There is also a different skill set required to lead individuals as a team manager versus leading teams as a director.  Agree with the more strategic approach, and many technical managers have trouble letting go of the hands on approach and delegating tasks to individuals/teams, which are critical skills for a director.


Additionally, I would say that technical IT managers are not always as customer facing, and that at the director level you are conversing more with the business and IT leadership and other C-level conversations.

Every organization has different responsibilities at the manager / director / VP / C-suite level, often depending upon industry and company size.  With that as context, I will do my best to answer for the majority of manager vs. director roles.

As an IT manager, your primary responsibility is likely managing a team with a specific function (e.g., app dev manager for a specific platform; help desk manager; DevOps manager).  As such, you are likely given goals and targets from senior leaders, and your job is to execute against the plan and deliver results, leveraging a team of resources.

As a director, you may have responsibilities for more than one manager/team, and you may also be part of the goal-setting process.  You are most likely a “manager of managers,” and therefore results are less about individual performance or even the performance of a group of individuals on a team.  Rather, you are ultimately accountable for the groups’ results, and you achieve those results by managing other managers.

To reach this point, you first need to demonstrate competency as a manager, getting results for your defined scope.  You also need to show the aptitude and attitude to be able to manager teams of people.  Sometimes, it starts with making your desires known to your director / VP.  Other times, you may be identified by your leaders through annual assessments for high-potential individuals.

While things like an MBA, certifications, and/or management programs may not hurt, and will personally benefit you to gain knowledge / information, it is likely going to be your experience and performance that qualifies you for a Director role.

I think the critical skills are to be able to design a strategy and  vision for your organization and the. Be able to communicate it. If you can do those two things effectively you will find your way to the director level.

Directorship and management are 2 very different roles, careers and at some level life goals. Directorship will require you to be far more strategic and have enough business knowledge and skills to navigate the challenges that you will face. 

They are not a linear step and you should consider whether the progression is right for you.

The transition from Manager to Director is a process in itself. 


A Manager takes care of his team's people management , project deliverables , unblock his team in any events of cross team dependency, tracks the daily tasks.of teams and ensures these gets delivered on time. 


A Director is expected to do all above tasks plus creating a roadmap for the team , participate more in organisational activities , has his own KRAs for team , plan for moon shots which can help the organization , move hand in hand with the product team to plan new features on platform. 


Overall Director is movement from a team level to an org level and you step into elite class and your visibility increases to the C Level. And it's expected from you to manage much more and achieve outcomes more swiftly.

The focus of each role is fundamentally different. Both are inherently problem solvers, but the nature and approach of the problems and their resolutions are different. 

An IT manager’s job is to ensure smooth operations of an organization and their information technology. In this role, this is done by responding to issues, though strategy and critical thinking is important. Ultimately, the scope of this role is somewhat narrower. This is a bit more related to a responsive help desk. 

The director role is one that is both tactical and strategic. In addition to ensuring business continuity from an IT perspective, the problem solving involved is much broader in scope. The problems handled by the director are less day to day, and are related to long-term planning issues. For example, the director will consider what the impact of a decision will have in three to five years, rather than today. Where an IT manager my be concerned with making sure a server is running smoothly, a director needs to answer the question of whether that server needs to exist, is it serving the intended purpose, should it be moved to the cloud, and other less immediate issues.

Every position in an organization can elevate to a higher role including IT. IT is a critical pillar of any organization having the visibility across entire organization however in order to assume a critical role in the hierarchy, innovation, agility, and mapping with the organization's objective are key. 
The majority of IT managers restrict themselves to providing service as per SLA. But the slight change in perspective by making services &amp; SLA visible to end users make a big difference.

Migration from manager to director is moving from a departmental focus to a company focus. You need to understand all areas of the business at some level and how technology is there, most of the time, to make their life easier.

To become an IT director, you will need to have obtained a bachelor's degree in information technology or computer science. You will typically need approximately 5 years' experience in the role before progressing. Earning a master's degree in information management, particularly an MBA, will improve employability for this position. A degree in information management will combine IT technical skills and business skills to prepare you for the requirements of this role. Additional certification in project management and IT management can also help to achieve a career as an IT director.

For IT Manager can becomes a director I recommned as below:
1. Skils development specially soft skills and Leadership; formal training i.e. MBA
2. From Operational to Startegy alignment and thought process aligned to business
3. Shadow with exisiting Director
4. Increment KRA with propoer feedback on development
5.People Manager specially senior people i.e. fellow IT managers
6. Cross funtional feedback and colleagues acceptance

There are plenty of websites talking about management vs leadership.  Director needs to delegate the day-to-day to the manager, and be more forward thinking....looking ahead.  How to do things better, how to do more, how to bring additional value, how to partner with the business.  It&#39;s operations vs strategic

I read between 3-5 tech newsletters and blogs each day to keep abreast of emerging trends and things to keep an eye on (i.e.: AI, latest cyber crimes, new hardware, etc.). If a specific piece of tech will potentially be beneficial, I will opt in for beta testing or be an early purchaser. I usually set aside two days per month to evaluate tech.

What defines New Tech is such a broad spectrum that includes hardware, software, practices, tools, and more that I find it best to keep up with it via the news and then inform those around me who will be most interested.

For practitioners, e.g. network engineers, it makes sense for them to practice on the specific tech that is relevant to them. They should then be informing their stakeholders of what the tech is, how it can impact them, and what they could do next.

Getting selected feeds from various technology news sources , reading blogs and searching for innovations and trends on things that are pertinent to the business . It's challenging to keep up with everything and it is therefore necessary to choose what you want to stay abreast on. Conversing and collaborating with other peers and obtaining alternate points of view is also critical to test one's hypothesis .

The short answer is both + more.  I am fortunate to work for a company that offers training through a variety of formats, including internally built and curated content on platforms like Udemy.  They also offer lecture series and webinars which are great ways to stay up to speed.  Gartner has some fabulous brief videos on current tech trends and I find them very valuable.  I also love podcasts.  They're great for when I'm working out, pop in my headphones on a run and get the latest perspective on GenAI or whatever else I'm curious about that day.  Finally there is nothing as good as hands on if you really want to learn.  My role is more leadership than doer, but that doesn't stop me from taking courses like App In a Day so I can get hands on experience with tools and tech that are relevant to the work I'm doing.    Learning for me has to come in a variety of formats: read it, hear it, use it.

I do both. I try to set time aside every week specifically for upskilling. I subscribe to Learning Platforms and I read articles from industry sources (Towards Data Science, Medium, KDNuggets, etc.). I can do hands-on practice and upskilling via platforms like O'Reilly, Coursera, Udemy. Some weeks I'm more productive than others, but I try to keep moving forward and staying current.

One of my favorite ways to staying up to date is listening to technology podcasts when running or when I excercise. 

What’s your personal approach to keeping up with technology? Do you stay up to date by reading news or do you find time to practice with new tech as it enters the market?

Best Life Science E-Clinical Platforms Reviews 2024 | Gartner Peer Insights

Overall, a very efficient CTMS software. It is a bit expensive so more useful for mid size or bigger pharmaceuticals.

Life Science E-Clinical Platforms Reviews and Ratings

What are Life Science E-Clinical Platforms?

Products In Life Science E-Clinical Platforms Market

Medidata Clinical Cloud

Medidata Clinical Cloud

Gartner Research