IT trends for 2016 include the digital workplace
As we approach the end of the first quarter of 2016 the conversation turns to the IT trends which are beginning to make a noise.
In a world where mobility and the ubiquitous “connectivity” are enabling global workforces to collaborate instantaneously, we’re now able to do much more and do it much faster. And behind all of this, it’s the IT infrastructure which is fuelling the changes.
Most organisations are already transforming into digital enterprises, some further along than others, but most are embracing what Gartner calls the “bimodal approach” where they can leverage new digital IT services which build upon the strong legacy IT systems infrastructure already in place.
“New World IT” is enabling enterprises to introduce new digital services and scale via the Cloud and other mediums but at the same time allowing them to maintain and enhance the best aspects of traditional IT.
Here’s the topics which are predicted to be making the headlines during 2016.
Digital enterprise steps up
In 2015 Gartner stated that digital business currently accounted for 18 per cent of overall revenue with a predicted jump of 43 per cent by 2020. That seems to be a modest rise when you consider how digital pioneers like Uber, AirBNB and Amazon are continuing to disrupt the market.
According to a survey from global software solutions provider BMC carried out in 2015 found that only five per cent of enterprise had fully implemented the necessary digital services and mobile technologies needed to drive new revenue, open up new markets and deliver new operational efficiencies.
However, in the first quarter 2016, the company is predicting this to rise significantly across Fortune 500 and traditional businesses as they accelerate the adoption of digital practices.
The digital workplace
Across every industry sector, employees want the companies they work for to catch up with the smart, user-friendly technologies they use both at home and on the move. It’s a pivotal time for companies that want to remain competitive and attract top talent to go digital or go extinct.
According to BMC, enterprises will accelerate the shift to a more consumer-like computing environment based on crowd-sourcing technology and persona-based approaches which enable employees to choose the new productivity tools and technologies they want to use – be it at the office or out.
This will set new standards for IT in delivering personalised services to employees and allowing them to be the curators of their own work experience through the use of smart devices.
The need to automate
While traditional models of IT continue to drive down technology costs, the new mode of IT will focus on time-to-market, rapid application evolution (DevOps) and tight alignment with lines of business already inside organisations. All of which is driving the need to automate.
Traditional industries including banking, insurance and transportation are already turning to DevOps in order to continually introduce innovative, secure and easy-to-use solutions that strengthen their competitive edge.
At the same time online businesses are looking for solutions to protect new digital services from expensive outages which could potentially cause lost revenue and damage to their brand.
BMC predicts that in 2016 “the second becomes the new minute”. Speed to react becomes more critical than ever, from the developer through to the CEO. Organisations which prepare for incidents ahead of time and have development solutions in place for fast, automated deployments, will be best placed to manage any issues if and when they arise.
Cloud-based solutions
Going into 2015, many had predicted that the adoption of public Cloud services in enterprise business would slow down due to concerns about data security. Instead the opposite has happened, with public Cloud adoption increasing significantly as it has become more secure, reliable and easy for distributed and mobile workforces to use.
At the same time, private Cloud services have become cheaper and easier for IT to manage, but those advantages don’t seem to be enough yet to replace the convenience of using a public Cloud solution.
BMC is predicting that in 2016 there will be an even greater adoption of public Cloud solutions in enterprise organisations, as well as hybrid Cloud strategies which leverage the best features of both public and private services to drive new revenue streams and open up new markets.
Security is paramount
During 2015 many high profile brands including Sony fell victim to vulnerabilities, cyber-attacks and data breaches.
Eighty percent of vulnerabilities are known, yet it takes an average of 193 days to patch these vulnerabilities. That means companies are knowingly exposing themselves to a potential breach for more than six months at a time. In 2016 it’s not a matter of if your enterprise is going to get hacked, it’s a matter of how and when.
BMC expects more organizations to seek out internationally recognised data protection accreditations, like Binding Corporate Rules (BCRs), which allow secure data transfer across borders while continuing to comply with local rules and regulations.
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