Predictions 2008
My predictions for 2008 are based on the background that companies are looking ahead (and behind them!) in order to ensure they are positioned in an ever competitive and changing market place with still an uncertainty on how some future scenarios may pan out. The Triple Crown of increased profit, improved efficiency and added value remains the goal for a lot of companies.
On that basis I believe that Business Intelligence software will continue to grow in importance as companies try to understand their business in more depth, BPM (business Process Management) software will figure in order to drive efficiency. There is also likely to be more moves towards the less paper office both for efficiency, security and the new mantra of being ‘green’ so we will see increased integrated scanning solutions. Within IT departments, server virtualisation will continue apace with new players such as Microsoft challenging the VMware dominance. Collaboration software such as Microsoft’s Groove will start to be considered as a way to add value with clients and improved mobility for people will be introduced with more services available via handheld or remote devices (Blackberry will still dominate over Microsoft), IP telephony and WiFi. Improved web sites using Web 2.0 will start to emerge as differentiators in the market place.
Customers will increase their demands for efficiency pushing e-billing and electronic communication up the priority list. E-billing will present a major challenge with increased costs due to lack of standardisation at the delivery point.
Sharepoint will still be high on the agenda but the reality will kick in as to what can actually be achieved. Vista will be reviewed but risk adverse sectors will put it back to 2009 except for the brave few! Office 2007 will follow a similar route. Concerns such as DRM (Digital Rights Management) and how that will impact records management and elctronic document sharing will start to be debated.
4 comments:
Peter, interesting forward-looking note. Given the nervous markets and impact on the global business environment, I anticipate we, within IT, will increase the focus on efficiency for at least the first half of 2008. The need to continue to build revenue won't abate but I expect it won't be quite the push of recent years. As CIO's we'll need to be careful in the areas of focus.
Peter, I'm interested in knowing more about you comments regarding SharePoint. Do you not think the reality kicked in some time ago?
Thanks for your comment on Sharepoint. I think you are right but there was a second wave with the launch of MOSS 2007 and certainly in my industry a lot of people were looking to do all sorts of things with Sharepoint. There seemed a lot more excitement about MOSS 2007 but I still believe people dont fully understand it and are expecting it to do more than it really can and then when they start to struggle the reality will kick in. We were a bit guilty of that so am speaking from first hand experience.
Hi Peter,
Thanks for getting back on this point. I work for a Microsoft Partner in London that specialises in SharePoint including the necessary additional customisation and I’m very interested in how the product is being received at the coalface. A lot of people have yet to reach the conclusion you clearly have.
On a personal note, I found your 36 “Top Things in Managing an IT department” very interesting and have used 1 or 2 in some academic coursework I’m doing –with appropriate referencing of course! First time I’ve cited a blog. Keep up the good work.
(PS – In relation to SharePoint my post was in no way intended to solicit new business)
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