With the New Year just weeks away, many companies are putting the final touches on their budgeting and planning for 2014. While all departments are integral to the success of your business, these days IT touches almost every aspect of your company and should be planned for accordingly. Whatever the size of your company or the industry you’re in, staying up to date on the latest technology trends will keep you competitive and ahead of the curve.
The following are technologies we’ve identified that will make the most impact to your business in 2014. You may notice that some of these are not new technologies or services. Some of them have been “trends” for years now. However, as all technology continually evolves, these trends are also maturing and growing into new facets of technology that business should be ready for.
Big Data
“Big Data” has easily become 2013’s most popular technology buzzword. It’s likely you’ve recently seen or read an article discussing this very topic. As businesses continue to collect and analyze massive amounts of data, this trend isn’t going away anytime soon. But the way we work within Big Data might be evolving. High-Performance Analytics are helping organizations gather insights from their data, faster and with more precise reporting capabilities. Also emerging is Big Data as-a-Service (BDaaS), which cloud providers are offering with all the perks that come with Cloud Computing.
Smarter Devices
Earlier this year, Nielsen reported nearly 40% of online searches are done with a mobile device. With that percentage certain to increase in 2014, you need to make sure your company is ready for everything mobile. Daniel Burrus, Founder and CEO of Burrus Research Associates says ”An Enterprise Mobility Strategy becomes mandatory for all size organizations as we see mobile data, mobile media, mobile sales, mobile marketing, mobile commerce, mobile finance, mobile payments, mobile health and many more explode.”
Cloud Computing
Companies of all sizes are embracing cloud computing and are forced to analyze how they are purchasing and maintaining software and hardware. As the cloud allows companies to cut costs across the board and allow flexibility in accessing information, utilization of this service will only increase. Gartner suggests that for the future of cloud computing, enterprises should design private cloud services with a hybrid future in mind and make sure future integration is possible.
BYOD and WYOD
In 2013, Bring Your Own Device had many IT departments scrambling. Sure, this phenomenon has made employees more flexible but the security risks it brought with it had companies rushing to get a BYOD policy in place. In 2014, we will witness a brand new phase of this trend: WYOD (Wear Your Own Device). As Google Glass and smart watches emerge, companies need to establish and enforce a policy to keep data secure.
The Internet of Everything
Cisco defines The Internet of Everything as “bringing together people, process, data and things to make networked connections more relevant and valuable”. The internet continues to expand into enterprise assets and consumer items (like cars and televisions). Now, with the use of your smartphone you can lock your front door, use it as a remote control and turn down your thermostat at your home while you’re at the office. Many companies are not ready organizationally or operationally to explore the possibilities of expanding the Internet. However, the broadening use of our smartphones is making “The Internet of Everything” a more realistic trend.
As technology continues to grow and evolve within organizations so does the need for technical talent. If you are in need of technical staff for your 2014 projects, click here to learn more about IDR and our IT staffing services. Having the right staff to help you integrate these trends into your plan is sure to make you a success in 2014!