The turn of the year is a time for taking stock, and thinking about what the future will bring. Dimension Data’s subject matter experts share their thoughts on the forces that will re-shape digital business in 2018.
Top IT trends: digital business
In the year ahead, we can expect to see artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, and virtual/augmented reality delivering compelling and complementary outcomes. We also foresee decentralised transaction models breathing new life into the Internet of Things (IoT) and cybersecurity. Among the challenges will be a lack of programmability which will hinder businesses’ ability to deliver on the potential of hybrid IT.
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Top IT trends: cybersecurity
In 2018, we’ll see the ‘zero trust’ security model re-emerging, while deception technologies will become the security enablers of IoT and operating technology. ‘Robo-hunters’ ─ automated threat-seekers that can make decisions on behalf of humans ─ will become the new norm. The opportunities and applications of blockchain in the world of cybersecurity will also become better understood in the year ahead.
Top IT trends: customer experience
In 2018, we foresee the gaps between those organisations leading the transformation of their customer experience and those that have fallen behind, widening. Mastering the omnichannel experience will remain an ongoing battle … and disruptive innovators have set the standard. Increasingly, location-based mobile customer communication will drive competitive advantage.
Top IT trends: digital workplaces
In 2018, we expect to see smart buildings evolving into what we call ‘smart workplaces’. At the same time, more artificial intelligence-driven virtual assistants will start to make their way into the workplace. Support of major vendors will drive adoption of real-time web communication and video will become the de facto.
Top IT trends: hybrid cloud
Business value IoT projects are already providing tangible benefits to organisations that have approached them with clear business needs in mind, and this is a trend we see continuing in the year ahead. We can also expect to see businesses carefully assessing the return on investment that’s been delivered by their ‘generation 1’ cloud projects. Organisations will recognise the true potential of the platform economy, but they’ll also begin to realise its impact on their operating models.
Top IT trends: digital infrastructure
Every business perceives itself as being under threat, and, as a result, most are making a conscious decision to choose speed over cost. We also predict that the organisations that will achieve digital supremacy in 2018 will be those that capitalise on new tools that enable their developers to innovate and create new sources of competitive differentiation. In addition, businesses will recognise the importance of APIs in enabling them to develop revenue-generating applications and services.
Join Dimension Data group executives and regional executives from the industry at the Digital Business Day Forum on the 29th of March 2018 where they discuss the latest technology trends and share inspiring stories on how their organisations are transforming to meet the changing demands of the industry and their clients. This flagship event, hosted in partnership with Dimension Data’s global partner Cisco, aims to showcase the latest solutions that enable businesses to fast track their digital transformation journey.
