Technology is evolving remarkably rapidly, opening up a lot of opportunities for organizations poised to take advantage of all that new tech has to offer. For IT professionals, especially CIOs and CTOs, understanding what is coming in 2020 and beyond needs to start now, in order to strategize for the future.
We cannot predict every technology that will arrive on the scene, and we know there are technologies that will disrupt the workforce which have not even been invented yet. However, these ten topics cover the advances that are coming — the ones we know about, and the ones we can only imagine.
Multi-cloud strategy
Cloud computing continues to expand which means that many organizations will be adopting a multi-cloud strategy, using two or more cloud computing services to customize solutions based on factors like price, availability, speed, or specific features. To best take advantage of a multi-cloud setup, companies should be considering what kind of IT staff they will need to manage the deployment.
Hybrid cloud
Historically, not all organizations have adopted cloud computing. Regulated industries have been reluctant to do so, with concerns about data privacy and location. A hybrid cloud setup may become all the more popular with organizations like these, and with others, who want the benefits of the public cloud with the security of private infrastructure.
An example of this is here , where a University hospital used the expertise of its internal IT staff, and that of its cloud-application vendor. Together they implemented the cloud application to use the University’s ADFS security. The vendor’s cloud application is hosted on AWS, and the University’s ADFS authentication system is on-premise. (The customer didn’t want their Active Directory information to be stored in the cloud.)
Artificial intelligence and automation
Artificial intelligence is no longer just for carrying out programming. AI is getting closer and closer to acting human, which means it can be used to automate human tasks and roles. AIs learn and use analytics, which means that they are constantly improving and getting better at emulating humans. For tech professionals, finding a way to bring in smart AI to automate tasks can save the entire company time and money.
While not exactly artificial intelligence, tools and applications which allow the knowledge base and “techie IP” of experienced IT professionals to be stored and executed by less-expensive workers is a related part of the ongoing trend to AI. Here are a few case studies of this kind of tool in action.
Blockchain
We expect tech professionals will be doing more and more with blockchain. Blockchain was invented for digital currency but is now being used across various industries for many purposes, and there’s even more potential for it in the future. It can be used to record information of value whether it is financial or something else, with a high degree of security and control. Tech companies will need to bring people on board who understand blockchain and how to best use it.
Digital privacy
Consider the attention given to businesses like Facebook, and how these corporations are using consumer data and ensuring — or failing to ensure — digital privacy. Consumers are increasingly concerned with how their information is being accessed, stored, and used. Tech pros would do well to develop a strong digital privacy strategy now.
Our friends across the pond have already heavily legislated aspects of digital privacy which are not yet part of the U.S. laws. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) took effect in early 2018, which gives EU based IT professionals a significant jump-start on their U.S. counterparts. To learn more about what the EU is doing to be on top of digital privacy, we like this meaty summary article on GDPR.
Big data
On a similar note, all of that data being generated by humans and their interactions with technology is very attractive to businesses looking to use it to analyze and interpret to make better decisions about their products and services. Access to big data, methods of analyzing it and putting those performance indicators into practice, and the previously mentioned digital privacy concerns will all play a role in how tech pros need to conduct themselves and strategize for business growth as we move forward.
Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology has been a major topic of interest in the tech world, and it may finally reach a more widespread audience in 2020 and beyond. The United States government is actively working on this technology, as are leaders in healthcare, manufacturing, and other major industries. There’s an application for nanotechnology in practically every field.
Immersive experiences
Across various industries, augmented reality, virtual reality, and a combination of the two have the potential to provide immersive experiences that boost business. Retailers, for example, can augment their physical storefronts with digital information. In industrial settings, access to real-time information and data via augmented reality makes the entire workplace safer and more effective. There are many ways immersive experiences will bolster success, whether for clients or for staff.
Microservices
Instead of focusing on deploying large cloud applications, organizations are able to take advantage of small applications, or microservices. This highly modular architecture allows companies to put together only what they need, for agility, flexibility, and speed.
The ‘internet of everywhere’
We know of the internet of things — now consider the internet of everywhere. Global access to the internet and its resources is on its way, offering technology democracy. The internet, connected devices, and many of the previously mentioned technologies will be accessible to everyone regardless of their demographics.
These are just a handful of the many technological innovations awaiting the world. Get ready to be adaptive, flexible, and agile now, so your organization can take advantage of all the tech world has to offer in the near and distant future.