Top 2022 IT Trends
To ring in the new year, we are rounding up the top 2022 IT Trends. From cloud solutions to automation and innovation democratization to data analytics, the new year promises advancements in technology applications that will support business growth and further future innovation.
Together, these trends present small and large-scale growth opportunities for individual organizations. And for the global marketplace, as we continue to develop agile responses coming out of the worldwide pandemic.
Continued Cloud Migration
Businesses are moving to the cloud. This is more than a 2022 IT Trend. It is a new reality. With some of the early adopters already one hundred percent on the cloud, those who have resisted cloud adoption will have trouble keeping up with their competitors. Moving to the cloud saves human capital, infrastructure, and construction costs. Widespread savings like this provide a smart solution to many of the financial challenges raised by the pandemic.
If there is any doubt that business is on the cloud in 2022, look no farther than mainframe. Even the old enterprise stalwart is moving to the cloud. In fact, mainframe cloud solutions offer performance opportunities to mid-size and small companies that would never be able to afford to support an in-house mainframe infrastructure.
With that in mind, cloud migration strategies are key to 2022 enterprise plans. If you and your team have not yet integrated cloud migration, or cloud management, into your overall strategy, now is the time.
Automation 2022 IT Trend: RPA
Early in 2021, we remarked on the fast growth of robotic process automation. And how, in an environment marked by accelerated growth, it is important to recognize that not all RPA solutions provide the same level of value.
That said, RPA will continue to be an important 2022 IT trend, an essential component in business tool kits across industries. In fact, automation at large is much more than a trend to watch. In the new year, expect to see RPA with increased workload capacity across industries.
But do not make the mistake of associating RPA with efficiency alone. In fact, as the new year progresses, we anticipate seeing even more of the favorable financial impact of RPA. This includes the use of automation in fraud prevention and risk mitigation. This, of course, is in addition to those efficiency-level improvements like the deployment of repeatable, reliable processes and the elimination of downtime.
This is especially important for financial sector businesses. With no downtime, 80% of processes in finance and accounting are candidates for automation. We have talked about how RPA brings new efficiencies and financial gains before. And there has been a lot of excitement around RPA conversations. It is important to recognize that, in 2022, we are post-RPA hype. We are now looking at RPA not as an emerging 2022 IT trend, but a new, standard component of business efficiency and profitability.
Democratizing Innovation with the Citizenship Development Model
2022 will be the year of democratizing IT innovation. The new year will see a large increase in the involvement of business users in classic IT tasks. This is especially true in the context of robotic process automation.
What we see emerging with even greater popularity in the coming year is the “Citizenship Development Model.” Essentially, the Citizen Development Model transforms employees who are not specifically trained in IT, into software developers. Does that mean that in the new 2022 work landscape all our employees are part of the IT Team? Or that the IT Team is replaced entirely by an individual employee-level DIY approach? Not at all. Instead, it means that enterprises will give employees access to low code technology approved by the IT Team and supported by enterprise technology. This will allow employees to develop simple solutions that make their daily tasks more efficient.
As a result of democratizing innovation in this way, employees do more than increase their efficiencies within their organization. They also develop new skills and improve their own employee experience. In light of the other 2022 trends to watch, regarding employee happiness and employer needs to reduce attrition levels, approaches like the Citizenship Development Model will see unprecedented popularity in the new year.
Rise of the Data-Driven Enterprise
Data is king. In the coming year, the data-driven enterprise will stand out from the competition for its analytics culture. Building on analytics advancements across industries, in the new year, the technology sector will continue to promote the advancement – and impact – of data-driven enterprises.
Globally, we produce 2.5 billion gigabytes of data per day. Yet, only 70% of the world’s most valuable enterprises are taking what is termed a “data-driven approach” to decision-making. That number is up from 30% in 2008. The most valuable enterprises are those like Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Berkshire, and Exxon.
This points to a few things from an IT trends perspective. First, as we produce exponentially more data globally, we have seen a 40% increase in major enterprises adopting a data-driven approach to decision-making in the last thirteen years. So, from a point of view of watching for growth trends in the IT industry, we are on track. Second, with 70% of major enterprises applying the data-driven approach, we see that there is ample room for increased adoption at the highest levels in the coming years.
Third, and most importantly, using data analytics to guide decision-making processes does not need to be, and, in fact, should not be limited to large international enterprises. Businesses of all sizes need to adopt a data-driven approach to decision-making in 2022. Look at data as a valuable, abundant resource. Then, build and use data analytics to make that data work harder for your business. Using this plentiful resource empowers you to make improvements faster and more confidently. And to pave the way for a more successful, resilient 2022.
Do Not Forget about Security
Each of these four top 2022 IT trends confirms that the second decade of the 21st century is guided by digital transformation. And those innovations that once seemed possible only for the most powerful enterprises are now available down to the individual employee level. In a technology landscape like this, new modes of flexibility, efficiency, and creativity abound. This primes our industries for a resurgence, despite the challenges and changing dynamics of our contemporary world.
In an interconnected world like this, it also means that security should be top of mind for 2022. That, of course, goes beyond the concept of a trend. Security is a best practice to protect business vitality in the new year. We look forward to continuing that conversation in the coming months.