One of the key challenges facing Information Technology departments is the pace of change, whether this is with software upgrades or with new devices that need to be on-boarded. Related to both hardware and software is the ever present threat of obsolescence. The impact from this on businesses is substantial, given the how technology is integral to the way that most companies operate and is essential to the efforts that many firms undertake in order to ensure the benefits of digital transformation.
According to Chris Hoose, who runs the company Choose Networks that has issued a new report into information technology practices in businesses: “Over the last several years, many IT practices have become fixed and inflexible,” as he tells Small Biz Daily. He adds that: “While older concepts are a good springboard, some have become ineffective. There are many you can reconsider and/or eliminate.”
Hoose has outlined five areas that businesses need to focus on in order to gain improvements from information technology, both in terms of technologies and the organizational department.
The first is with outdated software. This is because outdated software presents a significant security risk to any company. This can and needs to be addressed by obtaining the necessary updates or by dropping software that is not currently supported. The second area relates to in-house server hosting. The problem, according Hoose, is that much of today’s modern software is hosted in the cloud. By migrating to the cloud or adopting a cloud hybrid solution, this can reduce costs in terms of maintaining software and it reduces maintenance and upkeep. Furthermore, the cloud offers considerable cybersecurity advantages.
The third area relates to an inflexible work environment. The workforce of today needs to be supported by an IT strategy that facilitates remote working. This can be achieved through the use of video cameras and laptops, and other forms of communication to enable teams to interact. In keeping with communication, the fourth area is the utilization of newsgroups and discussion forums. These media are best served by drawing on existing providers like Facebook, Hangouts or Slack. Drawing on these providers helps to lower costs as well as providing a more user friendly and engaging environment.
The fifth, and final, areas is with addressing unnecessary complexity. Hoose notes in his review how an overly complex structure is the starting point for system failure. He argues that businesses need to rethink their architecture and prioritize for simplicity, especially when modernizing systems.
