It's essential to stay focused on future developments in the technology sector, whether you're an IT or business leader. This is a sector where changes occur frequently and failing to take action could result in a competitors surging ahead by utilising new technologies.
With the new year fast approaching, it's time take action on new trends and start deploying new technologies where they can be useful.
Of course, it's also important to understand exactly what these trends are in order to get the most out of them, as a business could run into trouble adopting them without proper consideration.
Big data and analytics
The first trend on the list is big data – the term used to describe large data sets, beyond what most businesses are used to. It's quite easy to understand, given that it's essentially traditional analytics upscaled substantially.
Analytics will certainly continue to grow over the next year, driven by growth in other trends such as the Internet of Things. However, companies will need to ensure that there is a focus on deriving useful results from these data sets and not simply gathering information blindly.
Also set to come along with increasing Big data usage is a need for more storage space and effective data management tools.
The Internet of Things
Objects with the ability to communicate across a network and relay information is the core of the Internet of Things, a trend that will continue to expand in 2015.
It essentially involves installing smart sensors in different objects that can then gather data for later analysis (where Big data comes in).
An airline manufacturer, for example, might install sensors in a jet engine of an aircraft to monitor how it operates over the course of a flight. Once the plane lands, the company can see any possible faults or areas of improvement.
The possible insights here are too numerous for businesses to pass up.
3D Printing
This is a trend that's probably still perceived to be in the realm of science fiction by many business leaders, but it's very much real and set to have a pervasive impact on companies in the near future.
3D printing is set to become cheaper in the near future thanks to the printers becoming more widespread and has a staggering array of applications.
Rapid prototyping in the consumer, industrial and medical sectors is a certainty and could bring down costs substantially.
Mobility in the cloud
The final IT trend on the list is mobility in the cloud, an extension of current cloud initiatives in businesses. The cloud already enables companies to let staff work remotely, but next year should see greater mobility.
This means businesses using smartphones and tablets to allow staff to remain connected even when working offsite – certainly a promising development. Businesses will need to optimise cloud-based applications for mobile devices for example, for both customers and staff.
Managing IT trends
As with any IT endeavour within a business, it's important to manage the transition and operate the technology correctly. A framework is the best option, with the ITIL methodology standing out as a strong choice.
ITIL can help businesses to realise transformation and growth through the use of new IT trends, whether big data or cloud technologies.
ALC Training are a leading provider of such courses and should be at the top of the list when seeking a capable team of professionals to deliver the necessary education.
Conclusion
IT is continually evolving and there's no denying that the trends listed above will continue to evolve in 2015. Businesses need to start considering how exactly these new trends can be effectively deployed within the organisation.