Ask the industry: What are the biggest challenges and opportunities for the IT sector in 2018?

Prospects for cyber security, digital technology and IT professionals and businesses look good for 2018. But what are the key opportunities and challenges teams will face in the twelve months ahead?

 

We asked IT industry leaders across the UK; here’s what they said.

 

“2018 is time for the IT sector to rise to the challenges our public sector clients face in transforming their services to meet the digital aspirations of the public.

 

Last year saw many public sector organisations setting out plans to manage demand more effectively, collaborate better with other service providers, and make their staff more productive to improve the health, security and welfare of citizens. This was backed up by public sector organisations hiring staff and contractors to design, develop, test and implement software for digital transformation.

 

2018 will see these organisations challenged by the business changes necessary to facilitate this transformation.”

 

“In the last 12 months, I’ve seen a massive change in the acceptance and use of cognitive learning (AI) across all industries.

 

Having had first-hand experience of building a visual recognition process, I have seen how it affects our internal customers and how it can improve business processes. Our people drove the change, with our support, to ensure they understood that the visual recognition system has not been built to replace them, but is instead there to help them and focus their skills on the things visual AI cannot do.

 

We now use these team members to help improve our classifiers, and have been enjoying the new type of work this has created. Visual AI has allowed our business to provide quotes to customers from an image, without them ever having to speak to anyone.”

 

“The good news for anyone working in cyber security in 2018 is that demand for skills shows no signs of slowing.

 

However, the challenge for businesses seeking cyber security professionals is that demand for experienced hires far outstrips supply, leading to increased poaching and increasing rates.

 

There is no silver bullet or quick fix. We need to draw more young people into the profession; provide entry-point skills and qualifications; offer clearly mapped career paths; and encourage established players to take on more apprentices and interns to turn enthusiasm, skills and qualifications into experience.

 

This will require cooperation across our industry. Qufaro is delivering cyber skills and qualifications today, and is eager to work with others to build the long term, sustainable, cyber ecosystem that we need.”

 

“In IT, the two major challenges are cohesion and business complexity.

With the huge take-up of cloud-based infrastructures and the introduction of business governance regimes like GDPR, it’s going to be more difficult to provide ICT models that are both cohesive and compliant. This is especially true for large organisations using a mix of legacy and modern applications and infrastructure.

 

Efficient and effective solution management is key to ensuring systems stay cost-effective and meet business needs, which is far easier when responsibilities are gathered under one roof, in one organisation. Combined with GDPR, this challenge just got greater. Understanding these unique, “star-aligned” events will be paramount in developing successful ICT infrastructures in 2018 and beyond.”

 

“GDPR and society’s perception of privacy poses a huge challenge for 2018.

 

At a recent GDPR event at the Madejski Stadium, feedback from a number of business and ICT delegates said that while many were on track to deal with the change, many of those struggling to make traction had started late. Many business professionals saw GDPR as an ICT-driven programme of work, causing delay and frustration.

 

The clock is ticking: by May 2018, businesses are likely to be a mix of ready, barely ready and not ready. I’d be interested to see the results of any readiness surveys run in June.

 

I see GDPR as a starting position, and the EU will drive change further in later revisions of the regulations. In the meantime, we will see well-publicised breaches which will drive improvements in public perceptions of the law.

 

Of concern is that we have a normalised acceptance of a weak position. As security professionals, we need to continue to meet the challenge of improving the position of ownership, drive and engagement within our businesses. Looking ahead, I would see data loss and data security strategies go up the priority ladder, with developments in data governance practices, UEBA and staff monitoring as positive developments for 2018 and beyond.”

 

“The biggest opportunity in IT is one that has been a major differentiator for many years: service.

 

In IT, unless you develop a product or solution that is highly unique or difficult to replicate, it’s very hard to differentiate or protect your business from competitors. It’s therefore important to find a channel in IT where your organisation provides both high-level expertise and remarkable customer service.

 

In doing so, customer retention is maximised through third-party referrals and endorsements. A strong, customer-first ethos within a business inevitably helps to create a strong business development cycle, which in turn provides a stable financial environment.

 

For those of us in IT, an ability to create a corporate strategy around solid recurring business means not having to rely on the unpredictable peaks and troughs of hardware or software sales. While the businesses of IT and security are evolving quickly for both organisations and service providers, the fundamentals remain all but unchanged. For organisations, complacency – especially with regards to security – is a long game that cannot be won. For service providers, the clue in how to excel is right there in the title.”

 

“Without doubt, one of the biggest changes coming in 2018 is the implementation of GDPR.

 

Having spoken to hundreds of companies there is no doubt that they are wholly unprepared. While the financial penalties for non-compliance are regularly mentioned, there is a lack of realisation that the fines extend all the way down to the actual user.

 

How would someone who leaves their laptop in an airport cope with a €10,000 fine? Just because the device was encrypted will not be sufficient. There are solutions out there; businesses have a responsibility to find them.”

 

“Data breach detection is the big cyber trend for 2018. The average data breach takes 191 days to detect and costs businesses around £2.7m. EU-wide GDPR regulations starting in May 2018 are prioritising discussions around cyber in the boardroom.

However, the vast majority of businesses don’t have any infrastructure in place to self-detect and cope with the rapidly changing environment.

 

Ever heard the quote “Sometimes bad things have to happen before good things can”? 2018 is a fantastic opportunity for organisations to get ahead of their competitors by taking a pragmatic approach to their data security.”

 

“Protection will be the key theme for the year ahead. Simple and necessary, but not pleasant.

In 2018, decentralised currencies and smart technology will impact us more than ever. Such opportunities always come with great challenges – the greatest of which is to keep individuals’ data secure throughout this period of rapid change.

 

Over the next few years, companies will collect more data from us than ever before: when we brush our teeth, what we do in our homes and where we go, what we eat and who we love. This data will be used to create ever more customised product offerings. The opportunities are great: finally we only get to see adverts that are relevant to us individually.

 

Of course, the challenges are equally great. 2017 was the year with the greatest number of data breaches ever recorded and it’s safe to assume this trend is going to continue in 2018. Making sure personal data doesn’t end up in the wrong hands should be on the top of agenda for most companies.”

Whether obstacle or opportunity, each of the issues raised by our industry leaders is happening in the context of another major unprecedented change: Brexit.

 

The massive political, social and economic instability generated by our exit from the EU will throw up as-yet hidden business challenges for organisations. But for IT professionals, Brexit also raises an opportunity: to take advantage of rapid change, think flexibly and do more with less.

 

Those of us who embrace the change stand the best chances of success; those who resist it will flounder and fail. How well prepared is your business for the year ahead?

 

Huge thanks go to all our contributors, all your time and insights are massively appreciated. If you’re interested in a career in cybersecurity or digital IT, or are considering a new role, don’t hesitate to get in touch on 01908 886 048, we always open to chat. Alternatively, register with us to receive regular job roles direct to your inbox.