Most of us have heard opinions on what will happen in 2016 within business IT, but what about the scenarios and events that don’t stand a chance. Read on to find out.

A late Christmas present for IT Directors – a bottomless pit of IT budget

Not likely to happen given IT budgets are expected to increase by a modest 2% this year according to best practice insight and technology firm CEB*. However according to the same report, the security budget as a percentage of overall spend is predicted to grow.

There won’t be another virus or security threat

If anything these events have become more frequent. The humble hacker of teenage age, messing around from their bedroom has now been replaced in the headlines by a more tangible threat posed by criminal gangs and terrorists seeking to inflict collateral damage or hold organisations to ransom.

And so, based on the aforementioned point around security budget increases, you can expect the technology, security companies to address the trend in network to application layer security and reap the rewards.

IT Sales people won’t stop phoning/email/in-mailing IT Departments

As we all know one bad experience from a cold calling, sales person negatively colours the judgement of the target, whether that person represents an estate agent, car showroom or IT service provider. More often than not, it’s about finding the time to speak to IT service providers that 1. Are trustworthy and dependable and 2. Can deliver suitable types of services.

Windows 10 won’t catch on

But it has. Microsoft reported this week that over 200 million devices worldwide are already running Windows 10. The launches of Lumia 950 and 950 XL handsets shipping with Windows 10 on-board have been key contributors. Also, Xbox games playing on Windows 10 PCs have supported the take-up.

You can stop developing business apps – no-one is using them

Not really true because 1.using apps on-the-move, whether socially or for business is becoming standard, just look at the number of people on their respective devices when taking the train. 2. Companies are now recognising the value of the business app, and by securing them with MDM containerisation, they are aiming to make employees more productive both inside and outside the physical office. Consequently, Gartner predicts significant, enterprise spend increases within apps.**

Small firms will gobble up the multi-nationals

And the moon will turn into a giant roll of cheese...Yes the big will continue to consume the small. Of course small ones eventually become big ones, either through acquisition or organic growth, so from one angle there is truth in the statement. In the meantime, you have Vodafone and Liberty Global courting each other in the business headlines. Will they, won’t they, will they, won’t they? Who really knows, except that if the reported £140 billion ‘friendly’ tie-up does go-ahead, expect a lenient stance from the competition commission if the purchase of EE by BT is anything to go by.

One scenario that will come true is there will always be the need for an IT Director to navigate their way through the complex world of IT and bring its benefits to bear on the rest of their organisation.

If you would like to discuss your IT strategy for 2016 please contact us

*CEB (secondary source Computing.co.uk)

**Gartner