Contents 1. Key findings 3 2. Top three management issues 4 3. Top three IT topics or trends 5 4. Additional resources needed to address the issues prioritised 6 5. Skills gaps 7 6. Concerns about future trends in IT industry 8 7. Profile of respondents 9 Appendix research objectives and technical notes 11 List of figures Figure 1 - Management issues that are organisations top three priorities 4 Figure 2 - IT topics or trends that are organisations top three priorities 5 Figure 3 - What additional resources, if any, would you require to address the management issues and IT trends your organisation has prioritised? 6 Figure 4 - Where do you see the biggest gaps within your organisation s IT skill set? 7 Figure 5 - Changes and trends in IT industry most likely to keep you awake at night 8 Figure 6 - Type of organisation or company 9 Figure 7 - Size of organisation or company 9 Figure 8 - Location of respondents 10 BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT 2014 All rights reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted by the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, except with the prior permission in writing of the publisher, or in the case of reprographic reproduction, in accordance with the terms of the licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries for permission to reproduce material outside those terms should be directed to the publisher. All trade marks, registered names etc. acknowledged in this publication are the property of their respective owners. BCS and the BCS logo are the registered trade marks of the British Computer Society, charity number 292786 (BCS). Published by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, First Floor, Block D, North Star House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, SN2 1FA, UK. www.bcs.org Disclaimer: Although every care has been taken by the Institute in the preparation of the publication, no warranty is given by the Institute as publisher as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained within it and the Institute shall not be responsible or liable for any loss or damage whatsoever arising by virtue of such information or any instructions or advice contained within this publication. BCS January 2014 2
1. Key findings Sixty four per cent of respondents rate business transformation and organisational change as among their organisation s top three management issues for the next 12 months. This is followed by strategy and planning (49%) and operational efficiencies (47%). Looking three to five years ahead, the same three issues are expected to be at the top of the list of priorities. However, the order is reversed with strategy and planning coming out top (51%), followed by business transformation and organisational change (48%), and operational efficiencies (42%). The greatest number of respondents (57%) rate mobile computing as among their organisation s top three IT topics or trends for the next 12 months. This is followed closely by information security (53%) and cloud computing (49%). When asked which IT topics or trends will be the top three priorities in three to five years time, information security is the top answer with 55%. This is followed by cloud computing (48%) and big data (47%). Only 10% of respondents felt that their organisation had enough resources to address the management issues and IT trends that their company has prioritised. More than half (57%) indicated that they need enhanced IT skills among their existing workforce, 48% require additional IT staff that are suitably qualified, and 37% would like a bigger budget. When considering upcoming changes and trends in the IT industry, the thing most likely to keep respondents awake at night is information security issues. BCS January 2014 3
2. Top three management issues Questions: Which of the following management issues are your organisation's top three priorities for the next 12 months? In three to five years' time, which of these management issues do you think will be your organisation's top three priorities? Figure 1 - Management issues that are organisations top three priorities Business transformation and organisational change Strategy and planning Operational efficiencies Resource management Business relationship management Nurturing the talent and skills of your IT workforce Performance management Recruitment and retention Identifying capabilities of your IT professionals Succession planning 22% 17% 21% 27% 21% 25% 18% 25% 14% 22% 12% 9% 8% 19% 48% 49% 51% 47% 42% 64% Next 12 months 3-5 years 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Sixty four per cent of respondents rate business transformation and organisational change as among their organisation s top three management issues for the next 12 months. This is followed by strategy and planning (49%) and operational efficiencies (47%). When asked which management issues they think will be the priorities in three to five years time, the same issues occupy the first three places. However, the order is slightly different with strategy and planning coming out top on 51%. There are a number of issues which are expected to become a higher priority in three to five years time and these include succession planning (up from 8% to 19%) and recruitment and retention (up from 14% to 22%). Among SMEs the issue most likely to be in the top three over the next 12 months is strategy and planning (60%). For larger companies with over 250 employees, business transformation and organisational change (71% versus 41%) and operational efficiencies (51% versus 35%) are more likely to be high priorities compared with SMEs. When it came to looking ahead three to five years, strategy and planning is again the top issue for SMEs (47%); whereas for larger companies business transformation and organisational change (54%) is again the top issue. BCS January 2014 4
3. Top three IT topics or trends Questions: Which of the following IT topics or trends are your organisation's top three priorities for the next 12 months? In three to five years' time, which of these IT topics or trends do you think will be your organisation's top three priorities? Figure 2 - IT topics or trends that are organisations top three priorities Mobile computing (e.g. integration of mobile devices into the business, BYOD) 44% 57% Information security 53% 55% Cloud computing 49% 48% Big data 35% 47% Agile Social media 11% 27% 20% 21% Next 12 months 3-5 years Internet of things 13% 30% Offshoring 8% 6% Green IT (e.g. energy efficiency) 7% 17% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% The greatest number of respondents (57%) rate mobile computing as among their organisation s top three IT topics or trends for the next 12 months. This is followed closely by information security (53%) and cloud computing (49%). When asked which IT topics or trends will be the top three priorities in three to five years time, information security is the top answer with 55%. This is followed by cloud computing (48%) and big data (47%). Mobile computing drops down to fourth place with 44%. The area showing the biggest rise is internet of things (up from 13% to 30%). Whilst green issues scored relatively low on 7%, it is expected to become increasingly important over the next three to five years (with 17% placing it in the top 3 priorities). Regarding trends for the next 12 months, analysis by number of employees shows that mobile computing is the top answer for both SMEs and large companies (over 250 employees). Information security and cloud computing occupy the next two spots. Internet of things is more likely to be a high priority for SMEs compared with larger organisations (23% versus 9%). When it came to looking three to five years ahead, information security is the top answer for SMEs (63%). However, for larger organisations the 3 leading trends all scored around 50% and these are as follows: Information security (52%) Big data (51%) Cloud computing (50%). BCS January 2014 5
4. Additional resources needed to address the issues prioritised Only 10% of respondents felt that their organisation had enough resources to address the management issues and IT trends that their company has prioritised. More than half (57%) indicated that they need enhanced IT skills among their existing workforce, 48% require additional IT staff that are suitably qualified, and 37% would like a bigger budget. Figure 3 - What additional resources, if any, would you require to address the management issues and IT trends your organisation has prioritised? Enhanced IT skills among existing workforce 57% Additional IT staff that are suitably qualified 48% Increased budget 37% None - we have enough resources 10% Other 2% Note: respondents were permitted to select more than one option. 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Larger organisations with over 250 employees are more likely than SMEs to need enhanced IT skills among their existing workforce (61% versus 45%). SMEs are more likely than larger companies to have enough resources to address the management issues and IT trends their organisation has prioritised (18% versus 8%). BCS January 2014 6
5. Skills gaps Respondents were asked a free text question about where they see the biggest gaps within their organisation s IT skill set. The word cloud below gives a visual representation of the responses given to this question. Figure 4 - Where do you see the biggest gaps within your organisation s IT skill set? existing None Experience good just Analysts source Technical senior Project Integration Keeping latest Service need systems software Change customer Programme marketing Legacy knowledge managementreally Cloud skills lack business analysis work understanding development Enterprise level staff Information many Leadership developers commercial Process technology skill Data security technologies people solutions Programming Quality services Managers ICT best Governance trends within see user implementation enough delivery Application engineering time Architecture use new support big agile design one gaps areas gap date ability Mobile infrastructure Strategic social needs digital computing solution Awareness basic tools organisation Web contract emerging media based current engineers Professional applications BCS January 2014 7
6. Concerns about future trends in IT industry Respondents were asked: When considering upcoming changes and trends in the IT industry, what is it that is most likely to keep you awake at night? The word cloud below gives a visual representation of the responses given to this question. Figure 5 - Changes and trends in IT industry most likely to keep you awake at night system using people customers within like media devices working senior awake loss systems pace lead right solutions staff threats impact Lack issues mobile Cloud Business management Security increasing Social skills services Keeping market access keep new data information Big change software operational Reduction BYOD Cyber computing increased technology cost platforms legacy understanding availability effective Performance way work integrity enough control digital experience resources internet applications service much Nothing Industry speed changes governance outsourcing demand time Whereas with the previous question covered in section 5 a wide variety of responses were given, the results to this question revealed that security or information security is the most frequently mentioned concern. BCS January 2014 8
7. Profile of respondents 7.1 Type of organisation Figure 6 - Type of organisation or company IT services Public administration and defence Education Consultancy Professional, scientific and technical activities Financial and insurance activities Manufacturing Human health and social work activities Transport and storage Utilities Construction Telecommunications Wholesale and retail trade Other 4% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 7% 7% 8% 10% 11% 13% 14% 14% 0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 7.2 Size of organisation Figure 7 - Size of organisation or company Up to 10 10% 11-50 6% Over 5,000 40% 51-250 8% 251-500 6% 501-1,000 11% 1,001-5,000 19% BCS January 2014 9
Note: question asked was how many people are currently employed worldwide by your organisation/company? The greater numbers of respondents (40%) work in companies with over 5,000 employees. Nearly one-quarter (24%) work for SME s. 7.3 Location Just over eight in ten respondents are based in the UK. Figure 8 - Location of respondents 90% 80% 82% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 8% 6% 1% 1% 1% UK Asia Europe Africa Australasia North America 7.4 Job role A breakdown of respondents job roles is as follows: 21% CIO 31% Senior IT manager 10% Digital leader 12% IT manager 10% CEO 17% None of the above Respondents answering none of the above were asked whether they contribute towards their organisation s strategic objectives. Those answering no were screened out of the survey. The data given here excludes those that were screened out. BCS January 2014 10
Appendix Research objectives: To find out what management issues and IT trends are being prioritised over the next 12 months and also over the next three to five years. To find out what additional resources, if any, are required to address the prioritised issues. Technical notes on research method: The survey was conducted online by BCS among chartered members, corporate clients, and nonmembers. Personalised email invites were sent out and the survey was also promoted via ebcs, LinkedIn and Twitter. The survey targeted CIOs, digital leaders, IT managers, CEOs and others who have an input into their organisation s strategic objectives. A total of 326 responses were received during the period 13 September to 14 October 2013. Because of the various methods used to promote the survey it is not possible to calculate a response rate. Where responses do not sum to 100% for single response questions, this is normally due to rounding. BCS January 2014 11