1. Info-Tech Research Group1 Understand Hot Trends in Applications Why are they hot? What do you need to do about them?

2. Info-Tech Research Group2 Trends often represent substantial and potentially disruptive change. Application Managers that choose to follow these trends can significantly improve or damage the organization’s competitive position. Introduction Application Managers. Application professionals in sub-roles such as development managers, professional service managers, developers, business analysts, help desk and support. Help Application Managers understand the trends and where they fit in the larger context. Highlight any tangible benefits, such as cost savings, increases in productivity & business opportunities, and more efficient & improved business agility. Explain the steps required to facilitate and ultimately implement the trends. Explain how Application Managers should sell the benefits to their boss. This Research Is Designed For:This Research Will Help You:

3. Info-Tech Research Group3 Executive Summary Trends in applications can have serious (and sometimes disastrous) impact to businesses if they adopt too early, or they wait too long to join the wave of change. Application related trends affect the very people, process, and technologies that drive agility, productivity, and opportunity for all businesses. Major trends in Social Computing, Cloud Computing, Rich Internet Applications, and Mobility are driving businesses quickly towards the future. And, for those businesses not ready to move with the wave of emerging trends, many are being left in the wake of their competition. Generally speaking, the earlier a trend is adopted, the riskier it is to business due to the unproven, untested, and volatile state of many emerging trends. However, that risk can be one of great gain if the trend succeeds in becoming established and common practice. Businesses that choose to wait too long run the ever-increasing risk of being swamped by the cresting wave and falling well behind the competition, sometimes so far behind that the road back can be virtually insurmountable. This in turn can cause great pain and hardship for businesses as they attempt to re-tool or re-invent themselves in an attempt to gain back their former glory. Active trends that fall under the Applications “Social” banner include: Crowdsourcing, Social Media, Collaboration, and Predictive Analytics. Active trends that fall under the Applications “Development” banner include: Cloud, Mobility, Business Developer, and the Rich Internet Applications (RIA). These topics, trends, areas of concern, are top-of-mind right now in many discussions of future directions in applications and application development. But does the reality match the hype and if they do have value who, what, when and where are these developments appropriate?

4. Info-Tech Research Group4 Understand Trends This section will help you to: Get a summary view of each application trend based on the current experience of application professionals. Understand the reasons these trends are important to your business. Understand Trends Evaluate The Social Trends Evaluate the Development Trends Summary Sections:

5. Info-Tech Research Group5 But, choosing the wrong wave, or not riding at all, can leave your business languishing in the wake of your competition. Choosing the right wave to ride wisely, can propel your business to the forefront… ahead of your competitors Remain competitive with applications that are accessible, maintainable, intelligent, and connected to the business resources. Crowd-Sourcing Collaboration Predictive Analytics Social Media Business Developer Mobility Rich Internet Applications Cloud Computing Use the power of human connectivity, new and enhanced applications to connect with customers, co-workers, and business partners. Gain measurable value with positive impact to businesses that choose to catch the wave! Get the ear of business leaders with cost savings, productivity gains, business agility, and new opportunities. *in no particular order

6. Info-Tech Research Group6 For businesses interested in expanding their market, many of the trends described in this research allow businesses to expand their capabilities while not increasing or creating an overbearing amount of overhead for the organization. Trends such as predictive analytics allow businesses to understand the nature of the transactions of their customers allowing them to predict and create applications and scenarios that promote additional business. Business Agility refers to how quickly a business can adapt with efficiency to changes in the business environment. Typically this agility comes from taking advantage of the applications used and the human resources. Key words for Business Agility include: flexibility, balance, adaptability, and co-ordination. Businesses follow trends for 1 of 3 reasons, they either facilitate agility, create savings, or create opportunities Cost and Productivity savings are often used as a reason to “do” something. Following trends is no different. Many trends are inherently cost & productivity savers. Many of the trends discussed in this research are both a cost savings and a productivity boon. The mantra, more with less is critical to the successful adoption of many of the described trends. Business Agility Cost / Productivity New Opportunities 3 Reasons for Catching the Wave

7. Info-Tech Research Group7 The business, vendors, and fellow application professionals can all be sources of buzz around a topic. Know their biases in engaging with them. Know how to listen and respond to these three drivers of interest and demand in new technologies, apps, and services In areas such as mobile applications & development your customers from line workers to the executive are driving interest in new devices and applications. True, some are enamoured with the latest “toys” but many are driving true innovation. At the senior levels costs are also top of mind. Their Bias. Do not always see the application or infrastructure implications of the new thing. E.g. network and policy implications of mobile and whether their selected device can even run the apps needed. Your Task. Figure out what procedure has to be put in place to efficiently deliver service and communicate total costs. Don’t be a Dr. No. Rather, the message has to be “this is how and how much.” The Business /End Users Application Professionals Application professionals that are experts in various systems – will have strong opinions about the latest and greatest in their field (or conversely why a new development is not as good as the tried and true that they manage). Technology and tech service vendors are keen to leverage market buzz and will be trend evangelists. They can also be good sources of information on application developments through vendor-sponsored white papers and Webinars. Vendors Their Bias: Is of course to sell their products which will limit their discussion of alternative products or approaches. Your Task: Engage the vendors but be sure to challenge their claims and demand deeper detail. Their Bias: Exclusive focus on technology specs and performance. Your Task: Be the “devil’s advocate” on cost and business value. Is this a solution that solves a real problem or clearly better enables the business?

8. Info-Tech Research Group8 Adoption success ratings moderate the heat of some trends while boosting the ranking of others. Before jumping on the band wagon of a hot trend, consider your peers’ experiences in adoption and impact Source: Info-Tech Research Group Survey

9. Info-Tech Research Group9 What’s in this Section:Sections: Evaluate the Social Trends Understand Trends Evaluate The Social Trends Evaluate the Development Trends Summary The Social Trends ◦ Crowdsourcing ◦ Social Media ◦ Collaboration ◦ Predictive Analytics

10. Info-Tech Research Group10 Info-Tech Research Group Helps IT Professionals To: Sign up for free trial membership to get practical solutions for your IT challenges www.infotech.com Quickly get up to speed with new technologies Make the right technology purchasing decisions – fast Deliver critical IT projects, on time and within budget Manage business expectations Justify IT spending and prove the value of IT Train IT staff and effectively manage an IT department “Info-Tech helps me to be proactive instead of reactive – a cardinal rule in a stable and leading edge IT environment. - ARCS Commercial Mortgage Co., LP Toll Free: 1-888-670-8889