Richard Bradbury, UK MD, Hitachi Data Systems:
“In many ways, 2017 will just be like every year before with “more of the same, but better”. Specifically we’ll see more of growth areas like AR/VR and businesses driving ROI and efficiency through technology (i.e. digital transformation). Equally hot topics from 2016 – like enterprise security, big data and employee engagement/productivity – will continue to dominate boardroom agendas. But I think the shift will be towards more of mixing technology with the best of human minds, allowing businesses to push boundaries further than we could by ourselves.
As we saw last year, becoming a digitally savvy business is no longer a ‘nice to have’ – technology spend and the resulting output is important to the entire C-suite. The world is in a time of political and business change, and looking ahead, the businesses that will be able to reap competitive advantages will be those that are agile and forward-thinking with mixing technology alongside human innovation.”
Bob Plumridge, CTO EMEA, Hitachi Data Systems:
“In 2017, big data will continue to play an increasing role in the healthcare industry, with wearable devices compiling more and more patient data in real-time. This will give doctors an edge when treating patients, by ensuring they can monitor them in their day-to-day environments. As such, one thing we’ll see more of next year is care and technology providers alike looking to overcome challenges relating to Big Data so that they can truly harness the benefits of the Internet of Health (the medical incarnation of the Internet of Things).
For example, we’ll see the health industry looking to overcome issues of data fragmentation to gain a more unified view of the data being collected, and to address the subject of portability, so that patients and clinicians can access the data produced by connected devices wherever they are.”
Lynn Collier, COO UK&I, Hitachi Data Systems:
“Organisations are already unlocking value from IoT and we are all aware of the real business benefits it can bring to an organisation. In 2017, partner organisations – with their sector-specific insights and technical knowledge – will play a critical role in helping companies to integrate IoT into their current infrastructure in a way that will yield business-critical data and insights.
Yet we have a long way to go; the proliferation of IOT and big data means we’re seeing a skills gap in the UK and within the tech industry. Algorithms and connected devices and systems will continue to take hold in our lives and as a result, giving skills to our students and workers should be a priority in 2017. Ultimately consumers and businesses already expect a ubiquitous experience across all devices, platforms and with all vendors, but we need the skills to make the most of these technologies. Enterprise technology has come so far in such a short time, but in order to push through the next big hurdle, we must ensure our students and businesses have the right skills to get the job done.”
