While it’s impossible to predict the future, we can be certain that society will always come up with The Next Big Thing. Lately, the buzz is all about the metaverse. And like anything new and trendy, many are trying to comprehend the metaverse and how it will affect our lives. If we distill the metaverse to its essence, it’s how we’ve transferred many of our experiences from the real, physical world to the digital landscape….  MORE

The past two years have been tough for retail. Stores had to close, malls turned into ghost towns, employees quit in droves. To adapt, retail businesses had to re-invent themselves in some form. Shift to e-commerce only, add curbside pickup as an option, or a hybrid of the two. To execute on any of these strategies, they had to enhance current or create new customer journeys. They had to improve information design and user experiences….  MORE

Tell an enterprise CIO that he needs a digital automation strategy and you’ll be stating the obvious. He already understands how doing so will create enhanced experiences and greater value for the organization’s clients. But one thing isn’t always clear: You can’t gain those results merely by adding automation to current processes and systems. You must first be aware of the maturity of your automation strategy. This will allow you to assess potential areas for…  MORE

If it can happen in the sports and entertainment world, it can happen for much less glamorous professions: The youngsters eventually begin to replace the veterans. That’s what happening at an increasing clip in the IT profession. And the younger generation – those from Gen X and Gen Y – are asking for more than lofty salaries. They also expect 21st century working conditions and more evolved managers. Granted, it’s not as if long-time IT…  MORE

Over the past 10-15 years, the role of the CIO has expanded beyond being merely the gatekeeper of the company’s technology. CIOs have become key voices for overall strategic direction, and due to the pandemic, they must now be part of the overall discussion about the future of work for their organizations. To do so, they should make culture a priority over everything else. We’ve all come to see how physical location doesn’t affect job…  MORE

In most year-end predictions about technology, we usually discuss how market forces have created the need for a specific innovation. Yet for the second year in a row, the global pandemic is a key influencer on which technologies will be most in demand. Here’s our perspective on the technical tools that enterprises will turn to most in 2022: Sustainable is growing Among the few bright spots around the pandemic is that renewable energy usage grew….  MORE

Not too long ago, every organization had a strict division between its business units and the IT department. But slowly, over time, technology evolved beyond just being a way to support work functions; it became an essential part of the company’s DNA. To adapt, silos broke down to the point where now CIOs are a key part of major strategic business decisions. Yet many CIOs still aren’t sure how to best collaborate with the other…  MORE

There was a time when “supply chain” was a term that you’d only hear in business meetings or read in industry-related articles. But now the average person has an awareness of what supply chains are and how they directly affect our lives. Due to the global pandemic, there’s a shortage of consumer goods, auto parts, computer chips, you name it. Without a smoothly flowing supply chain, we can’t get the products we need. And neither…  MORE