Business Transformation Requires Transformational Leaders

An architectural risk assessment is not a penetration test or merely a vulnerability scan. It is an engineering process with the aim of understanding, defining, and defending all the functional output from customers, line workers, corporate staff, and client-server interactions. Performed correctly, it will empower the technology staff and enable the business to focus less on security and more on customers.

Just as recent global events have given us reason to pause and reflect, the pace of technology emergence and disruption is proving to be a source of inspiration and uncertainty. Transitioning to a digital world is front-of-mind for many business executives, yet finding the right path is an ongoing challenge. So we asked Cutter’s team of experts for their insights on some of the technologies, trends, and strategies that will be relevant in 2017 and beyond. In typical Cutter Business Technology Journal fashion, our call produced a wide range of opinions and reflections worthy of consideration as you chart your business technology journey for the new year.

Artificial general intelligence (AGI) is currently emerging as an area where recent developments are likely to have a major impact on the way organizations do business, societies organize themselves, and even on how we address values and ethics.

The fact is that AGI already exists in our daily life. A common example is the GPS systems present in many new cars manufactured today; and let’s not forget the drones being used to deliver pizzas and cars that drive themselves. While automatic pilots have been used in commercial planes for quite some time, what AGI is about to offer to general business and human activity is well beyond what most of us have seen so far.

2017 is going to be a year of strange winners, and perhaps the strangest of all will be a giant leap away from technology and back to solutions that don’t rely on 24/7 connectivity. With the onslaught of major hacks and Facebook embarrassment, the antitech crowd may have its best year in decades. 

One of the most prevalent blockchains in the world, Ethereum, is poised to switch from a proof-of-work (POW) algorithm to a proof-of-stake (POS) algorithm, likely in 2017, with the release of the Casper codebase. Why does this matter? Because blockchain technology is becoming increasingly relevant and prevalent in businesses across the globe. It holds great potential to disrupt how businesses perform basic transactions, from payments, to programmable, self-executing contracts, to identity verification. 

2016 surprised most of us with two big political decisions that we didn’t expect. Britain had a referendum that returned a vote to leave the European Union — popularly known as “Brexit.” And the US voted for a business and property magnate who had never held elective office as its next president.

Commentators around the world have analyzed these two results, and the consensus seems to be that these political battles have ushered in a new era of politics in which the truth and rational debate are less important, and emotion, lies, and propaganda are more likely to sway voters. What does this mean from an enterprise architecture perspective?

Today’s work environment is changing rapidly, so much so that the ever-increasing velocity of innovation and technology will create a workplace five years from now that looks nothing like the one of today. The big three factors in this coming change are: the “gig” economy, or project work, becoming the norm; moving from networks to ecosystem; and augmenting human work with AI systems

Last year, I declined to make specific predictions about specific technologies, what they’d disrupt, and their impact on society — a decision based on a mix of humility and cowardice. Instead, I made three predictions about challenges in the environment in which IT exists. These challenges have only become more real, making the predictions at least directionally accurate. In this article, I present updates to those predictions.