Businesses can't be expected to stay abreast of all new technology coming down the pipeline but instead need to find a way to manipulate relevant advancements for their benefit, a leading IT expert believes.
"Every day seemingly throws out a new technology buzzword," says Logan Ringland, Head of Sales for Kordia's Cloud Division. "Is it just industry hype, or are the new technologies going to be a game-changer? How can businesses stay abreast of them? The answer is, individually they can't."
Ringland says one solution is to work to what he calls a technology blueprint.
"We advise businesses to lay a foundation by identifying how they want their business to look and run in five years and then build a plan that leverages technology to get them there. Do not start with technology because, ironically, this could inhibit innovation.
"You wouldn't build a house without a blueprint and businesses should approach digital transformation with the same mindset," he says.
"All technology is generally hype until it gets momentum behind it and this industry will never slow down, it will always be dynamic. The key is to understand whether there is a role these technologies can play in enabling business growth and efficiencies rather than blindly adopting them."
Ringland's comments come on the heels of two recent surveys which highlight some of the issues facing Kiwi companies around using technology to future-proof their business.
Research carried out by Kordia has shown up to a quarter of New Zealand businesses rushed their transition to the cloud, a move which Ringland says could have left them more vulnerable to cyber-attack.
He says the study also revealed that just two in five businesses are getting cloud advice from an external IT provider, while a quarter don't have a trusted cloud management partner to help better leverage their investment.
A second study - conducted online in 2021 by Aura Information Security who surveyed 362 business IT decision-makers in New Zealand organisations with 20 or more employees - found that while more than half of those who have migrated to the cloud regularly review the security of the environment, 25 per cent don't and 16 per cent are unsure.
This despite 81 per cent of those surveyed saying they use the cloud to store data and 77 per cent perceiving it to be safer (up from 72 per cent in 2020 and 66 per cent in 2019).
Ringland says the example of some of the early cloud adopters highlights the need to thoroughly plan for the introduction of new technology.
"Some companies started using the cloud without strategies in place about how best to use it either through early adoption, enthusiasm or shadow IT leaving them more open to cyber-attack or cost blow-outs," he says. "As a result some are now, a few years later, coming back and questioning whether they want to continue using it.
"The reality is, like all business technology implementations, moving to the cloud isn't a set and forget exercise - it requires ongoing attention to ensure it is being used in the most optimal way.
"At the end of the day technology is not something that defines a business, but is an enabler for it," Ringland says. "Businesses should think of it as something to be manipulated to address challenges over the long-term, not just those of today."
This is where, he says, a partner with specialist cloud capability like Kordia can help.
"A partner can clarify what technology is available - and challenge a business's thinking around what technology to adopt and why.
"It's important that organisations choose a cloud partner who understands all aspects of their business and can implement technical solutions that enhance the business's operations in a secure, controlled and auditable manner," Ringland says.
"A partner can help clarify the art of the possible and come up with ideas you may not have thought of," he says.
"New technology is being released every day, it's a characteristic that we love about this industry we are in. Where previously it was the cloud as the hot discussion point, today it may be Zero Trust or NFTs.
"While some, like Zero Trust, have relevance to all businesses, in today's world of scarce resources, it's important to identify, understand and put effort into those technologies that will add value - and a partner is great at helping with that."
For more information go to: kordia.co.nz