For anybody that works within IT, the last few years have been a real roller coaster. Rapid innovation, heightened security threats, the shift to remote and hybrid work and the accelerated transition to cloud native applications and infrastructure, have combined to test the skill and resolve of technologists like nothing before.
In the latest research from Cisco AppDynamics, the ‘Agents of Transformation 2022’, 88 percent of global technologists state that the last few years have changed what it means to be a technologist, and altered what is required to deliver seamless digital experiences in a world of hybrid work. And, as you might expect, they state that every aspect of their jobs is now more difficult than it was in 2018 (when the original Agents of Transformation study was conducted).
The research finds that, more than anything else, technologists are finding it more difficult to deliver the flawless digital experiences that customers and employees now demand at all times. They’re facing soaring complexity across an ever more fragmented and dynamic IT environment and finding themselves on the back foot, constantly having to fire-fight issues before they impact end user experience.
Other areas that have become more challenging are ensuring the security of mission critical applications, implementing accelerated innovation initiatives and managing the complexity of delivering hybrid work to employees.
Alarmingly, the research finds that many technologists are feeling exhausted as a result of the unrelenting workload and pressure of the last two years. And 65 percent admit that they’re feeling overwhelmed by the soaring complexity and data noise they’re encountering as they try to manage and optimise IT availability and performance.
Evidently, things need to change, and quickly. The research highlights a strong desire amongst technologists for their organisations to move beyond the reactive firefighting of the last few years and to adopt a more proactive and strategic approach to innovation. This shift is already starting to happen within many businesses and is set to trigger a new era of innovation over the next few years.
Despite the pressures and challenges they face, technologists are, rightly, feeling good about themselves and optimistic about the future. There is a widespread sense of pride amongst technologists about what they’ve achieved over the last few years and a belief that their experiences and learnings during the pandemic have accelerated their careers.
And far from being daunted by the prospect of even greater and faster digital transformation, technologists believe that this will provide them with a platform to accelerate their careers and reach the pinnacle of their profession. 97 percent state that they now feel excited about the prospect of becoming Agents of Transformation — what the research defines as an elite technologist at the forefront of innovation, with the skills, vision and ambition to deliver positive and sustainable transformation within their organisations and beyond.
In order to realise these ambitions, technologists will need to develop new skills, using data and insight to drive decision-making and optimise digital experience to deliver improved business outcomes. They will have to become more customer-centric in their approach and build credibility and influence within their organisations to shape strategy. And they’ll need to ensure they’re on top of the very latest technological advancements to drive transformation and lead the transition to cloud-native technologies.
The move to cloud-native observability requires technical as well as cultural changes
Encouragingly, technologists are acutely aware of the need to evolve and to re-invent themselves to stay relevant in the next era of innovation. And they’re taking personal responsibility to ensure they have the skills and qualities they need to become Agents of Transformation.
At the same time, however, IT and business leaders must also recognise that they need to provide their technologists with the right support, culture and tools to perform at the highest level, and that the resources that Agents of Transformation need have evolved significantly over recent years. The research highlights two out of five typologies of technologists — ‘Untapped Heroes’ and ‘Disillusioned Dreamers’ — who feel held back in their careers by the environment in which they operate. Their organisations aren’t providing the support, leadership and tools that these technologists need to thrive.
Business leaders should be focusing on creating a culture that embraces and inspires the very best technology talent and ensuring their technologists have access to technology budgets that can flex and align with areas and initiatives that will drive the biggest impact for the business. They need to demonstrate to technologists that the organisation has a clear vision, with technology at its heart.
More than anything else, IT and business leaders should be ensuring that their technologists have access to the tools they need to manage and optimise IT availability and performance so that they can deliver the seamless digital experiences that customers and employees now demand at all times. Technologists need to be able to monitor and observe their entire IT estate and to connect technology performance to business outcomes in order to operate as Agents of Transformation. In fact, 85 percent of technologists state that full-stack observability is now core to delivering sustainable transformation and innovation in their organisation.
The message for business leaders is clear — their reliance on the skill, dedication and vision of their technologists is only going to increase over the next 12 months and beyond. They should not take for granted the contribution that their technologists have made during the pandemic and they should not underestimate the role they will play going forward. They need to create an environment in which their technologists can prosper, with access to the learning, leadership and resources required to operate as Agents of Transformation. The next era of innovation is gathering pace and technologists are ready to climb to even greater heights.
