Opinion

Opinion

IT project management

• Fixing government digital transformation – lessons from the early days of GDS

  As a new organisation is formed to lead UK digital government, three former government digital leaders share the lessons they learned from the early days of the Government Digital Service  Continue Reading

• The ransomware routine: pages from the Secret IR Insider’s diary

  The Secret Incident Response Insider shares behind-the-scenes stories of what really happens after organisations are hit by cyber attacks – and shows how they could have been avoided  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Plan for hybrid working to become normal

  After a year of unprecedented disruption thanks to Covid-19, it looks like remote working is set to remain with us for now, which means security strategies will change in 2021. What will this change look like, and what tools and services will be ...  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Time for security teams to learn from Covid

  After a year of unprecedented disruption thanks to Covid-19, it looks like remote working is set to remain with us for now, which means security strategies will change in 2021. What will this change look like, and what tools and services will be ...  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: The year of the work-from-home hangover

  After a year of unprecedented disruption thanks to Covid-19, it looks like remote working is set to remain with us for now, which means security strategies will change in 2021. What will this change look like, and what tools and services will be ...  Continue Reading

• How to manage non-human identities

  Identity management has traditionally focused on human identities, but non-human identities are proliferating and must not be overlooked. Businesses can reduce risk by managing both types of identity in the same way using a services-based approach  Continue Reading

• HANA or ‘na’?

  With alternatives abundant, many organisations are holding off on enterprise software upgrades  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: SOAR to the next level with automation

  SIEM and SOAR have much in common, but there are key differences between the two that may influence the best fit for your organisation. What should security pros consider when making a choice?  Continue Reading

• SIEM or SOAR or both? Consider your business complexity first

  SIEM and SOAR have much in common, but there are key differences between the two that may influence the best fit for your organisation. What should security pros consider when making a choice?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: SIEM and SOAR are far from mutually exclusive

  SIEM and SOAR have much in common, but there are key differences between the two that may influence the best fit for your organisation. What should security pros consider when making a choice?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Alerts are great, it’s what you do with them that counts

  SIEM and SOAR have much in common, but there are key differences between the two that may influence the best fit for your organisation. What should security pros consider when making a choice?  Continue Reading

• How to modernise identity governance and administration

  Modernising identity governance and administration (IGA) capabilities is essential for organisations to manage identities effectively to ensure they remain competitive, compliant and secure  Continue Reading

• Why automation isn’t always an improvement

  Automation can help organisations run more efficiently, but only if the most inefficient steps in a business process are fixed first  Continue Reading

• From front line to back office – how supporting the cyber community keeps the NHS safe

  NHS Digital’s chief information security officer describes how the Cyber Associates Network benefits security experts in health and care  Continue Reading

• Brexit and risks to data privacy and governance

  EY privacy specialists assess the risks to data privacy, protection and governance on the table for businesses, with less than two months until Brexit  Continue Reading

• Five steps to build an artificial intelligence strategy

  Artificial intelligence is the next frontier for IT in businesses, helping to increase competitive advantage. A truly successful AI strategy needs careful planning  Continue Reading

• How to write an executive CV for IT leadership jobs

  Knowing how to write an IT executive CV requires a deep knowledge and skillset that not everyone has. Find out how to set yourself apart from the competition  Continue Reading

• Risk and reward: How to succeed in digital transformation

  Most organisations are seeking to step up their digital transformation efforts, but history has shown that such efforts can be doomed to failure if they take the wrong approach  Continue Reading

• Lapsing ISO certifications: Myth versus risk

  Allowing ISO certifications to lapse presents businesses with serious risks when workarounds are possible  Continue Reading

• Tech executives need new skills to lead in a remote world

  After helping organisations adapt to new ways of working during the Covid-19 pandemic, IT leaders worldwide are now enjoying greater influence, according to this year’s Harvey Nash/KPMG CIO Survey  Continue Reading

• Digital leaders and the widening divide

  This year’s Harvey Nash/KPMG CIO Survey shows a widening of the digital business divide, with companies that have already adopted digital technologies more likely to accelerate those investments than those still in the planning stage  Continue Reading

• Why business resilience management should be high on the agenda

  Business resilience management is key to business survival in the face of rapidly changing IT, cyber threat and regulatory environments  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Edge datacentre security depends on specific needs

  That datacentre security is a complex subject is not in doubt and, given the trend to move beyond centralised datacentres to distributed environments, this is not going to change. How can security professionals ensure such setups are just as secure ...  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Beware security blind spots at the edge

  That datacentre security is a complex subject is not in doubt and, given the trend to move beyond centralised datacentres to distributed environments, this is not going to change. How can security professionals ensure such setups are just as secure ...  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Datacentre security is a business imperative

  That datacentre security is a complex subject is not in doubt and, given the trend to move beyond centralised datacentres to distributed environments, this is not going to change. How can security professionals ensure such setups are just as secure ...  Continue Reading

• Sharing responsibility: Why we need to work together to keep the cloud secure

  The education sector has been fundamentally altered by months of lockdown, with cloud services topping must-have lists for academic staff, but now it’s time to consider security  Continue Reading

• How to tackle the IAM challenges of multinational companies

  The rapidly changing business, regulatory and IT environment makes identity and access management a tough nut to crack for large multinationals  Continue Reading

• The countdown is on for TikTok after Schrems II

  Given the US’ threatened actions against TikTok and the outcome of Schrems II, it is clear that the spotlight is now firmly on international data transfers  Continue Reading

• How the chancellor’s Plan for Jobs could benefit the UK tech sector

  Technology has a strong role to play in the UK’s recovery, with Rishi Sunak’s Plan for Jobs offering opportunities for the sector  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: AI in cyber needs complex cost/benefit analysis

  AI and machine learning techniques are said to hold great promise in security, enabling organisations to operate a IT predictive security stance and automate reactive measures when needed. Is this perception accurate, or is the importance of ...  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Ignore AI overheads at your peril

  Artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques are said to hold great promise in security, enabling organisations to operate an IT predictive security stance and automate reactive measures when needed. Is this perception accurate, or is the...  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: SIEM and AI – a match made in heaven?

  Artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques are said to hold great promise in security, enabling organisations to operate an IT predictive security stance and automate reactive measures when needed. Is this perception accurate, or is the...  Continue Reading

• Time to rethink business continuity and cyber security

  Business continuity and cyber security remain largely in separate silos, but changes in the IT and cyber threat landscapes mean there is an urgent need for organisations to alter their approach  Continue Reading

• Gartner: Build a plan to bring remote workers back to the office

  Gartner senior research directors Kevin Ji and John McArthur look at how enterprises can plan and strategise for the reopening of workplaces  Continue Reading

• The Covid-19 crisis: Reinventing digital transformation

  Digital transformation projects are returning as organisations realise that improvements in productivity and customer engagement are now even more important – providing that the work can be done remotely and there’s still cash to pay for it  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Container security starts with good DevOps practice

  Adopting containers promises great organisational efficiency advantages, but the fast-evolving technology can be problematic for security teams. What do CISOs need to know to safeguard containers?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Container security is evolving, so must CISOs

  Adopting containers promises great organisational efficiency advantages, but the fast-evolving technology can be problematic for security teams. What do CISOs need to know to safeguard containers?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Four steps to container security best practice

  Adopting containers promises great organisational efficiency advantages, but the fast-evolving technology can be problematic for security teams. What do CISOs need to know to safeguard containers?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: CISO stress – moving from recognition to action

  Cyber criminals are enjoying a boom during the Covid-19 pandemic, and security teams are working overtime as a result. How can security professionals manage their increased workload, safeguard their mental well-being and avoid burnout?  Continue Reading

• Coronavirus: Five-step action plan to keep SAP ticking

  All businesses have been impacted by the coronavirus lockdown. As the economy starts moving again, how should SAP projects proceed?  Continue Reading

• Coronavirus: Why the public sector must pursue IT transformation

  It is clear that the current coronavirus crisis has had a major impact on digital transformation efforts in the public sector  Continue Reading

• IT transformation steps pave the path to new ways to work

  The CEO of Difrent discusses how her roles in local and central government have played a role in public sector IT transformation  Continue Reading

• How to modernise IT systems while ensuring they remain stable

  Organisations need to be both agile and maintain control and stability of their IT. How can they achieve both outcomes?  Continue Reading

• Why zero trust may not be all it’s cracked up to be

  While they are discussed ad nauseam in the security industry, zero-trust architectures may not be all they’re cracked up to be, according to analyst Sam Bocetta  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: ID-driven security helps safeguard the workforce

  In our globalised world, high-profile events such as Covid-19 have huge business impacts and some of these impacts may be felt by CISOs. What responsibilities do security pros have in such circumstances, and what steps can they take to shore up ...  Continue Reading

• The UK civil service is broken and needs reform to deliver true digital government

  Boris Johnson’s special adviser, Dominic Cummings, has attracted criticism for his plans to overhaul Whitehall culture, but one former government digital chief argues that he is absolutely right  Continue Reading

• Why the banking industry needs an IT makeover

  UK banks face huge challenges keeping their service availability levels at 99.99%  Continue Reading

• How CI/CD helps digital organisations

  Developments in technology have transformed IT management practices. We discuss the management implications of using CI/CD to drive digitisation initiatives  Continue Reading

• Liberal Democrats: We want to lead the world in ethical, inclusive technology

  Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat MP and party spokesperson for digital, culture, media and sport, writes about the party's technology policies ahead of the upcoming General Election  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Base cloud security posture on your data footprint

  Misconfigured cloud environments are increasingly identified as the source of damaging data breaches and leaks, raising serious questions for enterprises. Where does responsibility for data security in the cloud lie, and how can security ...  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Secure the cloud when negotiating contracts

  Misconfigured cloud environments are increasingly identified as the source of damaging data breaches and leaks, raising serious questions for enterprises. Where does responsibility for data security in the cloud lie, and how can security ...  Continue Reading

• Why the rise of IT managed by the business is driving creative thinking

  Organisations that encourage business units to implement and run their own IT systems have an edge over competitors that rely entirely on the IT department, research from Harvey Nash and KPMG reveals  Continue Reading

• Making the move to cloud work for you

  Getting the best out of a move to the cloud means getting the size right, turning off what you don’t need, smart purchasing and continuously decluttering your new environment  Continue Reading

• Agile becomes mainstream

  There are clear parallels between the conditions that led the IT industry to adopt agile approaches and the challenges facing business today  Continue Reading

• More effective digital transformation through the power of your own people

  The old model of escalating decisions up and down the management chain does not work any more. Business leaders need to delegate responsibility for projects to business and technology specialists and eliminate the fear of failure  Continue Reading

• The lesson of TSB – testing, 1, 2, 3

  An organisation’s IT system might look good on the surface, but you can’t fix a problem if you don’t know it’s there  Continue Reading

• Why your marketing team needs help from IT more than ever

  Some IT and marketing departments have a troubled history of working together, but better collaboration is essential to make a success of digital transformation  Continue Reading

• Beware of the digital bandwagon

  The rush to become ‘digital by default’ could drive costs up and have a damaging effect on understanding customer demand, writes John Seddon  Continue Reading

• The seven levers of digital transformation

  Organisations that embark on digital transformation projects often run into difficulties. Following the seven principles of digital transformation will help them reap the benefits of digital technology  Continue Reading

• Passive optical LAN: When network speed, bandwidth and security matter

  Copper-based local area networks are increasingly unfit for purpose in a digital enterprise, but passive optical LANs may be a solution. Tech evangelist Paul Ryan, European chair of the Association of Passive Optical LAN, explains why  Continue Reading

• How to make the right technology choice

  Organisations need digital technology, but how do you decide which is the best technology for you? The answer is not to make one big decision, but many small ones. Thinking about technology, behaviour and data will help you find the right answers  Continue Reading

• The high price of not understanding how automation works with existing software licences

  Businesses must check their software licences before they introduce robotic process automation or they risk breaking the rules  Continue Reading

• How creative and innovative can technology made in China be?

  China's IT industry is becoming more Silicon Valley-like and, as a result, more attractive to the CIOs of western enterprises  Continue Reading

• Architecting the digital enterprise

  A survey of almost 4,500 IT leaders in 90 countries shows that the fastest-growing area of demand in IT this year is for enterprise architects. It is not a skills shortage, but an adoption lag  Continue Reading

• In an age of uncertainty, now is the time to rethink your outsourcing strategy

  Brexit and Trump are not only creating challenges but also opportunities in the outsourcing sector, and outsourcing deals will need to be flexible to exploit them  Continue Reading

• How can CIOs drive innovation?

  Three steps CIOs can take to help them take the lead in driving innovation in their organisations.  Continue Reading

• Gov.uk Verify and identity assurance - it's time for a rethink

  The government's Verify identity platform is not meeting user needs - it's time to step back and review how best to make online identity for public services work  Continue Reading

• Escaping waterfall government and the myth of 'digital transformation'

  An agile approach to digital programmes will not transform Whitehall unless the waterfall approach to policy and decision-making is overhauled too  Continue Reading

• Is ‘OK’ OK? Delivering the next government network platform

  As GDS signals its intent to move away from the Public Services Network, the industry and public sector must work together to create a new internet-based network platform for government  Continue Reading

• The digital opportunity for CIOs

  CIOs have a unique opportunity to lead the digital strategy in their organisations, but they have to move quickly to make sure they have the right skills and infrastructure in place  Continue Reading

• A Good American: a personal take on mass surveillance

  Director Friedrich Moser draws some conclusions on mass surveillance from his groundbreaking documentary on the work of NSA whistleblower, Bill Binney  Continue Reading

• Fighting the ‘fortress mentality’ at DWP – my search for the truth about Universal Credit

  IT programme manager and freedom-of-information campaigner John Slater reflects on his four-year battle to force the Department for Work and Pensions to release key documents  Continue Reading

• People, not processes – a personal lament

  Professionals should never forget the art of networking and relationship-building as their career progresses  Continue Reading

• Saving Bletchley Park: The women of Station X

  Sue Black recalls her first experience of Bletchley Park and the women who worked there, inspiring a campaign to save the home of the WW2 codebreakers  Continue Reading

• What CIOs need to know to ensure their PMOs deliver

  The most effective project management organisations spend most of their time and resources on relationships and minimal time on tasks  Continue Reading

• The missing ingredient for effective problem management

  Problem management implementations often fail or have limited success because they lack managers who are trained to lead problem investigations using structured methods  Continue Reading

• Reinventing outsourcing through agile principles

  Organisations are starting to use agile principles to reinvent the outsourcing selection process, with some excellent results  Continue Reading

• Driving digital productivity in the UK

  There is a need for British businesses to improve their adoption of digital technologies  Continue Reading

• What corporate IT can learn from startups

  Former Hailo and Betfair CTO Rorie Devine shares his experience of working with startups and what IT leaders can learn from them  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Security is always a functional requirement of change

  How can development, operations and security teams collaborate around change to ensure security is maintained and even improved?  Continue Reading

• The top 10 myths about agile development

  Examining some of the most common misconceptions in the growing field of agile software development  Continue Reading

• Forrester: Manage business technology outcomes, not IT assets

  Why CIOs need to adopt a business technology agenda if they want to survive in the age of the customer  Continue Reading

• IT is a platform for economic success and a fairer society

  Labour's Chi Onwurah, formerly shadow Cabinet Office minister for digital government, outlines the party's policies for IT and digital  Continue Reading

• Tech organisations should be centred around the business tech agenda

  The age of the customer is here and technology-fueled, customer-led disruption will continue to arrive unexpectedly  Continue Reading

• IT projects are harder than climbing Everest

  Do Everest conquerors have a special something that IT managers do not possess when it comes to successful projects?  Continue Reading

• Top 10 strategic execution trends for 2015

  More firms expected to follow high-performing organisations by applying a range of forward-leaning approaches to strategic execution  Continue Reading

• IT availability: the whole truth

  Some of the figures people quote for the reliability of their IT systems look ludicrously minimal  Continue Reading

• From service to strategy: the IT project management journey

  Evolving technology is creating opportunities for the IT project manager to move away from firefighting and towards influencing business strategy  Continue Reading

• In the war for talent we need a public sector alliance

  Chi Onwurah discusses the challenges the public sector faces amid digital transformation and the important role of public sector workers  Continue Reading

• Government doesn’t get complexity

  Why do some government things go well and others not? The reason - complexity  Continue Reading

• Learning to lead and speak: Top skills for IT project managers

  IT project managers are now challenged with new career demands. They must think – and speak – like a leader.  Continue Reading

• How to prevent getting caught up in the minefield of large IT programmes

  The recent number of large IT write-offs suggests that we are stuck in a vicious cycle of failure, which is nothing new.  Continue Reading

• Tools for CIOs leading M&A projects

  IT mergers and acquisitions are reaching a peak and are becoming more complex. This poses a distinct set of challenges for CIOs  Continue Reading

• Software integration is removing system blindfolds

  Since the introduction of auto-complete forms, there has been a steady progression in the way business data and information is handled  Continue Reading

• Why Universal Credit IT concerns mean the project needs to be paused

  The Universal Credit Rescue Committee advised Labour to pause the controversial programme – its IT expert explains why  Continue Reading

• The role of IT in making digital transformation projects work

  More companies are embracing digital as an essential component of their overall business strategy for the future. But what is the role of IT?  Continue Reading

• IT failure: The highs and lows of high availability

  The causes of IT outages are many and varied and, more importantly, depend on the viewpoint of the observer  Continue Reading

• Driverless car technology – not such a risky ride after all?

  News that Google has unveiled its self-driving car prototype raises an important issue surrounding the interests of traditional automotive manufacturers in the brave new world envisaged by this maverick technology giant  Continue Reading

• Doing More with Less – Smart Resource Management in Project-Driven Environments

  Flinging spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks is one way to divvy out project work. But it’s messy and you tend to lose a lot along the way.  Continue Reading

• Managing IT projects: when things go wrong

  No matter how thoroughly you plan, unexpected events can disrupt IT projects. Find out some expert survival tips  Continue Reading