Opinion

Opinion

IT technical skills

• Chartered status and aligned standards are crucial for the UK's cyber sector

  As the UK moves closer to ushering in the world’s first chartered cyber professionals, the UK Cyber Security Council’s Simon Hepburn outlines the sector’s defining moment  Continue Reading

• Why robots will make work more human

  Smart technology should be about making people’s lives easier, freeing them up for judgement-based tasks and giving them the data and information they need for smart decision-making  Continue Reading

• Three million empty seats: What can we do about the cyber skills shortage?

  Companies should look for candidates with the right skills potential, rather than insist they tick a hundred different security skills boxes  Continue Reading

• More women in tech will bridge the skills gap and bolster growth

  Large global technology firms will reach nearly 33% overall female representation in their workforces in 2022. Growth is slow, but heading in the right direction  Continue Reading

• Fewer CIOs have a seat on the board but we still need technology leaders

  This democratisation of technology still needs a leader, but it’s a healthy sign that discussion of tech has become part of business as usual at board level  Continue Reading

• How to maximise tech recruitment in an uncertain and unpredictable market 

  Six tips for employers to maximise your chances of securing the IT talent you need  Continue Reading

• IR35 reforms repeal: How it stands to benefit the tech sector’s SMEs and contractors

  Government’s planned repeal of IR35 reforms could help alleviate a lot of the uncertainty and pressure on the tech sector’s SMEs  Continue Reading

• Governance and progression of AI in the UK

  Artificial intelligence and machine learning are essential to growth in the global digital economy, and the UK has ambitions to lead the way  Continue Reading

• Naivety of computer evidence leaves door ajar for more miscarriages of justice

  Barrister Paul Marshall explains why the government’s lack of action on reforming the legal rules around computer evidence, which presume it is correct, mean the Post Office Horizon scandal could be the tip of a miscarriages of justice iceberg  Continue Reading

• Succession in the world of ERP

  Succession planning is not a simple business, especially in the age of the Great Resignation  Continue Reading

• Digital begins in the boardroom

  Successful organisations need a digitally savvy board to shape their business agenda  Continue Reading

• Building distributed systems requires effective developer teams

  Technologies edge computing and containerisation call for teams capable of building distributed systems  Continue Reading

• We must target a broad church to fill vacant cyber roles

  The security industry focuses a lot on cyber-specific specialisms and technical skills, but it could really benefit from widening its search. Take it from a social anthropologist  Continue Reading

• Revised scope of UK security strategy reflects digitised society

  The omission of the word ‘security’ from the title of the UK government’s new National Cyber Strategy is a telling one, reflecting our increasingly digitised society, say Maximillian Brook and Arunoshi Singh of the ISF  Continue Reading

• How cyber security teams can conquer the four-day working week

  The four-day week may be an idea whose time has come, but for always-on cyber security professionals, the impact of squeezing more work into fewer days is a tricky proposition  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Building the cyber workforce we need

  The UK’s new National Cyber Strategy is clear in its ambitions, but to fulfil them, we must double down on appropriate skills development, says ISACA director Mike Hughes  Continue Reading

• Why training alone is not enough

  Among the difficulties IT leaders face is how best to combat the skills crisis and where and when to train internal teams  Continue Reading

• The UK’s cyber security sector is thriving, but our work has only just begun

  The government’s Annual Cyber Sector Report painted a positive picture of the UK security industry. CIISec’s Amanda Finch thinks we can go further in developing cyber talent and opening up the sector  Continue Reading

• Gartner: How to overcome a lack of cloud skills in your organisation

  IT chiefs are struggling to tackle cloud skills shortages across their organisations. Here are five key steps to overcome this challenge  Continue Reading

• Five key tech trends for digital leaders in 2022

  The past two years have seen a surge in investment that will bring new challenges to digital leaders over the next year  Continue Reading

• Understand your cyber training ‘need’ before committing to a programme

  In-house or outsourced? What makes a good security training programme, and what questions should buyers ask when procuring training-as-a-service?  Continue Reading

• The way we talk and think about tech is crucial to helping solve the skills shortage crisis

  Companies are looking to short-term fixes to find IT specialists, but there is still a need for long-term solutions  Continue Reading

• The value of open source in Europe

  Open source offers immense benefits across the private and public sector and enables organisations to tap into world-class expertise  Continue Reading

• How software development will change in 2022

  Businesses need a pipeline of software-enabled functionality that has to be delivered quickly and reliably without overworking software teams  Continue Reading

• Reaching the data gold standard: dream or reality?

  The pandemic has forced businesses to adopt digital technology at a record pace but most organisations find themselves at the beginning of a long journey towards making the most of their data  Continue Reading

• New strategies needed to close the cyber security skills gap

  Teaching cyber security in schools is a long-term solution to a present-day problem  Continue Reading

• Will the end of furlough help fill tech vacancies?

  The closure of the government’s furlough scheme may not help the tech sector fill the most technical vacancies, but it could bolster available talent for the longer term  Continue Reading

• Is tech team remuneration opening up a new form of cyber risk?

  Failing to reward cyber security staff in line with increases for other members of the tech team could open up new risks to organisations  Continue Reading

• The secret to building a future-proof cyber security team

  In a post-pandemic digital world, where cyber criminals see a feast of opportunities, what are the secrets to building a world-class cyber security function?  Continue Reading

• Ethical hacking: What, why, and overcoming concerns

  We find out why and how hitting your own business with a cyber attack can help improve security  Continue Reading

• How CIOs can help their organisations accelerate digital transformation

  Companies need to win the trust of their customers to gather the data they need to transform their businesses  Continue Reading

• Shaping a Digital Strategy to support UK productivity and jobs

  With an all-party parliamentary group calling for evidence on digital skills, there are three key areas that policymakers should address    Continue Reading

• Digital bootcamp initiative could kickstart new thinking about technology skills

  The government’s digital bootcamps initiative could help begin to shift the way we think about the roles of technology professionals  Continue Reading

• Python @ 30: Praising the versatility of Python

  Python recently celebrated its 30th birthday, and pioneers of the language have been reflecting on its significance as an open source project  Continue Reading

• Why it’s fantastic to be a woman in the technology sector (and what’s stopping more from joining)

  The enforced move by many employers to flexible home working during the pandemic is challenging the culture of long hours in the office – and opening up new opportunities for women in tech  Continue Reading

• Let’s build on the innovation shown by UK tech during pandemic

  The UK’s technology sector has innovated and shown leadership through the Covid-19 crisis, particularly with developments in AI. It is now time to maintain and build on that progress, so the UK remains a global force in tech innovation  Continue Reading

• Could ambiguous rules spur IT personnel offshoring bonanza?

  Could the combination of Brexit and ambiguous rules on recruitment enable businesses to hire IT staff from overseas to carry out work remotely?  Continue Reading

• Fixing the cracks in public sector digital infrastructure

  The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the flaws in the UK's digital government set-up. The appointment of new IT leadership presents an ideal opportunity for the government to fix them  Continue Reading

• SMEs poised to reap tech and agility advantage in wake of Covid-19

  The UK’s small and medium-sized businesses have, in some respects, reacted more nimbly to Covid-19 than larger organisations. As a result, they have put themselves in a better position to take advantage of growth opportunities  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

• Top 10 skills to include in your IT CV

  Find out what skills and keywords you should include on your CV to stand out as an IT professional in a competitive market  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

• How to acquire and keep your IT skills up to date

  Little, often and varied study is the key to keeping your IT skills up to date in an industry that is constantly changing  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

• Tackling digital skills gap post-pandemic is key to UK economic recovery

  We have all – as individuals and businesses – seen the importance of technology to get us through lockdown. Let’s build on that to address the digital skills shortage in the UK  Continue Reading

• The impact of spycraft on how we secure our data

  The history of cyber security owes much to the world of espionage, as a recent, pre-lockdown Science Museum exhibition showed  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

• How effective security training goes deeper than ‘awareness’

  Cyber criminals are constantly developing their techniques and strategies, so security training needs to do the same  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Burnt out CISOs are a huge cyber risk

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

• Security Think Tank: Create healthy habits to avoid burnout

  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

• Security Think Tank: CISOs must adapt to fight Covid-19 burnout

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

• Security Think Tank: How to manage security team well-being

  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

• Security Think Tank: Bug bounties are changing the image of hackers

  The traditional picture of a hacker is of a script kiddie in a hoodie hunched over a computer keyboard, but this stereotype is stale and outdated. Is it time to move away from a fear-based approach to security?  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

• Security Think Tank: Hooded hackers? More like ruthless competitors

  The traditional picture of a hacker is of a script kiddie in a hoodie hunched over a computer keyboard, but this stereotype is stale and outdated. Is it time to move away from a fear-based approach to security?  Continue Reading

• Industry, academia and government are joining forces to drive AI education

  Building a diverse, advanced skills base in the UK will support the thriving technology sector and encourage the adoption of artificial intelligence across the broader economy  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

• Life under the loan charge: An IT contractor’s story

  Thousands of IT contractors are being pursued by HMRC for “life-changing” tax bills for work they did up to 20 years ago, as part of a disguised remuneration clampdown known as the loan charge policy. One of those affected anonymously shares his ...  Continue Reading

• The five software testing techniques every software developer should know about

  Five simple testing techniques that will help developers test their software systematically, thoroughly and quickly  Continue Reading

• Businesses need to keep investing in tech and hope to avoid a no-deal Brexit

  A no-deal Brexit could have serious consequences for the UK tech sector and skills base, making it more difficult to recruit technology specialists and hire freelancers  Continue Reading

• Opening a path into a tech career for anyone

  The technology sector needs new talent and must get better at appealing to people at all stages of their life and career  Continue Reading

• Feudal Lords and anarchic allies – the new models for software collaboration

  Software developers often take an unconventional view of contracts for the work they undertake, which can come back and bite them  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

• Big data skills shortages – and how to work around them

  Businesses are finding it hard to recruit enough people with big data and analytics skills, but for CIOs there are alternative strategies to consider  Continue Reading

• Tier 2 visas – a challenge for the tech sector

  With staff shortages already being reported in the technology sector and Brexit potentially adding to the problem, tech departments need to get their Tier 2 visa applications right  Continue Reading

• Building a tech future between the UK and India

  A new tech partnership between the UK and India will benefit the digital economy in both countries, says secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport Matt Hancock  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: How to evolve SecOps capacity

  How can organisations evolve their security operations teams to do more automation of basic tasks and cope with dynamic IT environments?  Continue Reading

• How to attract investors for your enterprise software startup

  Are you looking to find an investor for your enterprise software company? This expert advice explains what investors will be looking to find in an innovative software business seeking backing  Continue Reading

• My brother Lauri Love should have the right to a trial in the UK

  Lauri Love should face trial over hacking allegations in a British Court, rather than be extradited to the US, where his extraordinary skills will be lost to society, says his younger sister  Continue Reading

• Opinion: Why the UK’s visa expansion is important to the tech sector

  Following the government’s decision to expand the UK’s visa scheme for overseas talent, home secretary Amber Rudd tells Computer Weekly why this will help the UK tech sector  Continue Reading

• The importance of e-leadership in meeting digital challenges

  Henley Business School identifies ICT trends that will alter the demand of e-skills, especially those needed by e-leaders  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

• User acceptance testing needs real training, not just a short course

  In spite of its importance, user acceptance testing (UAT) is often chaotic, problematic and ineffective  Continue Reading

• Technology, society and morality: the implications for technology leaders

  Technology is evolving at a pace and scale that has never been experienced. Society is struggling to keep up with the social and moral implications  Continue Reading

• Why IT education is failing

  There are a plethora of UK IT educational projects and initiatives but no focus or urgency to channel the energy of teachers, says entrepreneur, Rick Chandler.  Continue Reading

• IT service management: The only way is ethics

  It is now very common for professional bodies and membership organisations to have codes of ethics and standards of conduct.  Continue Reading

• Opinion: Is big data just big hype?

  If the deluge of headlines and vendor marketing materials is anything to go by, big data is the next big thing. So how much is there really to all this big data talk?  Continue Reading