IT 2012 Predictions: For One, Social Networks Rule

21.10.2011
The evolution of social-networking capabilities in corporate systems, and technologies that dramatically boost productivity and reduce risk, are themes that dominate the "Top Ten Predictions 2012" from one IT research firm.

Nucleus Research, in its , pays special attention to cloud computing. Under prediction No. 2 --- "The Cloud Changes Development" --- it notes that the cloud not only makes software development much faster, but that the process becomes "more iterative." It explains: "When changes can be made on the fly, companies can deploy once and then adapt an application as business needs change or become clearer." The rise of talented developers in networked environments, this prediction adds, will "challenge traditional systems integrators that are used to hiding behind billable hours and big bang projects." [Find an attachment with the Nucleus predictions at the end of this article.]

But under the heading "The Productive Enterprise," Nucleus singles out as its No. 1 prediction how the social-network elements championed by Salesforce.com's Chatter, and other vendors like HubSpot and Yammer, will drive steep, company-changing productivity increases.

Next year's most successful firms "will leverage social technology to build the productive enterprise," says Nucleus. "They will take advantage of mobile device access to collaborative networks to spur employees to work during down time, day time, and night time," for one thing.

Rebecca Wettemann, vice president, research, for Nucleus, tells CFOworld.com that the advance of social networking in the enterprise merits its No. 1 prediction because the trend is comparable to the rise of e-mail 10 to 15 years ago, with the enormous changes that it brought to operations.