Comment from George: I think it’s really important for us to really learn more business knowledge/experience, because the new technology will sooner or later take over most technical values from the application consultant, while the business knowledge/experience can not be taken over that easy.

 All IT Managers: Transform the Organization From “Technology First”
to “Business First and Technology Second” by 2009

The average IT budget will grow a mere 2.7% in 2006. On average, budgets increased by 15.0% in 1998, 15.9% in 1999, 9.7% in 2000 and 10.1% in 2001. Yet these spending levels were unique expenses related to Y2K, and were followed by radical slowdowns after the recession of 2000 to 2001. In 2002, IT budget increases averaged 1.3%, followed by 0% in 2003, 1.4% in 2004 and 2.5% in 2005. With the projected average growth of 2.7% in 2006, we see nothing on the horizon to suggest any change to a trend of increases below overall economic growth, as reflected by GDP growth rates. No new “killer applications,” new technologies, fundamental changes nor any revolutionary shifts will appear in the near term that could accelerate IT budgets faster than GDP. If the lackluster growth in IT budgets continues, enterprise executives will find it harder to conclude why IT services should be delivered by anyone other than external service providers. To offset this prospect, successful IT staffs will shift their primary emphasis from technical to business expertise and innovation. Among the key ways to accomplish this is to identify IT’s future role in business process management. Becoming true business innovators will ensure job security beyond merely demonstrating IT expertise.