National Technology Day: 2022 Trends

#NationalTechnologyDay recognizes how tech changes the world and looks to the future of technology. In honor of this national holiday, we asked some of our own subject matter experts about the top trends for 2022 and how they will change businesses and industries for years to come.  

Scott Thompson
Head of Solution Architecture and Data Governance 

Data is the crude oil of our information age, and extracting its value requires a blend of art and science. 

“Data without context is just data,” said Thompson. “Context provides meaning to data, giving businesses the information needed to make better decisions.”

To unlock the value of data, Scott says, organizations should invest in data governance to provide the patterns and practices necessary to get the most out of their data. 

“With [data] governance at the foundation, organizations can utilize disciplines such as Data Warehousing, Master Data Management (MDM) and Big Data to take their decision making to the next level.”

Businesses can then layer in business intelligence (BI) tools such as PowerBI and Tableau to put intelligence at the fingertips of every employee. These technologies continue to evolve, turning even the most data newbie into a power user, Scott adds.  

“Machine learning capabilities, once reserved for the Data Scientist, can now be leveraged by a much broader audience across multiple departments and functions,” said Thompson. “This empowers everyone in the enterprise to make data-driven decisions.” 

Scott also believes that hyperautomation will continue to mature and become more ubiquitous in an organization’s technology stack. 

“Investing in hyperautomation platforms can help a business scale,” said Thompson. “However, the adoption and success of these initiatives is only as strong as the governance in place. Without it, organizations run the risk of automating in a vacuum, limiting the financial savings.” 

Stacy Schieffer
Head of Utilities Practice

Stacy knows the utility industry is looking to expand digital services as energy consumers are more engaged than ever before. This makes data and intelligence a common thread across the entire industry. 

“Customers today expect customized experiences like Netflix or Amazon—hyper-personalized, and seemingly better at predicting our own needs before we realize them,” said Schieffer. “The utilities industry is no exception as many companies focus on modernization to improve customer experiences.”

It’s no longer viable to only connect with customers at the time of a bill. Advances in predictive modeling and AI, coupled with the pressure to digitally transform faster than before, are fueling customer-centric solutions with data at the core.

“For example,” Stacy says, “many utility companies send weather and service delivery interruption event notifications to customers across multiple digital channels to keep them safe and informed. While the experience is improved directly with the customer, the benefits are recognized in back-end support as well.”

Data management is streamlined, giving support teams a more comprehensive, intelligent view of the customer to better serve them, from billing inquiries to case management. Autonomous customer service solutions are powering the future of utilities, helping them move to an “integrated customer approach.”

“This means that everyone—from customers and front-line employees to key stakeholders, executives and board members—are equipped with intelligence at their fingertips,” said Schieffer. 

Travis Goodsell
Head of ServiceNow Practice

Hybrid work is here to stay. This, in addition to the accelerated rate at which businesses are transforming digitally, has given rise to low-code and no-code apps. According to research from Gartner, 70 percent of new applications developed by organizations will use low-code or no-code platforms by 2025, up from less than 25 percent in 2020. 

“Low-code and no-code platforms like ServiceNow empower teams to develop and launch business apps, workflows and digital interfaces, faster, with little to no additional support from your IT department,” said Goodsell. “This lets you solve problems quicker while creating efficiencies across the entire organization.” 

Low-code and no-code apps reduce production time and overhead costs as well. Plus, it has a positive impact on workplace culture and employee productivity, Travis adds. 

“Low-code apps complement a culture that supports and encourages curiosity and flexibility,” said Goodsell. “Everyone can be a creator, building and launching apps that solve problems or reduce inefficient processes for teams across the entire enterprise.”

It also brings business and IT teams together, creating greater alignment as they work to increase productivity through automation and new business apps.  

“While low-code and no-code apps reduce the need for professional development, the success of them comes to life when hybrid teams emerge and governance is in place,” Goodsell said. “Citizen developers engage with their technical peers more often to seek feedback and mentorship, and jointly work to ensure adoption and scale.” 

Brian Prosser
Head of Partnerships 

When it comes to platforms, Brian Prosser knows a thing or two about the potential they bring to help scale your business. 

“Platforms serve as a catalyst for growth,” said Prosser. “And this year, the market is doubling-down on platforms that fuel hyperautomation and low-code or no-code app development.”

As such, Brian says there is a platform war on the horizon where either new entrants are eyeing software giants or established platform providers are quickly evolving offerings to meet increased market demand for analytics and insights. 

As you’re evaluating which platform is best for your business, it’s critical to define the desired outcome(s) and gain executive buy-in. And remember, with implementation comes change, which for some, can be scary or chaotic. While there’s no guarantee to remove the chaos, change management, which includes governance and process optimization, can make it more manageable. 

“At the end of the day, technology is just a tool. It takes people, process and planning to bring it to life,” says Prosser. “This requires a blend of art and science; so, no matter the platform you choose, don’t forget to bring your people along for the journey through organizational change management.” 

And as we start this new year with new technology trends, it’s important to remember that change is constant in business and technology. To navigate it, strong leadership with a pulse on market trends and business strategies, as well as with the expertise to unlock the value of both technology and your people, are essential to helping you achieve your goals this year and beyond. And that’s what we’re experts in.

Get a head start on your 2022 strategic initiatives with Veracity. Don’t worry; we got this.