We are bringing you news and highlights from the Gartner IT Infrastructure, Operations & Cloud Strategies Conference, taking place this week in London. Below is a collection of the key announcements and insights coming out of the conference.
On Day 1 from the conference, we are highlighting the Gartner opening keynote presentation, sharing key tips on how to avoid mistakes in your cloud strategy and how to attract and retain IT talent. Be sure to check this page throughout the day for updates.
Presented by Karen Brown, Director Analyst; Douglas Toombs, VP Analyst and Mark Cleary, Sr Director Analyst at Gartner
Dramatic global shifts and talent shortages intensify the ever-present need to accelerate innovation, forcing infrastructure and operations (I&O) leaders to rewrite their future and set their sights on a new horizon. In this session, Gartner analysts Karen Brown, Douglas Toombs and Mark Cleary, explored how I&O leaders need to move I&O forward to continually match their organization’s digital ambitions and capabilities.
Immerse yourselves in the organization
“Our data shows that at least 84% of companies and 59% of government entities have set up “fusion teams” — and 43% already report outside of IT to be closer to the point of value delivery.”
“Organizations operating with a distributed and simultaneous approach are 2.5 times faster than organizations that run initiatives in one centrally managed IT team.”
Accelerate the adoption of automation and platform engineering
“Adopting a platform engineering approach is vital. I&O leaders use platform engineering to deliver shared infrastructure platforms.”
While Gartner predicts that by 2025, 70% of new applications will be developed with low-code/no-code approaches, platform engineering helps I&O leaders use this trend to their advantage.
Retool your I&O workforce
“Develop the right skills in your workforce, empowering them, and putting them in the right spots at the right times.”
Build an innovative engine
“Consider an innovation lab as your innovation engine that draws in new technologies, tests and evaluates them. Then generate the best of the best candidates for further development and implementation.”
“Design matters. Build your innovation engine right, and it will drive your I&O forward.”
Presented by Marco Meinardi, VP Analyst, Gartner
Many organizations think they have a working cloud strategy or they are lacking one altogether. Often, some are operating under the false assumption that a cloud strategy is the same as a cloud implementation plan or a data center strategy. In this session, Marco Meinardi, VP Analyst at Gartner, explored the top 10 mistakes to avoid while developing a cloud strategy.
“A good cloud strategy should be concise, consisting of 10 to 20 pages or slides.”
“The strategy should be a living document that is updated regularly. It must be driven by business strategy and should provide guidance to those who will implement it.”
“A cloud strategy must coexist with other strategic efforts, not try to redo them.”
There are 10 common mistakes that organizations make with their cloud computing strategy:
Assuming It’s an IT (Only) Strategy
Not Having an Exit Strategy
Combining or Confusing a Cloud Strategy With a Cloud Implementation Plan
.Believing It’s Too Late to Devise a Cloud Strategy
Equating a Cloud Strategy With “We’re Moving Everything to the Cloud”
Saying “Our Cloud Strategy Is Our Data Center Strategy” or “It’s All in or Nothing”
Believing That an Executive Mandate Is a Strategy
Believing That Being a <Fill in Vendor> Shop Means That Is the Cloud Strategy
Outsourcing Development of Your Cloud Strategy
Saying “Our Strategy Is Cloud First” Is The Entire Cloud Strategy
“Collaborate with noncloud technology experts (such as enterprise architect) to build the cloud strategy with an open mind.”
“Devise your own cloud strategy to align it with the organization’s strategic plans.”
Learn about how to avoid cloud strategy pitfalls in the Gartner press release “Gartner Highlights 10 Common Cloud Strategy Mistakes.”
Presented by Leinar Ramos, Sr Director, Advisory, Gartner
Finding and retaining staff is a significant challenge for infrastructure and operations (I&O) leaders. Salary remains important, but employees are demanding more than money to ensure their loyalty. In this session, Leinar Ramos, Sr Director, Advisory at Gartner, shared employment strategies that help attract and retain I&O employees.
“Nearly 1 in 3 of your employees are looking to move on. This level of attrition is costly and disruptive, and we need to be better as I&O leaders to stem the tide of exodus.”
“Employees are also victims of the velocity of change. Too much, too soon, too frequently. I&O leaders must do their best to control the velocity so that their people can adapt and function effectively.”
“I&O leaders need to better understand attrition and attraction.”
“Establish a strategy that recognizes the requirements of factors that attract and cause employees to leave to allow I&O leaders to optimize their tactics in finding and retaining key employees.”
“An attractive employment value proposition (EVP) allows I&O leaders to present the best an organization has to offer to prospective and current employees.”
“Focus on the human element, whereby employee needs are prioritized over the needs of the organization, creating an environment that is desirable, attractive and welcoming.”
Through 2026, I&O organizations that fail to meet the nonmonetary needs of employees will experience a 30% to 40% increased attrition rate among staff compared with 2020-2021 levels.
“Work with HR leadership to address I&O talent attraction and retention. Together with HR, reevaluate traditional management approaches, their relevance today, and what impact they have on employees.”
Tune back in tomorrow for more highlights from the conference.
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Laurence Goasduff
Gartner
laurence.goasduff@gartner.com
