[Qatar-pm] QSTP TechTalk - 18 April 2007

[Nigel Gourlay]

The invitation is at the bottom of this email. If you want to go (it's
worthwhile, just for the conversation), send an email to
events at qstp.org.qa - I think the dip club doesn't like people just
turning up uninvited.

This months it's Gartner's turn to sell themselves. In places I've
worked, the IT guys have always been skeptical about Gartner, but
consultants seem to have some secret method of short-circuiting
managers' brains. It's something to do with their ability to explain
obvious technology while making the listener feel intelligent.

Anyway, Gartner has a reputation amongst Linux users for saying what
vendors pay them to say. I hope no one takes their advice too
seriously.
  http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9910/22/gartner.linux.idg/

In San Francisco, Gartner is about to tell its delegates that the
*eight* major IT trends are:
1. Commoditizing the tech sector (older technologies become cheaper,
lose brand-name advantage).
2. Globalization of supply and demand (there are cheaper places to
make stuff than the USA).
3. Virtualizing the enterprise platform (buzz-word bingo - CRM, ERP,
SCM, SOA, BPM, Agile, MDM, CMDB, web services). Blah blah blah.
4. Freeing communications (use IP for everything).
5. Socializing technology (the web 2.0 bandwagon is leaving town).
6. Revolutionizing industries (nothing stays the same)
7. Inspiring innovation ("By 2010, Generation Y will persuade
mainstream enterprises to use social networks and 'folksonomies'."-
Gartner Research). ;)
8. Transforming IS management (buy more stuff, please).

It will be interesting to compare these against the *five* hottest
trends for a Qatari audience.
  http://www.gartner.com/it/sym/pdf/Brochure_SF07_v4.pdf

See you there.

--Nigel

>>>>>

IT in 2008: the five hottest trends

It's April already, and that means 2008 - and a new wave of IT
innovations - are just around the corner. What will be next year's
Skype? Will our pockets have more or fewer gadgets in them? How should
Qatar companies plan their IT budgets?

Mathew Silvester of Gartnet, one of the world's top IT consultancies,
thinks he knows the answers, and will share them with us at the QSTP
TECHtalks on 18 April, 7:00pm, at the Diplomatic Club.

We are privileged that Chan Meng Khoong, ictQatar's Chief Information
Officer, will be guest of honour. We hope you can join us too.