10 Technology Trends for 2016 by Gartner 3

Technology is changing everything! In the post the World Is In Beta, the importance of digital is highlighted – both as a way of maintaining competitive advantage in a fast changing world and as a way to explore new business models and products. One of the themes that comes across when we talk about disruption and technology trends is that everything is dynamic – so whatever you’re doing today may not necessarily be the same within a few years. As a result, all of us no matter which industry we’re in need to know about global trends and technology trends. Just before Christmas the post 16 Global Payments Trends for 2016 by McKinsey tells us what is likely to be important from a payments perspective in 2016. Now this post focuses on what technology trends will be important in 2016, courtsey of Gartner.

Technology Trends for 2016:

To find out all of the juicy details check out both the Gartner press release and the Gartner Report – Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2016: At a Glance

1\ The Digital Mesh

Its all about the Digital Mesh. PwC talk about the World in Beta, Gartner talk about the Digital Mesh.

With the “Digital Mesh” Gartner are referring to the expansion of digital connectivity and services beyond mobile devices. But it goes a step beyond the Internet of Things. Through the digital mesh mobile, wearable, consumer, home electronic, automotive and environmental devices that are currently operating in isolation will increasingly start to interact and cooperate with each other.

2\ Ambient User Experience

Here Gartner refer to the need to deliver a “continuous and ambient user experience” across the digital mesh. So as the user moves from one device or physical environment to another so too should the digital experience in a continuous and seamless manner.

3\ 3D Printing Materials

Basically 3D printing is just going to get bigger and bigger. Gartner is saying that 3D printing will utilise new materials, expand into new sectors and change assembly line and supply change processes.

4\ Information of Everything

Note it says information of everything, and not the internet of everything. Gartner explain how in the Digital Mesh each device will have the ability to produce, use, receive and send information. How this information is gathered, processed and utilised across the Digital Mesh will be critical.

5\ Advanced Machine Learning

This is the idea of going beyond having just a standalone digital device. Rather than having digital devices that are standalone, perhaps connected, but ultimately they are dependent. Advanced machine learning explains how in the future these devices will be intelligent – they will have the ability to learn, adapt and change their behaviour using DNNs (deep neural nets).

6\ Autonomous Agents & Things

This idea builds on the concept of advanced machine learning to deliver smart machines such as robots, self driving cars, virtual personal assistants (VPAs) and smart advisors. A more simple example that Gartner provide is using a smartphone, rather than selecting options with your finger you will speak to an app (an intelligent agent) that will do the necessary for you – Apple’s Siri is cited as a precursor to autonomous agents

7\ Adaptive Security Architecture

As technology evolves (cloud, API’s, IoT, the list continues…) so too do the security threats. Gartner highlight the need to go beyond the traditional perimeter defence and rule based security mindset to a security architecture that is dynamic and able to detect and respond to threats in real time.

8\ Advanced System Architecture

Gartner believes that technology will enable systems and devices to operate like the human brain – to be able to learn, identify and adapt. Gartner stress the need and importance of more sophisticated computing architecture. Specifically, for the techies in the house, this comes in the form of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) – for us non-techies the technology is faster, stronger, more efficient and better than what we currently use!

9\ Mesh App and Service Architecture

This trend talks about technology that enables agile delivery and scalable deployment. Basically this is about being flexible, doing things faster, both in and out of the cloud and in a more collaborative (integrating apps and devices) manner across the digital mesh. The key theme here is giving the user a consistent and uninterrupted digital experience.

10\ Internet of Things Platforms

The Internet of Things is at the heart of the digital mesh and service architecture model. The ambient user experience that Gartner talks about is made possible by the IoT platforms.