Future of IT Profession

I was reading the Garner report on 'Future of IT profession' researched by Diane Morello. Here are the key findings.(If you need the complete report, send me an email.)



By 2010, IT professionals will need to possess expertise in multiple domains. Technical aptitude alone will no longer be enough. IT professionals must prove they can understand business realities — industry, core processes, customer bases, regulatory environment, culture and constraints. Versatility will be crucial.

Key Findings
• Four megaforces — global sourcing, IT automation, consumer IT and business
reconfiguration — will reshape the future landscape for IT professionals.

• "Versatilists" — people whose numerous roles, assignments and experiences create
synthesized knowledge and context that fuel business value — will emerge.

Predictions
• By 2010, the IT profession will split into four domains of expertise: technology,
information, process and relationships (0.7 probability).

• By 2010, six of 10 people affiliated with the IT organization will assume business-facing roles (0.7 probability).

• By 2010, 10 percent to 15 percent of IT professionals will drop out of the IT occupation (0.7 probability).

Recommendations
• IT Professionals: Choose the area of expertise that best suits you. Learning and
relationships fuel growth.

• Employers: Develop growth paths and career opportunities for the four domains of
expertise and bolster those domains with identification and reward for versatility.