Massive change is taking place both in IT and enterprise, HP says. It sees this New Style of IT as a transformational shift bridging the consumer and enterprise experience, with almost unprecedented reach and impact. HP CEO Meg Whitman noted in a recorded message shared at the event: "We stand at the next major inflection points, and these changes demand a new style of IT. Now business is powered by IT spanning devices, infrastructure and software, and IT is a critical determining factor in business competitiveness."
Paul Muller, HP worldwide VP for Strategic Marketing, explains that IT is no longer siloed and separate from business. "Now, IT not only enables every area of business, but every business now has to become a software business, rapidly producing new applications to stay competitive. Not all businesses are ready for the changes this will bring." HP's view is that the New Style of IT means the deep integration of solutions to help organisations achieve simplicity, agility, speed and lower costs while improving people's lives.
"Now, IT design has to begin with people at the centre. It has to come up with the 'what if' dreams and then leverage technology to make it happen," says Muller.
This, he concedes, requires creative thinking in design and innovation - an area not traditionally a strong point within the IT department. The Regional CTO for HP Software EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), Ulrich Pfeiffer, says: "Sometimes, knowing too much about the technology can limit creativity. Collaboration between multidisciplinary teams will be key to realising the potential of IT in a new era, he says. "No one person can be in charge of innovation - designing and implementing it. It has to be a team effort where a variety of perspectives are collectively assessed and acted on."
Pfeiffer says the new disruptive forces in technology are forcing everyone to think outside the box. There are challenges, but also a wealth of new opportunities on the back of the changing IT landscape, he says. "We often get called on to help our customers transform their businesses. Technology alone can't do this - we need to have ongoing conversations with our customers to fully understand their businesses and their needs, and so to help them use technology to innovate in ways that are meaningful."
The new style of IT must revolve around meeting needs in the real world, says HP. It's about simplifying the end-user experience, enabling seamless content delivery through any device, solutions that allow business to innovate in their service and product delivery, and tools that are scalable, agile, resilient and secure. "Many CEOs aren't ready for this change," says Muller. "Many still think of IT as a support function, but it isn't. It is business."
Share
Editorial contacts