http://www.forrester.com/ Forrester is an independent technology research company that provides pragmatic and forward-thinking advice about technology's impact on business. en-us 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 120 http://www.forrester.com/imagesV2/affiliates/logos/forrester.gif http://www.forrester.com/ http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55737&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55737 At the same time that online quantitative research has taken off, dubiousness abounds about the representation of the online panel sample. Buyers ask: Are panels representative of the markets researchers use them for? What can we do about the moral hazard (greatly increased for B2B tech) that leads bad actors to take surveys inappropriately? A wide variety of approaches have been percolating in the market ranging from "it's not really a problem" to various comprehensive solutions. Buyers are finally pushing back. Major buyers — such as Microsoft and Proctor & Gamble — are making very specific panel quality demands for their research vendors, and many of the major full-service research vendors and panel providers are taking note. The end result? Three years of equally competing solutions with no clear direction for buyers. This means market research professionals must be very specific about demanding high quality panel for all of your research needs, or risk having your findings undercut when your internal customers ask: "Is this analysis really representative of our market?" B2B Sales & Marketing eBusiness/eCommerce Sourcing & Procurement High-Tech Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "Brad Bortner" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55737&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55737 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55724&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55724 For years, Forrester has written about the evolution of information technology (IT) into business technology (BT) — an idea that is rooted in Forrester's view that technology is becoming more relevant and strategic to business processes. This trend, which has accelerated over the past decade, has only increased in importance in 2009's difficult economic environment, as more companies rein in their IT spending and only projects with immediate business value are approved. Marketing and strategy professionals at IT service providers must prepare for 2010 with a deep understanding of a diverse range of IT and business stakeholders in the services purchasing process. In this document, we highlight the role of nine stakeholders across IT, business, and procurement/legal roles, with data from our recent Business Data Services survey of IT buyers. B2B Sales & Marketing IT Management Sourcing & Procurement High-Tech Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "Chris Andrews" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55724&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55724 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55716&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55716 Many companies, besieged by audit findings and application vulnerabilities, recognize the benefits of eliminating security vulnerabilities early in the software life cycle. For this reason, static analysis technologies for analyzing code-level security issues are gaining momentum in the industry. As a security and risk management executive, you must: 1) carefully prepare your organization before buying static analysis tools; 2) apply six selection criteria to the buying decision; and 3) consider the current landscape of vendors as well as emerging open source tools that provide an inexpensive alternative. Packaged Applications Security & Risk Sourcing & Procurement Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "Chenxi Wang, Ph.D., Andrew Jaquith" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55716&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55716 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55490&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55490 This data chart examines the usage and trends of server virtualization in enterprises today as well as the motivations that drive adoption. IT Infrastructure & Operations IT Spending & Budgeting High-Tech Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "Christopher Voce" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55490&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55490 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=53402&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-53402 Understanding how information workers use smartphones and applications enables marketing executives across the mobile value chain to successfully develop products and services to address the needs of these workers. Currently, 13% of information workers use smartphones for work at least weekly, and we expect this segment to grow significantly as more employees work away from their desk or telecommute. Many information workers purchase and use smartphones that are not approved or supported by the IT department, creating security concerns for IT professionals. Information workers are going beyond vanilla email, calendar, and personal information management (PIM) applications, tapping into mobile application stores or operator portals to try out instant messaging, productivity apps, and location-based services. To take advantage of the fast-growing number of information workers relying on smartphones, business application categories must be clearly identified on mobile app store sites. Device manufacturers and mobile operators must ensure smartphone features and functionality address both personal and professional user needs. Enterprise Mobility Information & Knowledge Management Telecommunications Services High-Tech Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "Michele Pelino" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=53402&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-53402 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55702&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55702 Gen Y is four times more likely to visit a social networking site at home than they are to use one for work purposes. But if they are unable to bring their Social Computing habits and sensibility to work, Gen Yers can at least use their personal mobile phones to text to stay in touch with friends and communicate with colleagues. In fact, mobility is the defining difference of Gen Y at work: They are much more likely than their older colleagues to use smartphones for work purposes. Customer Experience Enterprise Mobility Information & Knowledge Management Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "Ted Schadler" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55702&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55702 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55410&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55410 Retail line-of-business executives know that technology plays a central role in helping to deliver improved customer service with increased margin. They look to CIOs to push what were once purely tactical point-of-sale (POS) systems to become solutions that link consumers, sales associates, back-office applications, and eCommerce platforms and deliver a competitively differentiated shopping experience. We analyzed more than 40 POS inquiries from Forrester clients and found that they fall into three broad categories: 1) POS vendor landscape; 2) trends in POS systems; and 3) POS service providers. Given the new strategic significance of POS in driving Experience-Based Differentiation in retail, CIOs need to recruit line-of-business allies to develop a comprehensive business case for strategic integration of store and headquarter applications. Packaged Applications Sourcing & Procurement Retail Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "George Lawrie" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55410&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55410 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55158&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55158 Market research online communities (MROCS) are the next wave in qualitative research, due to their combination of new qualitative research capabilities and ability to provide cheaper faster results. There is, however, buyer confusion about what type of MROC provider to use. Too many companies see the price for a full-service MROC and stop there. They don't realize that there are all sorts of variations of cost-effective, scalable, self-service MROCs (or full-service market research vendors) providing services on an à la carte basis. Larger firms (often with a B2B component to their business), with the resources to decide whether to outsource or insource market research labor, have multiple options in this space. Over the next few years, the ubiquitous emergence of self-service MROC solutions will drive prices down and make the decision to use them far more straightforward. Until then, understanding your service-level needs, cost constraints, and the volume of your research needs can help you make an effective MROC provider decision today. B2B Sales & Marketing Customer Experience Marketing & Advertising Packaged Applications Sourcing & Procurement High-Tech Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "Brad Bortner" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55158&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55158 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55143&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55143 When one of the world's largest defense contractors says, "We need to move from a culture of 'need to know' to a culture of 'need to share,'" you stop and listen. Competing in an industry driven by the mantra "loose lips sink ships," BAE Systems has identified a greater threat: failing to tap the collective wisdom and actions of its people. Smart organizations are looking to tap into the full power of the enterprise and beyond to drive better and faster decisions and to foster innovation that will keep them at the forefront of the changing economy. One approach that's top of mind for business technology leaders is the use of social networks to drive communities that span traditional organizational structures, or a Facebook for the enterprise. The types of organizations that are leading the trend may well surprise you. Customer Experience Information & Knowledge Management Aerospace & Defense Healthcare & Life Sciences Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "Rob Koplowitz" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55143&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55143 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55781&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55781 The blab-o-sphere is full of warnings, proclamations, and sales pitches about cloud services and this is only making it tougher for IT decision-makers to sort the reality from the hype in the face of pressing technology challenges. Decision-makers are wrestling to balance economic pressures, new technologies like cloud services, and increasing demands from business owners and users — so Forrester interviewed nine major sourcing deal advisory firms to get their perspectives on what aspects, if any, of cloud computing service delivery are included in enterprise outsourcing deals, and what savvy decision-makers can do now to help plan for future cloud service value. IT Infrastructure & Operations IT Services IT Spending & Budgeting Sourcing & Procurement Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "Paul Roehrig, Ph.D." <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55781&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55781 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55684&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55684 As you continue to consolidate your server infrastructure and make it more cloudlike, a key hurdle that you must overcome is cost allocation for the virtual infrastructure. While most enterprises are not yet charging back or tracking virtual machine (VM) costs in a sophisticated manner, accounting for resource consumption helps to convey the ongoing cost savings being achieved through virtualization and to justify its expansion by way of future capital purchases. But how do you do this? Well, there's more to it than simply buying a chargeback tool. The best practice found among enterprises Forrester has interviewed is to start with a clear understanding of your total operational costs, divide these by your virtualization allocations, and then incent accelerated use of the virtual infrastructure through pricing and marketing via the IT service catalog. IT Infrastructure & Operations IT Spending & Budgeting Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "James Staten" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55684&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55684 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55683&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55683 As you continue to consolidate your server infrastructure and make it more cloudlike, a key hurdle you and most enterprises must overcome is the sharing of physical infrastructure between business units (BUs). While some organizations have a centralized IT budget that makes this easier, most have to wade through political waters to accomplish this objective. The enterprises that have successfully achieved a shared infrastructure did so through a combination of executive mandates and proof-before-production phased implementation. IT service catalogs can play a key marketing function as well. Here's how you can do it too. IT Infrastructure & Operations IT Management Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "James Staten" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55683&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55683 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54979&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54979 Retail IT is challenged to support new cross-channel offerings and the ability to sell services and merchandise not provided in the store itself. It also needs to support rapid innovation in point-of-sale (POS) peripherals and the promise of more direct-to-consumer promotion in stores. Retail CIOs must recruit the heads of business functions to help define the requirements of next-generation POS that can deliver Experience-Based Differentiation and integrate Social Computing with in-store experiences. The business case for POS replacement should be based on improved capabilities to deliver upsell and cross-sell recommendations that lift average order value and generate repeat visits through integration with enterprise apps like loyalty or order management and with in-store direct-to-consumer promotion. Application Development IT Spending & Budgeting Retail Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "George Lawrie" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54979&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54979 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=53332&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-53332 This document provides enterprise highlights of an extensive data set collected via Forrester's Enterprise And SMB Global IT Budgets And Spending Survey, Q2 2009. The survey covers budget trends and priorities from 2009 through the first half of 2010 across North America; Latin America; Western Europe; Asia Pacific; Emerging Asia; and the Middle East, Africa, and Russia (MEA/Russia). As expected, the global recession has tightened IT budgets across the globe. But bright spots do exist: 21% of respondents from Emerging Asia expect IT operating budgets to increase, and 18% expect IT capital budgets to increase in 2009 through the first half of 2010. In this environment, IT budget decision-makers tell us that they are focused on improving IT efficiency, although paths to getting there differ across regions. Responses to the economic crisis reflect market conditions such as the costs of labor, capital, and energy. Budget breakdowns across IT categories look similar across regions; globally, we see a trend toward more outsourcing in 2009. IT Infrastructure & Operations IT Management IT Services IT Spending & Budgeting Packaged Applications High-Tech Professional Services Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "Jennifer Belissent, Ph.D." <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=53332&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-53332 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55722&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55722 This presentation analyzes client management software adoption trends across the North American and European enterprise and SMB market. Client Systems IT Infrastructure & Operations IT Spending & Budgeting Security & Risk Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "Benjamin Gray" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55722&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55722 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54503&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54503 A new liability is coming onto the collective balance sheet of companies around the world: carbon. In the context of increasing awareness of the business and societal risks of climate change, corporate carbon emissions (and the energy consumption that creates them) are being scrutinized as a crucial indicator of business performance. And the spreadsheet data that most companies use to estimate their carbon footprint will not withstand that scrutiny from customers, regulators, and shareholders — enterprises need a new system of record based on verifiable data and automated processes, hence the advent of enterprise carbon and energy management (ECEM) systems. We expect that ECEM will be a mainstream element of corporate software backbones over the next five years. Enterprise IT organizations will come to the fore as the principle buyers of such systems, and, while we expect the big enterprise software suppliers to dominate the market, there will be plenty of opportunity for innovative smaller players. B2B Sales & Marketing IT Infrastructure & Operations IT Spending & Budgeting Security & Risk Government High-Tech Retail Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "Christopher Mines" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54503&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54503 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54422&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54422 Enterprise architects frequently ask what metrics they should use to demonstrate EA's progress and value to the organization. CIOs want to know what they are getting for their investment in EA, and EAs see metrics as an important tool for promoting their value. Yet establishing meaningful metrics remains challenging. Today, most EA teams report only on internal-activity-based metrics. The key to success is choosing a small number of metrics that provide a balanced view of EA's performance to EA stakeholders and the EA team. Every EA team should measure five metrics: strategy momentum, financial impact, customer satisfaction, skills and capability growth, and process improvement. Enterprise Architecture Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "Jeff Scott" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54422&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54422 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55748&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55748 Microsoft's Team Foundation Server (TFS) has proven very popular with .NET developers but not so much with Eclipse developers. This presents a problem for Microsoft, because many of its largest customers develop for both .NET and Java and want a consolidated application life-cycle management (ALM) solution that will support development teams regardless of what platform they use. Over the past few years, Microsoft has pointed to a partner's product — SourceGear's Teamprise Client Suite — as its recommended solution to the heterogeneity problem. This has proven unsatisfactory to many customers, so after a long internal debate, Microsoft has acquired the Teamprise code base. Microsoft will release an updated version of Teamprise as part of its Visual Studio 2010 release train and will reduce the new solution's overall per-developer cost. The resulting product combination will prove much more attractive to large enterprises, which will now have the option of a lower-cost ALM solution for all the platforms they use, supported by the full force of Microsoft. Application Development B2B Sales & Marketing IT Infrastructure & Operations High-Tech Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "Jeffrey S. Hammond" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55748&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55748 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55736&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55736 This data chart includes new digital imaging data. Information & Knowledge Management IT Services IT Spending & Budgeting High-Tech Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "Sheri McLeish" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55736&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55736 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55418&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55418 Matt Jennings at Baker Tilly Virchow Krause needed to overhaul the accounting and advisory firm's security processes and technologies to ensure ongoing regulatory compliance and customer confidence. Replacing the company's use of a single password as the sole means to control access to sensitive client data with strong multifactor authentication (MFA) was the logical place to kick off this effort. Jennings started with a clear vision of the solution and stuck to it, gained and kept the trust of the firm's partners, and worked to achieve a thorough understanding of the people, processes, and technology that would be affected by MFA. As a result, the firm has more strongly secured access to data, improved its compliance posture, and demonstrated its commitment to its clients. Security & Risk Financial Services Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT "Bill Nagel" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=55418&src=RSS_2&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-55418