Efficiency and cost reduction are going to be the key IT words of 2009. With 35% of a typical IT budget spent on personnel, staffing represents the heaviest IT financial burden and is perceived as the easiest area to cut. In 2009, we expect that the general IT battle cry will be to do more — or at least as much — with less and that most IT organizations will be able to keep their IT staff constant at best. This commits IT organizations to a course of using automation as a means to optimize the workload of existing personnel, reach a higher level of accuracy, and thus reduce unscheduled and unplanned work. The IT process automation market is mature now, and the economic downturn is an opportunity to boost its general adoption.