IT departments often manage a very large number of software technology components that potentially represent a threat to the organization. By limiting the variety of products in use, IT departments can reduce the number of platform conflict problems. Standardization can minimize the risks associated with an uncontrolled technology portfolio, facilitating software licensing and security management.

The impact of new technology on future business is huge. While companies are investing massively in new technologies, companies evolve in a moving environment and need to get well prepared to integrate them in their business models. In this new paradigm, enterprise architect’s role is key to spot new technology trends and ensure that new business strategy aligns with application and technology.

Digital transformation is not just adding new technologies to the business. Delving straight into adding technologies without proper strategic planning can lead to misalignment of strategic objectives. It is easy to be blinded by the benefits that digital transformation promise, but the hard truth is, 70% of these initiatives will not reach their stated goals, according to Forbes.

This first-in-the-nation consumer privacy law has many people celebrating, but also leaves lots of organizations confused and unsure how to comply. Many in the tech industry are preparing to fight the new law which requires more transparency from websites about their data collection practices.

Generally speaking, “digital twin” refers to a digital replica of physical assets, processes, systems or devices. This concept is intrinsically tied to IoT that connects physical assets to their equivalent digital models. Enterprise Architecture also benefits from this concept by virtually representing an organization and using real-life data to automate recommendations, validate models, correct them and evolve them to improve the process of business transformation.

Given how intertwined business and IT are in the modern era, “getting the IT right has become fundamental to avoiding failed mergers and acquisitions (M&A)”. In fact, such is the importance attached to IT in such ventures, it has been described as “the functional area that was ranked the highest in ‘need for improvement’ in terms of integration skills and capabilities in the future”, with over 50% of synergies between merging organisations relating to IT.