Garnter have begun their Australian roadshow outlining their predictions for 2008 and beyond.

Key Findings

• Consumers are changing the way decisions and technology choices are made in IT, and who the decision makers are

(they are starting to see people with better computers and networks at home - changes expectations at work.  Huge challenges re security and support but inevitable)

• Alternate Delivery and Acquisition models are affecting IT organisations and users’ plans for spending as well as selection of products and services

(i.e. Software as a Service, Hardware as a Service, Service as a Service, etc [ok I made the last one up])

• Environmental issues will directly affect IT decisions related to the purchase of systems and services and the selection of vendors

(orly?)

Recommendations

• Establish communications and collaboration between end users and IT decision makers when selecting new technologies or services

(User Focus Group:  We want facebook, we want youtube, we want lolcats
IT Folk:  Kill me now. )

• Make IT budget decisions dependent on service-based spending models

(Dont really know what this means, but the guy who said it had nice shoes and looked like he meant it )

• Establish environmental initiatives in IT to evaluate compliance and to promote a consistent approach

Follow the link to the slides here, and read below for a summary of their predictions:

1. By 2011, Apple will double its U.S. and Western Europe unit market share
2. By 2010, end users’ preferences will decide as much as half of all software, hardware and services  acquisitions made by IT
3. By 2012, 50% of travelling workers will leave their notebooks at home in favour of other devices
4. By 2012, at least one third of business application software spending will be as a service subscription instead of a product license
5. By 2011, early technology adopters will forgo capital expenditures and purchase 40% of their IT infrastructure as a service
6. By 2010, 75% or organisations will use full life cycle energy and CO2 footprint as mandatory PC hardware buying criteria
7. By 2010, 75% or organisations will use full life cycle energy and CO2 footprint as mandatory PC hardware buying criteria
8. By 2011, suppliers to large global enterprises will need to prove their green credentials via an audited process to retain preferred supplier status
9. By 2012, 80% or more of all commercial software will include elements of opensource technology
10. Through 2011, the number of 3-D printers in homes and businesses will grow 100-fold over 2006 levels