Technology changes nearly as quickly as the calendar flips. A new device or upgrade that was trending not long ago may become antiquated or obsolete before you know it.
Information technology is integral to most businesses today, but keeping up with the interrelated parts of IT and the advancements—from software to cyber security to social media platforms—isn’t always prioritized. IT experts say companies falling behind in that category could see their business slip as a result.
Over the last several years, many IT practices have become fixed and inflexible. While older concepts are a good springboard, some have become ineffective. There are many you can reconsider and/or eliminate.
Here are five IT practices I think businesses should stop using.
1. Outdated Software
One of the biggest security vulnerabilities a company can face is one of the simplest to address: outdated software. There are many risks associated with using unsupported or outdated software, and hackers love to exploit these gaps. Then there are the inevitable problems of a system failure or antiquated workflows that slow a company’s productivity. Although upgrading software—including your operating systems—can be time-consuming and expensive, doing so can safeguard your organization and create more room for innovations.
2. In-House Server Hosting
Much of today’s modern software is hosted in the cloud. Most cloud vendors are able to provide public, private, or hybrid cloud hosting based on your requirements. With such extensive cloud capability, there is no reason anymore to rely on in-house server hosting. Migrating to these versions can not only help save your business the costs of purchasing and maintaining software, but also the costs of maintenance and upkeep on servers. Another plus of cloud computing is the added security of cloud disaster recovery, a backup, and restore capability that enables companies to recover data and switch to a secondary operational mode.
3. Inflexible Work Environment
The new wave of the workforce is an IT strategy that includes video cameras and laptops for team members to facilitate remote work and remote communications. If your firm doesn’t have that flexibility, they risk being left behind. Flexible work arrangements improve a company’s effectiveness and morale. It’s one of the best uses of today’s IT.
4. Newsgroups and Discussion Forums
These popular mediums once served as portals where questions were raised from the team and answers were provided in a question-and-answer format. Better alternatives are options like Facebook, Hangouts, or Slack. The format is far more intuitive and user-friendly with social media pages than with conventional discussion forums. Also, multiple answers can be handled easily with social media pages.
5. Unnecessary Complexity
An overly complex structure is the core failing of legacy systems. Rethink your architecture and prioritize for simplicity. When modernizing your systems, less is more in terms of both architecture and functionality. You can start by implementing only the most important features. Make sure the new application will work well with the rest of the tools used in your business by default. Whatever applications you choose, make sure you use a solid and future-ready technology stack to deliver optimal performance.
Many executives are unsure—or even unaware—of the risk that obsolescence presents to their technology portfolios. Their uncertainty stems from not having the right data and dealing with conflicting points of view on priority, value, and risk.
Chris Hoose is the president of Choose Networks, an IT consulting firm for small businesses. Hoose started the company in 2001 to give large-scale solutions and support to businesses that can’t afford their own in-house IT department. He earned a Master of Information Systems Management from Friends University.
