Best productivity practices during the pandemic
There are ways companies (and schools) can not only adjust to the “New Normal” but actually thrive. Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been chatting with people at four multi-national companies I work with who’ve seen productivity and revenue increase during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have been surprisingly consistent about why they’ve benefited from this New Normal. I’ve also been following some of the schools that have done as well and interestingly, for once, education seems to be ahead…
Remote IT’s future: Key lessons learned from this WFH era
COVID-19 made IT staff working from home a necessity. Should the practice now be viewed as a fresh path to improved productivity? SDI Productions / Getty Images After more than six months of dealing with COVID-19 challenges, IT leaders are beginning to understand what works — and what doesn’t — when it comes to managing their remote teams. At this stage, only one thing seems certain: IT operations are never going to return to the way they were pre-pandemic.…
6 IT projects to boost your tech career
Looking to get ahead? Investing time in an independent side project can pay off at your day job. Here are your best bets for learning skills expected to grow in demand in 2021 and beyond. Getty Images Most tech professionals don’t need prodding to upskill — adopting new technology is just part of the appeal for working in the field. But the COVID pandemic has heightened focus and revealed needs in a few areas in particular: remote work,…
CIOs embrace remote recruitment to land new gigs
New CIOs of Okta and Quick Base discuss their recruitment experience and offer tips for IT leaders open to or actively seeking new roles during the pandemic. Okta Shortly before COVID-19 disrupted the United States, Alvina Antar was approached by an executive recruiter on behalf of Okta. Would Antar, six years into her role as CIO of Zuora, be interested in leading IT at the popular provider of digital identity software? Antar was intrigued. But Antar’s recruitment paused…
UAE, Israeli investors take steps toward tech startup partnerships
Investors and tech leaders in the UAE and Israel are upbeat about business cooperation, particularly in fintech and agritech, as evidenced by a virtual conference organized by venture capitalists. Rawpixel / Getty Images Just weeks after Israel and the United Arab Emirates inked a normalization deal in Washington DC, the bullish sentiment about the potential for economic cooperation hasn’t worn off as Emirati business figures pitched the UAE’s startup ecosystem on a Zoom conference to potential Israeli investors.…
How to speed up software development (without killing morale)
In the wake of the pandemic, IT leaders are under increasing pressure to deliver solutions fast. But many CIOs are finding the steps they’ve taken to iterate quickly aren’t enough to support increasing business demands. Maico Amorim modified by IDG Comm. (CC0) As a startup serving the highly competitive gaming industry with its 3D interactive streaming platform, Polystream needs to deliver new capabilities quickly. Cheryl Razzell, the company’s vice president of engineering, and Simon Sparks, head of talent, call speed…
How Microsoft will end Office’s perpetual licensing
Microsoft in September announced that the next version of its on-premises Exchange Server will be available only as a subscription-based product. What does that say about its licensing plans for Office? Gonin / Getty Iimages Microsoft may have hinted at how it plans to end its decades-long practice of selling Office as one-time-payment licenses. During the Redmond, Wash. company’s Ignite technical conference, held virtually last month because of the pandemic, Microsoft announced that the next version of its on-premises Exchange…
How low-code platforms are transforming software development
Drag-and-drop platforms enable developers to assemble applications without manual programming. Toyota, ConocoPhillips, and GlobalTranz are among those enterprises leveraging low-code to create business value. Getty Images Coding sprints conducted via agile aren’t the only options CIOs have to fuel faster application development. Enterprises are increasingly using low-code development platforms to arrange application components, including data and logic, via a drag-and-drop interface — think virtual Lego blocks that developers can move with a mouse and snap into their creations. Low-code differs from…
