IT must 'embrace' business

13:07 5th November 2008

IT professionals need to embrace the business element of the industry, according to an industry expert.

Bob Hughes, author of Exploiting IT for Business Benefit, believes that the growing use of electronic-business applications and software has moved IT employees from "the back-room" to the "front shop".

The book aims to enhance understanding between IT and non-IT professionals by providing information on some key business-orientated aspects of IT development.

Mr Hughes, who is the systems subject moderator for the British Computer Society professional exams, emphasised that IT cannot trail behind business developments.

He said: "Organisations where the customer-facing business and the IT communities understand the needs and concerns of each other are likely to be the more successful ones."

The technology analyst Gartner Research recently conducted a study which revealed that by 2010 six out of ten IT professionals will assume business-facing roles.