Abstract

This IDC Survey Spotlight focuses on the current top technology investment priorities in operations and how they have changed in the past year. It is a snapshot from IDC's 2022 Future of Operations Worldwide Survey, with comparison to the results from last year's survey.

Cloud continues to be the number 1 investment priority for operations even as it has come down a bit from the 2021 survey. More significantly, the top 3 investment priorities (cloud, AI, and analytics) remain consistent and reflect a clear drive toward data-driven operations (DDO) (see IDC MaturityScape: Data-Driven Operations 1.0 (IDC #US49259222, June 2022).

Wireless connectivity also continues to be a top investment priority over the next three years. This is a reflection of the ongoing need to connect more data sources and collect more data. It should be noted that 5G was broken out from other forms of wireless in this year's survey and ranked on par with other forms of wireless.

The largest change from last year was the jump in priority for AR/VR. This reflects a growing maturity in the specific AR/VR applications targeting operations as well as increased awareness of practical uses. In many cases, it will be tied to persistent talent shortages and the need to augment the existing workforce.

Note: IDC describes operations as including any activity or physical process that is integral to executing an organization's core business including producing goods or services, moving goods or services, and maintaining assets, infrastructure, or facilities.

Coverage