The statement that maximizing UC benefits requires IT to address user needs should be self-evident, but we see many projects that are so IT-centric that the larger organization fails to achieve anything close to the vendor-advertised results. This can produce or extend friction between IT and the business units.
This dichotomy is at the heart of shadow IT, the trend in which tech-savvy employees seek out their own solutions for line-of-business problems. In many organizations, shadow IT has grown out of necessity, with IT unable to move quickly enough to meet employee’s rapidly changing demands. The growth of shadow IT has accelerated with the consumerization of IT. And as users get more comfortable downloading and using apps and services from the cloud, central IT team is often left out of the loop. In a CIO article, the Everest Group claims shadow IT accounts for over 50% of IT spending in large enterprises.
