I’d highly recommend reading this superb FT article which analyses the year to come from a CIO perspective. In particular, this quote from Ian Campbell, of British Energy and chairman of the UK-based Corporate IT Forum, is really enlightening.

He says his priorities are: “first, year-on-year savings on business-as-usual expenditure – “The more companies just ask for a ‘flat’ 10 per cent across all areas, you know there is a general squeeze,” he says.

“Second, he says, are service efficiencies which demonstrate IT is providing exceptional value for money, and third, continued outsourcing and “managed service” activity.

“He argues for the need to ensure there is no wasted investment or poor cost control: these will be far more noticeable in a downturn and quickly show up poor management.

“He says there is already a greater focus on return on investment, with payback expected even more quickly. Interest in “technology” projects such as Vista or Services Oriented Architecture has also dwindled. Software as a Service (SaaS) has its supporters but he adds: “There is little in the way of proper commercial offerings, so we have not seen many massive deals or a shift in the market.”