Digital in Business Life Report 2023: Security, professionalism and priorities for 2023

Over the years we have looked at future IT needs in various guises – our end of year research has been called ‘IT in your organisation’, ‘digital leaders’, ‘CIO versus CEO’ and so on. This year we surveyed members in two key categories: those who are IT leaders and those who are digital professionals. The idea was to help us get a feel for differences in perception between the two groups as we look ahead to 2023.

This year we also included two questions to assess views on the government’s approach to digital. We asked how confident people are that the UK government is on track to meet its objectives in certain areas (these are covered in the full report). On a sliding scale from one to five, where one is ‘not at all confident’ and five is ‘very confident’, none managed to even get above the mid-point. Worryingly (and a justification, if it be needed, for BCS choosing net zero as a focus area), green technology scored the lowest. This was followed by international digital trade and online safety.

We also asked how confident responders are that the UK can become ‘the world’s next Silicon Valley’, as set out by the Chancellor in November 2022. According to our survey, almost certainly not – only 3% were ‘very confident’.

Irrespective of our responders’ views on government issues, we got a real feel for the concerns they face in 2023. We have also had a look at a key area of BCS focus: what professionalism means in digital. In the forthcoming year, BCS will be exploring many of the themes raised in this survey. This may be as larger campaigns, such as our net zero approach; through policy involvement; through the qualifications we offer; or through the journals and books we produce. Our members have plenty to say – both on the issues we need to raise and how we can address them.

Rashik Parmar CEO, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT