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Hype Cycles 2011

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Gartner's Hype Cycle Special Report is an annual maturity assessment of more than 1,900 technologies and trends. Hype Cycles help organizations understand the landscape of technology maturity and markets, and to decide which technology innovations to adopt, postpone or ignore, and when is the time to adopt.

VP and Gartner Fellow Jackie Fenn explains how a new technology follows the Gartner Hype Cycle, from the Peak of Inflated Expectations, to the Trough of Disillusionment, then the Slope of Enlightenment, and finally to the Plateau of Productivity.

  • Technology and Applications
  • Information and IT Services
  • Industries

Emerging Trends

Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies, 2011

28 July 2011

Understanding the evolution of application architectural styles and design practices is critical to the successful delivery of new and emerging approaches to applications. This includes service orientation, representational state transfer, cloud computing and event-driven systems.

Hype Cycle for Semiconductors and Electronics Technologies, 2011

25 July 2011

We chart the progress of technologies such as logic devices, process technologies, displays, energy sources and design techniques. Eventually, nanotechnologies based on semiconducting molecules and DNA structures will transform the semiconductor and electronics industry.

Application Design and Development

Hype Cycle for Open-Source Software, 2011

9 August 2011

Use the open-source-software Hype Cycle to measure the maturity and market saturation of open-source solutions across the IT industry.

Hype Cycle for Application Architecture, 2011

21 July 2011

Understanding the evolution of application architectural styles and design practices is critical to the successful delivery of new and emerging approaches to applications. This includes service orientation, representational state transfer, cloud computing and event-driven systems.

Hype Cycle for Application Development, 2011

27 July 2011

An increased focus on measurable, more-agile processes and service orientation is altering staffing, tools and methods of software development. In parallel, governance, planning, control and quality assurance are being refined and strengthened to drive better predictability and support sourcing.

Hype Cycle for Application Infrastructure, 2011

26 July 2011

Application infrastructure remains an innovative and evolutionary IT discipline. The increase in adoption of the technologies is consistent with the growing maturity and consolidation characteristic of a maturing market.

Hype Cycle for Application Security, 2011

18 July 2011

As attacks become more financially motivated and organizations get better at securing their infrastructures, there has been a shift in attacks to the application level. To address new risks, technology markets for application and data security emerged, offering protection for these critical assets.

Hype Cycle for Context-Aware Computing, 2011

28 July 2011

Context-aware computing is poised to be a game changer for enterprises that want to increase customer intimacy and improve the effectiveness of business processes and collaboration. It will also be big business for the technology and communications vendors that provide context-aware capabilities.

Hype Cycle for Human-Computer Interaction, 2011

28 July 2011

3D displays, augmented reality and tablets cluster at the peak of this Hype Cycle in 2011, while previously hyped trends, such as virtual worlds, stagnate in the trough. The prepeak slope remains busy, but progress is slow, reflecting the challenge of commercialization.

Hype Cycle for Web and User Interaction Technologies, 2011

26 July 2011

The Web continues to evolve along multiple dimensions -- social, mobile, programmable and real time -- not just outside the enterprise, but also within it. These trends reinforce each other, and the resulting impact on the enterprise and on society as a whole is unprecedented.

Applications

Hype Cycle for Social Software, 2011

6 September 2011

This Hype Cycle shows the increasing overall maturity of social software and its intersection with other established technologies and disciplines. Leaders of social initiatives should start to take a broader view of social software as it permeates into adjacent technology areas.

Hype Cycle for Analytic Applications, 2011

30 August 2011

Analytical capability is increasingly packaged as a solution to address specific business issues, rather than created with generic business intelligence tools. This Hype Cycle shows the maturity, adoption rates and benefits of various analytic applications.

Hype Cycle for Business Use of Social Technologies, 2011

25 August 2011

This Hype Cycle examines how specific business functions and industries apply social technologies in their contexts. Consider how social technologies are used by the business when evolving your social strategy. Use this report to guide realistic user expectations in light of market hype.

Hype Cycle for Supply Chain Management, 2011

17 August 2011

SCM has been focused on improving efficiency and productivity due to the recent priority of cost cutting. Roll forward to 2012 and cost cutting drops in importance to No. 6, while using the supply chain to support corporate profitability moves up to No. 3. SCM is moving up the corporate agenda.

Hype Cycle for E-Commerce, 2011

15 August 2011

Enterprises depend on e-commerce to drive revenue growth, while investing prudently to meet this objective. This Hype Cycle helps enterprises evaluate the suitability of various e-commerce technology capabilities hyped in the market and understand their business value.

Hype Cycle for Business Intelligence, 2011

12 August 2011

This Hype Cycle highlights the main components of today's business intelligence arena, related data management technologies and emerging trends. New entries this year include information semantic services and natural language question answering.

Hype Cycle for Performance Management, 2011

16 September 2011

Performance management is an area of increasing focus across many functions, domains and software markets. This Hype Cycle analyzes the maturity of performance management disciplines and the analytic applications that support performance management.

Hype Cycle for Business Process Management, 2011

25 July 2011

Our 2011 Hype Cycle shows that business process management is a core discipline for business success, continues to deliver significant tangible benefits and is here to stay. New technologies and disciplines continue to attract hype and demonstrate the health of BPM.

Hype Cycle for CRM Customer Service and Support, 2011

18 July 2011

The 2011 Hype Cycle for CRM Customer Service and Support evaluates 35 related technologies to guide buyers that are focused on how emerging and maturing technologies can be used to retain customers, enhance existing relationships, and attract new customers and skilled talent.

Hype Cycle for CRM Marketing Applications, 2011

26 July 2011

Marketing applications and technologies vary greatly in maturity and user adoption. Gartner's Hype Cycle can help you determine investment priorities, address drivers and inhibitors, understand benefits and build a road map for marketing automation.

Hype Cycle for CRM Sales, 2011

28 July 2011

Sales modernization initiatives and pent-up demand are moving sales automation markets, as firms rebuild sales capacity, revamp sales practices and exploit innovation to underpin growth strategies. This research reviews the visibility, maturity and value of key sales technology sectors.

Hype Cycle for ERP, 2011

27 July 2011

As businesses continue to seek value and user-centricity from their ERP investments, technologies are emerging to fulfill these demands. Organizations should use this Hype Cycle to identify technologies that have the potential to deliver innovation that provides user-centricity and value.

Communications

Hype Cycle for Networking and Communications, 2011

24 August 2011

Communications infrastructure modernization is a top priority for most enterprise organizations. Demand is surging for many network-intensive applications, while broad cost reduction initiatives are driving up network investment requirements. Here are the technologies you need to watch.

Hype Cycle for Wireless Devices, Software and Services, 2011

10 August 2011

The focus on the mobile market continues to be on hardware, in the form of smartphones and tablets, as well as mobile software, particularly on mobile OSs and applications. Although most enterprises have limited mobile application support, this will increase in the coming year.

Hype Cycle for Consumer Services and Mobile Applications, 2011

27 July 2011

This Hype Cycle covers a wide range of consumer applications and services, from communications and entertainment to productivity and collaboration. It examines the status of, and prospects for, services and mobile apps, and advises industry players on how to make the most of them.

Hype Cycle for Wireless Networking Infrastructure, 2011

27 July 2011

This report analyzes key wireless network infrastructure technologies to help communications service providers and their suppliers make informed decisions. Future innovations to increase bandwidth, mobility and the use of mobile data and video must be achieved more efficiently and cost-effectively.

Energy and Sustainability

Hype Cycle for Smart City Technologies and Solutions, 2011

28 July 2011

We chart the position of technologies that can be used to support the smart city concept, ranging from transportation and healthcare to energy management and cloud computing. These technologies will help facilitate additional social benefits to residents and greater economic growth.

Hype Cycle for Smart Grid Technologies, 2011

25 July 2011

The smart grid is a vision of the future electricity delivery infrastructure that improves network efficiency and resilience, while empowering consumers and addressing energy sustainability concerns. This Hype Cycle outlines diverse technologies that enable energy-provisioning transformation.

Hype Cycle for Solar Energy, 2011

29 July 2011

Innovations in solar energy technology continue to drive down costs for this renewable energy source, which is increasingly important as support for generous government subsidies begins to wane.

Hype Cycle for Sustainability and Green IT, 2011

29 July 2011

Sustainability and green IT remain rapidly emerging issues for business leaders, IT groups, and the IT industry. While varying by sector and geography, sustainability is a key strategic business priority attracting marketing attention, investment, innovation and technology development.

Geographic

Hype Cycle for Green IT and Sustainability in India, 2011

26 July 2011

Green IT and sustainability have found their way into the IT organizations of many industries in India. Although still buzzwords for many, they will soon emerge as top priorities for businesses, investors and technology professionals across industries and policymakers in India.

Hype Cycle for ICT in China, 2011

28 July 2011

This Hype Cycle documents the technology trends that are most relevant to the emerging Chinese information and communication technology industry, because their impact on Chinese businesses is different to that in other countries.

Hype Cycle for ICT in India, 2011

22 July 2011

This report analyzes evolving trends and the maturity of various segments in information and communication technology in India, as well as the degree of current and projected adoption of various technologies by Indian enterprises.

Hardware and Devices

Hype Cycle for Consumer Technologies, 2011

12 August 2011

This Hype Cycle examines the status of, and prospects for, various consumer technologies. It advises consumer electronics vendors, service providers, developers and others on the maturity of these technologies and their use. Mobility, connectivity and user interfaces remain the focus of innovation.

Hype Cycle for Consumer Devices, 2011

2 August 2011

2011 marks a turning point for consumer devices. Previous product boundaries, defined by hardware, have crumbled. Providers will have to re-think how to get consumers' attention, and their money. We look at new technologies that will define that relationship.

Hype Cycle for Mobile Device Technologies, 2011

29 July 2011

This Hype Cycle examines the status of, and prospects for, various mobile device technologies. It advises handset vendors, mobile operators, application providers and others on the maturity of these technologies and their use.

Hype Cycle for Server Technologies, 2011

19 July 2011

Appropriately selecting technologies in categories like server virtualization, next-generation server building blocks, high-performance computing, OSs and data center cooling will help organizations battle through the increasingly complex server selection process.

Hype Cycle for Storage Technologies, 2011

26 July 2011

This Hype Cycle report evaluates 43 storage hardware and storage software technologies in terms of their business impact, adoption rate and maturity level to help users decide where and when to invest.

Information Infrastructure

Hype Cycle for Infrastructure Protection, 2011

10 August 2011

Advances in infrastructure protection technology continue to be primarily reactive to keep pace with new threats. Integration of point safeguards into platforms continues, and "in the cloud" protection delivers more hype than protection in many, but not all, areas.

Hype Cycle for Content Management, 2011

28 July 2011

The volume and diversity of content in the enterprise requires new technologies to create, manage and secure it through its life cycle. IT leaders, strategists and enterprise architects should use this Hype Cycle to identify technologies with the greatest benefits and to sift through the hype.

Hype Cycle for Data and Collaboration Security, 2011

26 July 2011

Enterprise boundaries continue to blur as data is shared across the Internet between partner organizations and unmanaged endpoints, increasing concerns about data leakage and manipulation. This is encouraging greater use of application layer and data layer security controls.

Hype Cycle for Data Management, 2011

26 July 2011

Data management technologies and practices are evolving fast to address the explosion in the volume, variety and velocity of data, and the convergence of data management disciplines. Use this Hype Cycle to understand and seize opportunities arising from established and emerging capabilities.

Hype Cycle for Enterprise Architecture, 2011

26 July 2011

In the second edition of Gartner's "Hype Cycle for Enterprise Architecture," we find aspirations running high for EA and its related practices and technologies, while lagging maturity and market penetrations are at the tipping point of broader support and adoption.

Hype Cycle for Enterprise Information Management, 2011

29 July 2011

To drive business value from an enterprise information management initiative, organizations must emphasize vision, key roles, metrics and governance. Because technology issues are secondary, the 2011 Hype Cycle for EIM focuses primarily on the most-critical elements of the discipline.

Hype Cycle for Governance, Risk and Compliance Technologies, 2011

26 July 2011

Regulatory compliance continues to be a major driver in the adoption of a wide variety of products that automate risk-relevant tasks, but it is increasingly being replaced by a more business-oriented risk management approach.

Hype Cycle for Identity and Access Management Technologies, 2011

13 July 2011

Operational efficiency and compliance remain leading drivers of identity and access management deployments, but identity assurance to help prevent fraud and intelligence for monitoring, reporting and decision making are becoming increasingly important.

Hype Cycle for Legal and Regulatory Information Governance, 2011

26 July 2011

Information governance is emerging as a critical discipline. Legal departments and IT organizations must work closely together to improve it. Many different information technologies can complement strategies to improve information governance.

Hype Cycle for Master Data Management, 2011

29 July 2011

Master data management is a technology-enabled business discipline that helps organizations achieve a "single version of the truth" in such important areas as customers, products and accounts. This Hype Cycle looks at the noteworthy technology elements that enable MDM.

Hype Cycle for Privacy, 2011

25 July 2011

Personal data enables your business; abusing it destroys customer and employee trust. Privacy officers struggle with legal and cultural expectations worldwide. They need to leverage security tools to protect personal data. This Hype Cycle helps in navigating this legal and technological maze.

IT Services and Operations

Business Process Services & Outsourcing

29 July 2011

Business process services and outsourcing comprises horizontal and vertical submarkets. There is greater maturity in discrete offerings, whereas comprehensive offerings cluster at the Trough of Disillusionment, and new business process utility services cluster at the Technology Trigger.

Hype Cycle for Application Services and Outsourcing, 2011

26 July 2011

The Hype Cycle for application services and outsourcing showcases professional services in IT and operational technology convergence, social media and mobility. It helps organizations discern the significance of specific application services when making vendor selection or sourcing decisions.

Hype Cycle for Business Continuity Management and IT Disaster Recovery Management, 2011

20 July 2011

Because of the major disaster events that have occurred over the past year, business continuity and IT disaster recovery management are getting increased attention. Use this report to make informed decisions on what can best support the recovery and availability needs of your organization.

Hype Cycle for Cloud Application Infrastructure Services (PaaS), 2011

26 July 2011

Cloud application infrastructure services (aka platform as a service) is a core layer in cloud architecture. We initiate coverage when the notion of PaaS is at the Peak of Inflated Expectations, and users and vendors struggle to establish its architectural essentials.

Hype Cycle for Cloud Computing, 2011

27 July 2011

While clearly maturing, cloud computing continues to be the most hyped subject in IT today. We look at the different aspects of the topic and where they are on Gartner's Hype Cycle for Cloud Computing, 2011.

Hype Cycle for Cloud Security, 2011

28 July 2011

The cloud security Hype Cycle encompasses technologies and standards that improve the security and reliability of the cloud computing model, and trusted application and security services that are delivered by cloud service providers.

Hype Cycle for Data Center Power and Cooling Technologies, 2011

28 July 2011

Newer high-density IT equipment, cost of power and focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions are requiring new technologies. The proper use of technologies highlighted in this rapidly developing Hype Cycle can result in deferring millions of dollars of capital spending over multiple years.

Hype Cycle for Imaging and Print Services, 2011

20 July 2011

Use this Hype Cycle to evaluate your print strategies for generating cost savings and gaining a competitive advantage while complementing and extending your communications in digital media.

Hype Cycle for Infrastructure Services and Outsourcing, 2011

29 July 2011

IT outsourcing and infrastructure services continue to be relatively stable in the current economic conditions. Organizations should use this Hype Cycle to review their current sourcing arrangements against established and emerging offerings to meet ever-changing business needs.

Hype Cycle for IT Operations Management, 2011

18 July 2011

Adoption of new technology and increasing complexity of the IT environment continue to attract IT operations vendors that provide management technology. Use this Hype Cycle to manage your expectations regarding these management technologies and processes.

Hype Cycle for Real-Time Infrastructure, 2011

15 July 2011

RTI continues making steady gains, spurred by the spread of virtualization in the data center and the desire to bring cloud attributes, such as self-service provisioning, to the internal data center. However, significant technology, standardization, organizational and process inhibitors still exist.

Hype Cycle for Software as a Service, 2011

28 July 2011

The SaaS Hype Cycle represents an aggregate of different software markets. This Hype Cycle will help organizations discern the relative maturity and progression of various SaaS applications, with implications for a business model architecture and buying dynamics.

Hype Cycle for Virtualization, 2011

28 July 2011

Although x86 server virtualization is mature, virtualization as an IT initiative is still in its adolescence, and is disruptive to IT users and providers. This has resulted in varying levels of hype, while delivering the foundation for cloud computing and greener data center initiatives.

Hype Cycle for Healthcare Provider Technologies and Standards, 2011

4 August 2011

This Hype Cycle is a key input for healthcare delivery organization IT strategists to assess the merit of important information technologies to improve care quality, enhance patient safety, reduce costs, and remain compliant and competitive.

Hype Cycle for Advertising, 2011

28 July 2011

The global advertising market has had a strong showing in the first half of 2011, despite lingering doubts about the strength of the world economy and the long-term role of traditional paid-media placement.

Hype Cycle for Automotive Demand Chain and Supply Chain Technologies, 2011

27 July 2011

Global automotive consumer demand is increasing, but economic uncertainty requires ongoing organizational agility as a strategy. To achieve this goal, automotive companies must understand, prioritize and invest in the right technologies and processes to achieve demand and supply-chain optimization.

Hype Cycle for Banking and Investment Services Core Applications and Architecture Technologies, 2011

25 July 2011

Core applications and architectures are key to agility, efficiency and transparency in banking and investment services. Executives should use our Hype Cycle to identify the differences between overhyped and high-impact technologies, and their time to reach maturity.

Hype Cycle for Banking and Investment Services Customer Acquisition and Retention, 2011

28 July 2011

Through 2011, retaining existing customers and attracting new customers remain at the top of most bank CEO agendas. Technologies that directly influence customers' experiences and their desire to do business with your institution will have an equally high profile.

Hype Cycle for Broadcasting and Entertainment, 2011

29 July 2011

Maturing technologies and diverse consumer behaviors mean media sectors and their technology enablers will emphasize driving real business value from multiplatform distribution, social media and social networking.

Hype Cycle for Communications Service Provider Infrastructure, 2011

27 July 2011

When analyzing and adjusting their technology portfolios, communications service providers need to keep costs down while securing future revenues through innovations that offer tangible end-user benefits in terms of bandwidth, mobility, sophisticated devices and near ubiquitous video.

Hype Cycle for Communications Service Provider Operations, 2011

29 July 2011

Communications service providers must save costs and raise revenue by streamlining back offices, improving customer relations, supporting new business models and offering new solutions. This Hype Cycle analysis will help CIOs and CTOs assess available technologies.

Hype Cycle for Consumer Goods, 2011

25 July 2011

With a limited technology investment budget, consumer goods manufacturers are looking to engage consumers, optimize promotional spending, ensure execution and product availability at retail, and better predict consumer demand. This will yield quantifiable benefits in the short and long term.

Hype Cycle for Education, 2011

29 July 2011

The major trends of consumerization, sourcing options and need for standards are real in the form of technical turmoil for the CIO. This Hype Cycle gives an education CIO a toolbox of emerging technologies for flexibility, if combined right.

Hype Cycle for Emerging Energy Technologies, 2011

26 July 2011

Energy policy around the world demands the secure supply of low-emission energy. Developments in energy production, storage and distribution in line with policy requirements impact the operation and, consequently, the technology portfolio of energy merchants and utilities.

Hype Cycle for Financial Services Payment Systems, 2011

27 July 2011

The modernization of payment architectures and the creation of new partnerships and delivery models are reshaping the banks' payment value chains. This Hype Cycle provides key directions on how to navigate this transformation.

Hype Cycle for Government Transformation, 2011

14 July 2011

This Hype Cycle identifies technologies, services and disciplines that have the potential to help public-sector organizations transform their operational and service delivery goals.

Hype Cycle for Healthcare Payers, 2011

20 July 2011

This Hype Cycle highlights the state of maturity and adoption of technologies that should be used in defining strategies that can help meet the regulations of healthcare reform and transform the business so it remains competitive.

Hype Cycle for Healthcare Provider Applications and Systems, 2011

2 August 2011

This Hype Cycle is a key input for healthcare delivery organization strategic planning. Here, Gartner tracks significant applications, assesses their value and predicts their paths as they move from creation through productive use.

Hype Cycle for Life Insurance, 2011

26 July 2011

Sales and customer service effectiveness, operational efficiency, risk management and underwriting profitability, and product innovation are among the top initiatives among life insurers. Applying emerging technologies to support these business goals is required; however, risks must be understood.

Hype Cycle for Life Sciences, 2011

28 July 2011

Life science companies are relying on technology to increase productivity, quality and effectiveness, while they realign their businesses to new industry realities in customer engagement models, global regulatory complexity and collaborative research.

Hype Cycle for Manufacturing Product Life Cycle and Operations Management, 2011

27 July 2011

Globalization is extracting more demands on manufacturers' abilities to achieve growth and profitability, and meet performance objectives. This Hype Cycle reflects how these priorities are influencing product life cycle management and manufacturing operations software trends.

Hype Cycle for Media Industry Publishing, 2011

27 July 2011

Driven by technology advancements, most notably the advancement of new mobile content consumption devices such as e-readers and tablets, the digital promise for publishers is in the early stages of manifesting as new revenue opportunities.

Hype Cycle for P&C Insurance, 2011

26 July 2011

The P&C industry faces challenges, including accelerated speed of change, consumerization and a highly competitive market. Insurers must embrace new strategies and technologies for growth, customer retention, underwriting profitability, claims transformation and operational efficiency.

Hype Cycle for Retail Technologies, 2011

21 July 2011

Delivering a multichannel retailing strategy continues to be at the top of retailers' business agendas. To prioritize investments for multichannel growth, retailers should take their lead from what their customers want from the overall shopping process.

Hype Cycle for Telemedicine, 2011

28 July 2011

Gartner's Hype Cycle for Telemedicine helps healthcare delivery organizations, government healthcare agencies and healthcare payers understand the true potential of telemedicine and prioritize their involvement in telemedicine applications.

Hype Cycle for the Telecommunications Industry, 2011

29 July 2011

The convergence of communications and IT creates new service opportunities. This Hype Cycle examines the key systems, processes and platforms for communications service provider CIOs and CTOs to gauge investment priorities for internal efficiencies and new service delivery.

Hype Cycle for Transportation, 2011

26 July 2011

Increased demand for freight services will stress capacity, and when combined with high fuel costs will drive up transportation costs. Looming government mandates are also forcing companies to consider new technologies to address compliance issues and customer demands.

Hype Cycle for Utility Industry IT and Business Processes, 2011

21 July 2011

Utilities invest in industry applications and business processes in their quest to improve performance by leveraging technology advances, meeting customer expectations, catering to changed markets, and delivering expected shareholder return with changing regulatory and sustainability drivers.

Hype Cycle for Utility Industry Operational Technologies, 2011

26 July 2011

Energy and utility organizations can use this Hype Cycle to explore technology options for adding operational intelligence to their business processes.

Hype Cycle for Vehicle-Centric Information and Communication Technologies (Vehicle ICT), 2011

27 July 2011

The connected vehicle is arriving now. Automotive companies, technology, service and content providers are intensifying their activities, but will only succeed if they understand the technologies' maturity and business potential in realizing the connected vehicle as the ultimate mobile device.