searchcio.techtarget.com Open in urlscan Pro
2606:4700::6812:15c  Public Scan

Form analysis
1 forms found in the DOM

GET https://www.techtarget.com/search/query

<form action="https://www.techtarget.com/search/query" method="get" class="header-search">
  <label for="header-search-input" class="visuallyhidden">Search the TechTarget Network</label>
  <input class="header-search-input ui-autocomplete-input" id="header-search-input" autocomplete="off" type="text" name="q" placeholder="Search the TechTarget Network">
  <button aria-label="Search" class="header-search-submit"><i class="icon" data-icon="g"></i></button>
</form>

Text Content

3
Trending Now

Secure shadow ITDownload NowView All3
X
3Hello, these 3 documents have been trending and as a member they are free to
you.
 * 
   Secure shadow ITDownload Now
 * 
   9 keys to ensuring MFT shared service successDownload Now
 * 
   Save your budget from uncontrolled cloud spendDownload Now




SearchCIO
Search the TechTarget Network
Sign-up now. Start my free, unlimited access.
Login Register
 * Techtarget Network
 * News
 * Features
 * Tips
 * More Content
    * Answers
    * Buyer's Guides
    * Definitions
    * Essential Guides
    * Opinions
    * Photo Stories
    * Podcasts
    * Quizzes
    * Tutorials
    * Sponsored Communities

 * SearchCIO
 * Topic Digital business transformation
    * CIO mission
    * Cloud computing
    * Cybersecurity
    * BI and big data
    * Mobile strategy
    * Apps, infrastructure and operations
    * All Topics

 * SubTopic Digital business
    * Bimodal IT
    * Business automation and BPM
    * Digital business
    * Application development and DevOps
    * AI
    * ITIL and ITSM
    * IoT
    * Project management
    * All Subtopics

 * Follow:
 * 
 * 
 * 



Getty Images/iStockphoto

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Tip


WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF SHADOW IT?




AS EMPLOYEES CONTINUE WORKING REMOTELY, THE PREVALENCE OF SHADOW IT GROWS. THIS
INEVITABILITY IS FORCING IT LEADERS TO WEIGH THE PROS AND CONS OF UNSANCTIONED
TECHNOLOGY USE.

Share this item with your network:

 * 
 * 
 * 


By
 * Mary K. Pratt

Published: 12 Oct 2021

Workers want a way to do their jobs efficiently. Many turn to their own
applications to do so.

Employees commonly turn to unsanctioned email accounts, messenger platforms,
video conferencing products, collaboration tools and file-sharing services,
among other applications.



The significant amount of shadow IT that employees use within the enterprise has
been a longtime challenge for many CIOs. And use is on the rise as employees
expect consumer experiences in the workplace. That's especially true for the new
generation of digital natives. Yet, IT leaders can use shadow IT activities to
recognize its value as feedback and proceed accordingly, while also taking the
necessary risk mitigation steps. 

"The people coming out of school today are so digitally savvy, and trying to
tell them that IT can't solve their problems will be a foreign concept," said
Mike Anderson, CIO and chief digital officer at security tech company Netskope.

That might not be bad news, however.

Too many organizations see only the negatives that come with shadow IT, Anderson
said. Unauthorized technology can create headaches for CIOs when not managed
with some guardrails. However, shadow IT brings benefits, too.

Some experts think CIOs could even consider allotting budget for shadow IT.

He's not alone in these assessments; other enterprise technology experts
likewise see both pros and cons of using shadow IT.


10 PROS OF SHADOW IT

1. SHIFTS LOWER-LEVEL TASKS OUT OF IT

Business-side workers often deploy shadow IT to help them do their jobs more
efficiently. So seeking out the apps that work for them in such cases can free
up IT resources for addressing the larger challenges that will really let IT
deliver big business value, Anderson said.

2. SPEEDS UP INNOVATION

IT departments have a number of policies and processes that guide new technology
development and deployment. Such guardrails help safeguard the organization, but
they often slow innovation and transformation. Shadow IT circumvents all that.

"It solves an immediate problem, and it creates speed," said Chris Kapusta,
principal architect at Insight Enterprises, an IT service provider.

3. HIGHLIGHTS ISSUES WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION

Shadow IT indicates where workers experience challenges and pain points in their
day-to-day jobs, giving both the IT department and enterprise executives clear
indications on areas that need attention.

"It shines a light within the business, and it shows where IT isn't delivering,"
Kapusta said.

 IT should view such indicators as an opportunity to bridge the internal silos,
he said.

4. HIGHLIGHTS THE MOST INNOVATIVE BUSINESS-SIDE WORKERS

The creativity and drive behind shadow IT efforts is worth noting.

"Shadow IT actually identifies the most commitment, the most invested people,"
said Richard Marshall, an analyst with the Analyst Syndicate and principal of
Concept Gap. "If you want to find people who are the best internal disruptors,
look for people who are shadow IT users."

These are the employees working to solve problems, Marshall said. They're also
likely to have the best understanding of how to find the most effective way of
doing their jobs.

5. IMPROVES BUSINESS OPERATIONS

Workers tend to use their own technology so they can do their jobs more
efficiently and effectively. Or they're looking for ways to enhance teamwork,
collaboration and communication.

If their technology selections help them on any of those points, that can mean
overall productivity boosts for the company, Marshall said.

6. IDENTIFIES USER REQUIREMENTS

Shadow IT can highlight what users are looking for, thereby providing an
efficient way to gather user requirements. That's particularly helpful for IT
when the department decides to officially fold the unsanctioned technology into
the enterprise environment and scale it for broader use, Marshall said.

"It's a big accelerant toward the delivery of more official solutions," he said.

7. SOLVES CHALLENGES RELATED TO USER ADOPTION AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Shadow IT can eliminate the challenge of getting workers to adopt new software,
as they themselves have already committed to selecting, testing, learning and
mastering the new application.

Those workers who seek out their own technology for on-the-job challenges tend
to persuade their colleagues to use those products, too, Anderson said.

"Sometimes it's even cheaper to use the tool they found than pay for all the
change management associated with another enterprise solution," he said.

8. MORE QUICKLY DELIVERS SOFTWARE THAT BETTER FITS BUSINESS NEEDS

Shadow IT eliminates the need for IT to understand what their business-side
colleagues are trying to do and exactly what they want from a new software
program. Instead, it puts problem-solving in the hands of those who know the
problem best.

"The business knows its needs best," said analyst John Annand, who serves as a
director with the infrastructure team at Info-Tech Research Group. "The business
is the expert user after all, and they know the business logic and the
requirements."

Shadow IT helps the business get exactly what it wants, Annand said.

9. CREATES A MORE OPEN-MINDED APPROACH TO SOFTWARE SELECTION

Business-side workers don't usually have favorite programming languages or
vendors, so they're generally more open-minded when they look for technologies
that can help them search broadly for the best application to meet their needs,
Annand said.

"Business is open to all possibilities," he said. "They don't come with the
biases that IT might have based on preferences or what other departments are
already using for solutions."

10. HIGHLIGHTS OPPORTUNITY FOR PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN IT

Shadow IT can show organizations where and how to improve processes.

"Users will be more apt to [bypass] IT if they see IT or information security as
the department of 'no' versus one that is solution-oriented or if the
procurement process is painfully slow or complex," said Josh Hamit, vice
president and CIO at Altra Federal Credit Union and member of ISACA's Emerging
Trends Working Group.

"If shadow IT is a problem, it's a good opportunity to take a step back and
evaluate whether the technology procurement or vendor management process can be
improved," Hamit said. "The more you can simplify and streamline the process,
the more likely that users will be inclined to use it."


5 CONS OF SHADOW IT

1. RINGS UP EXTRA COSTS

Paying for both unsanctioned tech and an equivalent enterprise software program
means the organization is footing the bill for duplicate products.

An organization could be paying premium rates for the unsanctioned technology
rather than getting a better rate negotiated by its procurement team, Hamit
said.

"By circumventing the standard procurement process, the organization starts to
double-dip on technology it already has in place, which increases the total
spend," he said.

2. INCREASES CYBERSECURITY AND COMPLIANCE RISKS

As workers develop and deploy technology without any reviews or security
assessments, they often increase the organization's exposure to various risks.

Employees could be adding technology that's more vulnerable to cyber attacks,
and they could be onboarding technology that uses or stores sensitive data in
ways that expose it to theft or run afoul of regulatory requirements, Kapusta
said.

"They leave the business, its intellectual property and its data open to
attacks," he said. "And you can lose insight into what data's out there [at a
time] when it's important to know where all your data is."

3. INTRODUCES PERFORMANCE AND USER EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS

Shadow IT can cause application performance issues or user experience problems
because it typically doesn't undergo the rigorous review that IT applies when
deploying new technology to ensure it will operate smoothly within the
organization's existing environment.

That's particularly true as more and more workers use the unsanctioned
technology, Kapusta said.

"There's a good chance of introducing glitches," he said.

4. RUNS AFOUL OF VENDORS AND THEIR LICENSING REQUIREMENTS

Business-side workers who decide to deploy technology without IT's input may
unwittingly expose their organizations to problems with vendors.

That's particularly true as more and more workers start to use the unauthorized
applications without securing needed licenses or agreements with the vendors,
Marshall said. That could bring big fees for unauthorized and unlicensed use of
the software.

5. CREATES MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

Turning to shadow IT means the technology team wasn't able to create software
that might give the company a unique competitive edge.

"Going around IT might result in missed opportunities to properly evaluate build
vs. buy," Hamit said. "For example, if the IT department has a capable team, it
may be feasible for in-house developers to create an application rather than
purchasing one off the shelf or subscribing to a service."

That potential in-house software has the potential to truly customize to deliver
on business goals and provide a better experience in the long run, he said.



DIG DEEPER ON DIGITAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

 * REMOTE WORKING BURN-OUT A FACTOR IN SECURITY RISK
   
   
   By: Alex Scroxton

 * COMPARE FILE SYNC VS. BACKUP FOR DATA PROTECTION
   
   
   By: John Edwards

 * NETWORK PERFORMANCE ISSUES ARE IT PAIN POINT AMID COVID-19
   
   
   By: Michaela Goss

 * PREVENT THE STORAGE AND DATA SECURITY RISKS OF REMOTE WORK
   
   
   By: Robert Sheldon

Sponsored News
 * Controlling the Uncontrollable End User –Citrix
 * Companies Will Be Upping Their Remote-Work Game Post-Pandemic –Citrix
 * Digital Workspaces of the Future: Technology that Serves the People, Not Vice
   ... –Citrix
 * See More

Related Content
 * 'Regulated enablement' key to minimizing shadow IT ... – SearchCIO
 * Shadow IoT poses growing threat to network security – IoT Agenda
 * Compare file sync vs. backup for data protection – SearchDataBackup



Latest TechTarget resources
 * Compliance
 * Health IT
 * Cloud Computing
 * Mobile Computing
 * Data Center

SearchCompliance
 * How to evaluate and select GRC vendors and tools
   
   There is a variety of governance, risk and compliance software on the market.
   Learn about some of the available products and how ...

 * 10 CCPA enforcement cases from the law's first year
   
   It's been more than a year since CCPA enforcement began, and organizations
   started hearing from the California attorney general. ...

 * Use ISO 22332 to improve business continuity plans
   
   Standards offer guidance on business continuity and disaster recovery plans.
   ISO 22332 is no exception, providing great detail on...

SearchHealthIT
 * Virtual care is the future of healthcare
   
   2020 was the catalyst healthcare needed. Here we discuss how the industry is
   shifting to a virtual-first model and doubling down ...

 * Real-time customer experience in healthcare is on the horizon
   
   Forrester's chief business technology officer explains how tools that capture
   data in real time can help healthcare organizations...

 * A look inside the all-in-one HCISPP exam guide
   
   Check out this excerpt from the HCISPP All-in-One Exam Guide to learn more
   about privacy and security in healthcare, one of the ...

SearchCloudComputing
 * On premises vs. cloud: The major similarities and differences
   
   An organization deciding whether to run a workload on premises or in the
   cloud must carefully evaluate security, reliability, ...

 * VMware launches integrated services for multi-cloud operations
   
   VMware Cross-Cloud services for multi-cloud environments faces competition
   from startups and in-house operational tools supplied ...

 * HPE GreenLake vs. AWS Outposts: 2 approaches to hybrid cloud
   
   GreenLake and Outposts both deliver on-premises, cloudlike services, yet have
   stark differences in the approaches they take. ...

SearchMobileComputing
 * Disney adopts Amazon's white-label voice assistant for hotels
   
   The "Hey Disney" voice assistant is the first use of Amazon's white-labeled
   voice assistant in a major hotel chain. It will ...

 * Apple improves MDM on iOS, iPad OS
   
   Changes to Apple's mobile device management protocol could lead to better MDM
   products for iPhones and iPads. The protocol update...

 * Microsoft brings Thunderbolt to Surface computers
   
   The high-speed Thunderbolt 4 port introduced in the Surface Laptop Studio and
   Surface Pro 8 will replace the USB-C ports found in...

SearchDataCenter
 * Data center security compliance checklist
   
   In five steps, create a security compliance plan for your data center.
   Discover different standards, learn audit schedules and ...

 * Common Kubernetes terminology you should know
   
   What are pods and nodes? How do namespaces differ from volumes? This list of
   common Kubernetes terms can give you a basic ...

 * Discover the three major CentOS clones
   
   Free, open source AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux and VzLinux are clones of the
   popular CentOS Linux distribution, which became a rolling ...

 * About Us
 * Editorial Ethics Policy
 * Meet The Editors
 * Contact Us
 * Advertisers
 * Business Partners
 * Media Kit
 * Corporate Site

 * Contributors
 * Reprints
 * Answers
 * Definitions
 * E-Products
 * Events
 * Features

 * Guides
 * Opinions
 * Photo Stories
 * Quizzes
 * Tips
 * Tutorials
 * Videos

All Rights Reserved, Copyright 2007 - 2021, TechTarget

Privacy Policy
Cookie Preferences
Do Not Sell My Personal Info
Push Notification Optouts


Close