I downloaded the summary of IT Spending, Staffing and Technology Trends by Computer Economics and it confirmed that spending in IT will continue to grow this year at an estimated rate of 4%. The same study last year showed a similar population estimating the IT spending rate of growth at 5%. You have to remember that this survey asks respondents to predict spending; it does not measure what is actually spent. Considering that just about everyone is bearish about the economy and only those trading oil futures are optimists these days, it is revealing that IT professionals are predicting a growth in their budgets similar to what they predicted last year. I agree with the trends described in the study and view a 4% growth in IT spending as an indication that the glass is half full. IT spending in 2008 is not likely to take much of a hit.

Interestingly enough, IT services, Risk Management, Business Continuity and Information Security continue to be the areas where more of the IT budget is spent. These are the same areas members ask us to focus on in our Forums and Roundtables.