In Depth

In Depth

Web development

• How Halfords is using tech to rev up its customer service

  Live chat, virtual contact centres and a new unifying web platform are set to enhance Halfords’ customer service proposition in the year ahead  Continue Reading

• Disabled consumers left logged out of retail’s digital revolution

  Retailers are being urged to make their digital assets more accessible to disabled consumers, not just for moral and social reasons, but because of the commercial opportunity  Continue Reading

• The next stage in football’s digital revolution is ready for the new season

  Technology is playing an increasing role in football, as the Premier League adopts video assistant referees for the first time and clubs turn to data to capture more of their fans’ attention  Continue Reading

• How privacy could breathe new life into personalisation

  As much of the advertising technology used by marketers to deliver personalised content online is deemed unlawful, there are signs regulation could actually be a win-win for both consumers and business – as long as the industry embraces change  Continue Reading

• Futuristic logistics: retailers focused on rapid delivery

  From Asos Instant to Ocado Zoom, and a host of new services in between, rapid delivery is gaining traction in UK retail in an attempt to meet customer demand  Continue Reading

• Interview: Andy Berks, digital product director, Asos

  Asos’s digital product director Andy Berks talks about how the online retailer has used AI and machine learning technologies – and why the needs of the customer have to come first  Continue Reading

• Manchester’s evolution from rag trade to e-commerce riches

  As Amazon and Moonpig plan to open Manchester hubs, the focus once again turns to the city’s in-demand digital and e-commerce scene  Continue Reading

• CIO interview: Tamara Lohan, founder and CTO of Mr & Mrs Smith

  Head of technology and co-founder of luxury travel firm Mr & Mrs Smith explains how the firm is revamping its technology to provide customers with a seamless experience  Continue Reading

• National Archives races to create electronic archive of EU law before Brexit

  The National Archives faces challenges converting the EU's enormous library of laws into a publicly accessible UK archive ahead of Brexit. The Archives’ digital director, John Sheridan, explains how  Continue Reading

• Amazon, Toys R Us and a tale of two technology approaches

  Many factors contributed to the collapse of Toys R Us, but did a partnership with Amazon at the turn of the millennium play a part in its eventual demise?  Continue Reading

• Should retail try to save the high street's declining footfall?

  Footfall in the high street is declining, but should retailers be trying to claw back visits to stores or is it time for a new digital focus?  Continue Reading

• Have traditional banks weathered the fintech challenge?

  How will the financial technology-based challenger banks evolve as the traditional retail banking industry ups its digital game?  Continue Reading

• What are the retail jobs that don’t exist yet?

  As in many industries, technology and new consumer behaviour is changing the shape of retail. But what yet-to-be-created jobs are on the horizon for the sector?  Continue Reading

• What CIOs can learn from investors when assessing fintech startups

  IT leaders who are looking for innovative ideas but wary of using startups could turn to the investment community to see how they gauge which firms to back  Continue Reading

• Hard work, big prize: Bristol is shaping what it means to be a smart city

  Two-and-a-half years after the ambitious Bristol is Open smart city project launched, we return to the West Country to explore how things are progressing, and find out what has been learned  Continue Reading

• Can retailers be too far ahead of the tech curve?

  Ocado is winning plaudits for its innovation but analysts criticise the online grocer for its financial performance  Continue Reading

• How to ride Wave 2 for faster network speeds

  The 802.11ac Wave 2 wireless standard is entering enterprise wireless networks. Computer Weekly looks at how it works and how best to deploy it  Continue Reading

• The supply chain’s growing importance in modern retail

  Efficient supply chain management is crucial if retailers are to offer their customers the required shopping experience in today’s complex trading environment  Continue Reading

• Can you work around SAP indirect access software licensing?

  The SAP legal case against Diageo highlights the seemingly arbitrary rules governing software licensing  Continue Reading

• CW@50: The next 50 years

  As Computer Weekly celebrates its 50th anniversary, we look ahead to what we might be writing about in another 50 years from now  Continue Reading

• Overcoming the scale-up challenge of enterprise DevOps adoption

  CIOs and IT leaders share their advice on what enterprises can do to accelerate the spread of DevOps within their organisations  Continue Reading

• CW@50: The story of the internet, and how it changed the world

  Computer Weekly’s journey through 50 years of innovation in technology continues with a look back at the history of the internet and the huge changes it has brought to society  Continue Reading

• My first IoT project: A guide for businesses

  We’ve all had a good giggle about having our fridges hacked – but now it’s time to get real. What are the first steps enterprises should take when implementing their first internet of things project?  Continue Reading

• The Bimodal IT backlash: Should IT departments subscribe to the notion of a two-tier workforce?

  Gartner’s Bimodal IT vision has captured the imaginations of some CIOs, but industry watchers have queried how well cultivating a two-tier IT department works in reality  Continue Reading

• Three steps towards a hierarchy of needs for smart cities

  Smart cities face challenges around network connectivity, standardisation and data governance, say IoT experts, and these needs must be met for them to flourish  Continue Reading

• Open source - it’s the logical alternative

  It’s round two in the fight between open source and commercial software, and open source is punching well above its weight  Continue Reading

• Four CIO tips for implementing DevOps

  Esure CIO Mark Foulsham shares his advice for IT leaders about successfully implementing DevOps methods to become a more agile organisation  Continue Reading

• How technology is helping deliver aid to Syrian refugees in the Middle East

  The Syrian refugee crisis has engulfed the Middle East, but technology is proving to be an essential tool to help aid organisations support displaced people  Continue Reading

• Testing a four-million-user disaster recovery plan

  Preparing broadcaster MTG's websites for the Winter Olympics won Load Impact the 2015 Computer Weekly European Private Sector Award  Continue Reading

• Managing your customer’s multi-channel service experience

  Customers expect the same levels of service however they contact you – by phone, in store, on the web or from mobile. How do you deliver the best multi-channel experience?  Continue Reading

• Using data analytics to deliver more personalised customer service

  Personalisation has been the goal for many retailers, but can the emergence of big data analytics be the solution they are looking for?  Continue Reading

• Why companies need to start developing apps for Apple Watch

  With the Apple Watch now available, companies are falling over themselves to push out apps for the wearable device  Continue Reading

• Tips and tools for building an effective online presence

  We look at how social media, analytics, cloud and mobile access are important considerations for businesses in all sectors  Continue Reading

• Five tech trends that will change the mobile world in the next 10 years

  Computer scientist Kevin Curran discusses some of the trends that will shape the future of mobile at Mobile World Congress 2015  Continue Reading

• Cloud and the need for microservices

  Cloud holds the promise to change the way IT supports the business by using hybrid private/public cloud services  Continue Reading

• Inside the Digital Catapult, six startups at the forefront of data innovation

  The recently opened Digital Catapult in London’s Kings Cross is home to ambitious technology startups innovating around big data  Continue Reading

• The technology opportunity for UK shopping centres

  While retailers are setting the innovation barrier high, how are shopping centres using technology to improve their customer offerings?  Continue Reading

• Interview: Fujitsu CTO Joseph Reger on human-centric innovation

  Joseph Reger, Fujitsu's EMEIA CTO, discusses human-centric innovation and the need for responsible attitudes to technology  Continue Reading

• How the development of standards will affect the internet of things

  As the internet of things (IoT) grows, so will the number of applications developed to control internet-connected devices and objects  Continue Reading

• How the BBC became digital in three-and-a-half years

  The BBC has undergone a digital transformation that started 18 months prior to the London 2012 Olympic Games  Continue Reading

• Interview: Ed Vaizey MP on broadband, mobile networks and the internet of things

  Digital economy minister Ed Vaizey MP reflects on the next steps for the BDUK project and talks mobile roll-out, 5G and the internet of things (IoT)  Continue Reading

• Interview: Ed Vaizey MP talks digital economy and digital skills

  Minister for the digital economy Ed Vaizey discusses his new role and the future of digital policy  Continue Reading

• The digital CIO: Why embrace digital innovation?

  Having the right digital strategy can make or break an organisation  Continue Reading

• A guide to smart home automation

  Unless it is a new build, the challenge in creating a smart home is that technology must work irrespective of the age of the property  Continue Reading

• The pros and cons of iPads in the enterprise

  The iPad is often the first platform for which developers produce apps – but it is substantially more expensive than its competitors  Continue Reading

• Co-ordinating IT to align with business processes

  Traditionally, when a business wanted to automate a process, it would turn to the IT department, which would work on a formal specification  Continue Reading

• Making pancakes: How Russia plans a technology sector to rival Silicon Valley

  The Russian government is putting £10bn into the Skolkovo Innovation Centre – an ambitious project to create Russia’s equivalent of Silicon Valley  Continue Reading

• The digital CIO: Making the business case for digital technology

  When trying to win backing for digital technology, IT leaders would be wise to focus on benefits, not costs  Continue Reading

• Berlin plays growing role in Europe's startup race for innovation

  California's Silicon Valley has had 30 years to develop a thriving tech startup scene. And now Berlin is fast becoming a tech capital in its own right  Continue Reading

• Realising the benefits of a totally connected world

  The internet of things will transform everyday life, from managing airports’ passenger flow to heating buildings and caring for the elderly.  Continue Reading

• Optimising performance and security of web-based software

  On-demand applications are often talked about in terms of how suppliers should be adapting the way their software is provisioned to customers.  Continue Reading

• High street stores embrace digital to entice customers

  Customers are using technology in favour of the high street, but some stores are fighting fire with fire.  Continue Reading

• A guide to WebRTC

  Real-time communications standards aim to help more users speak with ease over the internet. Computer Weekly looks at how the systems work  Continue Reading

• From chess to ping pong: How Pegasystems is capturing the Fortune 500

  Pegasystems is winning business from the world's leading companies as business process management technology enters the mainstream  Continue Reading

• CW500: Why Channel 4 is crunching big data

  Bob Harris, Channel 4's chief technology officer, charts the broadcaster's technology strategy to use big data to form closer links with viewers  Continue Reading

• GE uses big data to power machine services business

  GE, one of the UK's largest manufacturers, is using big data analytics with data generated from machine sensors to predict maintenance needs  Continue Reading

• Gathering retail intelligence

  Learning their customers’ habits through business intelligence is vital for bricks-and-mortar retailers to stay competitive  Continue Reading

• HTML5: The end of native apps?

  Will the platform-agnostic common language HTML5 force apps from the device to the web?  Continue Reading

• Mandatory carbon reporting: Indirect emissions guidelines for IT managers

  As the UK government announces mandatory carbon reporting for listed companies, how are IT managers to interpret guidelines on indirect emissions?  Continue Reading

• Using open data in local government

  Developers are using open data from local government to create new, innovate public services. Cliff Saran reports.  Continue Reading

• Interview: Oke Okaro, general manager and global head of mobile at Bloomberg

  Bloomberg's mobile chief talks to Computer Weekly about the challenges of mobile apps development and the prospects for Windows 8.  Continue Reading

• Buyer's Guide: Forrester reveals the value of IPv6 to the enterprise

  IPv6 can support a new set of customers and offers the opportunity to generate revenue from digital services  Continue Reading

• CW500: How CIOs are exploiting the cloud

  CIOs from the Guardian, Mitchells & Butlers and Oxfam reveal how they are exploiting cloud computing  Continue Reading

• CW500: The future of retail IT

  Bricks and mortar retailers may be struggling in the downturn, but online retailing is booming.  Continue Reading