Our Angles
Straight from the minds of our talented consultants.
The bridge
When large IT outsourcing engagements move from procurement into delivery, the work that determines whether the relationship thrives or fractures happens in the spaces nobody owns. The bridge is most valuable when it is least noticed. That is precisely why it so often goes unfilled, and why that absence is costly.
The Lost Art of the Meeting Minute
Across boardrooms, project teams, and executive committees, the humble meeting minute - one of the most underrated instruments of corporate governance - is being quietly retired in favour of AI-generated transcripts, automated summaries, and action-list algorithms. But are these tools really delivering ROI?
Twelve years on, what the Horizon replacement tender tells us
Computer Weekly confirmed this week that Accenture has joined IBM and DXC on the shortlist to replace Fujitsu’s Horizon system. This is the Post Office’s third attempt in twelve years. The same firms keep appearing. The interesting question is not who wins, it is why the shortlist is always so short, and what that tells buyers about the procurement and delivery model itself.
The Police Database retreat
Our reflections on the Home Office's decision to abandon the Police National Database cloud migration, as reported in The Register.
When the Machine Says No
Recent research from UC Berkeley highlights the phenomenon of Peer Preservation within AI models. Does this already have real-world implications for IT Administrators?
Mythos, Quantum, and the Cyber Challenge
For boardrooms, CISOs and infrastructure directors, Mythos is the clearest signal yet that the threat landscape is bending faster than most enterprise security programmes can adapt. And it arrives at a moment when most of those programmes are still losing the battle against their own legacy estate.
The AI Fire Drill
Here is an uncomfortable proposition: the better your AI system performs, the more dangerous it becomes. Not because the outputs are wrong, but because they are almost always right. And “almost always right” is precisely the condition that makes human oversight fail.
Agent overload – the growing problem of agentic sprawl
A year ago, most organisations were experimenting with a handful of AI assistants. Today, many are quietly running dozens. Soon, it may be hundreds - welcome to the era of agentic sprawl.
Beyond Cloud First: The Rise of Sovereign and Hybrid Data Centres
For years public cloud has been hailed as the future, with almost infinite resources at your command, able to be turned on and off like a tap. In a major twist, organisations are now re-evaluating cloud strategies and exploring sovereign cloud and hybrid DC architectures. This appears to be in response to the reality of a new landscape where cost, control and resilience is overtaking the “cloud first” agenda.
Matt Shumer says the sky is on fire. What should you do about it?
Matt Shumer’s X post on the near-term implications of AI has more than 80M views and has attracted wide-spread press coverage. In this response Refractis’s own James Todd seeks to sift the hype from the reality.
Stop the trAIn, I want to get off!
The artificial intelligence revolution has arrived with the subtlety of a freight train at full throttle. Across boardrooms and IT departments worldwide, there's a palpable sense of urgency to "do something with AI.” The fear of being left behind is real, the competitive pressures are mounting, and the promise of efficiency gains is tantalising. But in this headlong rush toward an AI-enabled future, are we moving too fast for our own good?
How low can you go? A retrospective
Over four years ago now, in mid-2021, I wrote a series of Refractis “Angles” about the increasing adoption of Low Code tools.
I thought it would be interesting to revisit the articles, review my original list, see which of the tools had thrived, and how they had adapted to the changes that AI has brought to the space.
SaaS project management tooling: boosting productivity or adding digital noise?
As more and more companies adopt these platforms, very often adding multiple tools to the mix, the question becomes: are we actually working smarter, or just adding another layer of digital noise?
Variable Recurring Payments (VRPs)– the one to watch in 2025.
VRPs offer incremental improvements for businesses and consumers across the payment journey find out how we think VRPs will be applied in 2025.
A case for independent technical delivery management
In an era where digital transformation can make or break businesses, ensuring proper governance and delivery management isn't just good practice – it's essential for survival.
Are your IT suppliers holding you back?
In this Angle we will discuss what makes a strong IT partner, how they can support you through a transformation, all while getting a good deal.
IT transformation done right?
Why do tales from IT Transformations often sound like survivor accounts from disaster zones? How do you balance the risk of fixing security vulnerabilities against the requirement for an AI tool...
How to defend against Broadcom's VMware license price hikes
Now may be the time to review estate-exposure to key technology vendors. In this article we discuss the importance of analysis of vendors to assess their track record or strategy and the impact to your business if changes are made.
Mergers and acquisitions in IT operations management: a strategic approach
What are the key considerations for building a efficient and effective IT operation whilst M&A activity is progressing?
The value of contingency planning
If you are in the middle of an IT change programme or are about to initiate one, why not spend some time reviewing your risk management approach and contingency plans. Don’t be left without a river to swim in!