As 2013 draws to a close, I’d like to thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this blog over the past year. Of course, if there are any topics you’d like me to cover in 2014, please share them in the comments.

Over the last 12 months, I’ve written many different articles covering a variety of topics. Today, I’d like to highlight the most popular of those articles and share them with you. In case you missed any of them, here are the most popular posts I’ve written over the last year, as determined by the readers of this blog. I hope you find them interesting:

1. 5 new realities that developers must learn to accept
Driven largely by the rise of mobile and the growth of cloud-based applications and services, modern web application development has changed. These changes fall into two different categories: trends and realities. What’s the difference between the two? A trend is optional. A reality is not.

2. 10 security mistakes web application developers should never make
Despite the rising importance of proper security, best practices are often ignored. Many developers approach the app development process without a proper knowledge of security. As a result, basic security mistakes still plague many web applications. As more development shifts to the web, and more data is stored on the cloud, developers can’t afford to make these basic security mistakes.

3. 7 web application development mistakes that kill usability
User expectations have changed. Users expect to pick up a web app and instantly understand how it works. However, many developers unwittingly make development mistakes that hurt their web application’s usability. In doing so, they accidentally alienate their users.

4. 6 keys to a high-performing IT department
As modern technology evolves, we’re seeing a shift in the business world. In the age of the web, business agility trumps size. What does this mean for the IT department? These days, IT must innovate. They must move quickly. They must drive the business forward. The question is…how can IT departments become more efficient?

5. 7 worst practices of Business Intelligence
Business Intelligence (BI) helps companies better understand their business and improves their decision making, with an end goal of increased revenue. In a perfect world, this would happen every time. However, many businesses misuse Business Intelligence, rendering it either less useful or completely ineffective.

6. Rules for modern web application development
Web application development has experienced a fundamental shift over the last 5 years. However, many companies still develop applications based on outdated standards and technology. If they don’t adapt, these companies will only fall further and further behind as technology rapidly evolves.

7. 7 strategic CIO priorities for 2013-2014
Modern IT departments have an amazing opportunity. As technology plays an increasingly important role in the business, they’re in a prime position to impact their companies more than ever before. However, that’s not happening. If IT departments hope to maximize their impact in this day and age, they must focus their attention on the right priorities–which falls squarely on the CIO’s shoulders.

8. 6 must-have skills of modern web application developers
In the past, application development had more of a specialized focus. Now, that’s changing. The web doesn’t allow for a single focus. A modern web application developer is something of a “jack-of-all-trades.” They must understand development principles, security basics, integration, and more. In other words, web application development requires an ever-increasing, and ever-evolving skill-set.

9. 7 reasons why end users bypass the IT department
According to a recent survey, 71% of organizations say employees are using apps not sanctioned by IT–a practice known as “Shadow IT.” How can your company manage this growing trend? If you want to control the rise of Shadow IT in your organization, first understand the cause. Learn why employees feel the need to circumvent IT in the first place…and then you’ll better understand how to control (or even harness) it.

10. How to build applications your users will hate
IT departments are often frustrated by poor application adoption. They spend months building applications for their end users, only to see low adoption rates upon completion. The very users that begged the IT department for the application don’t use it once it’s built. What causes low user adoption? While there’s no single answer, user adoption problems typically stem from several common mistakes.

There you have it. The 10 most popular posts on this blog in 2013! I hope you found them interesting. Of course, if you think I should’ve added any other posts to this list, I’d love to hear it.

Finally, from all of us here at mrc, we wish you a very happy New Year!!