A new year has come, giving chief information officers the perfect opportunity to assess how far they have come in terms of implementing innovative solutions, in addition to contemplating their next steps toward technological advancement.So what are the most common resolutions landing on CIOs’ lists? Well, 2014 is going to be all about working with the tools that IT professionals have already incorporated into their operations, specifically, refining the use of these technologies so that they can make the most of their past investments.One of the biggest buzzwords making the rounds throughout this past year was big data. Over the course of 2013, the wealth of information available to companies and their tech departments has grown significantly, as organizations have managed to compile all sorts of data points from both their internal dealings and the outside world. Now that CIOs have access to extensively cultivated databases, they have to find a way to make sense of it all and apply the insight that they’ve gleaned for better business practices.Granted, data analytics are nothing new to 2014. IT professionals have already been making an honest effort to pick apart the vat of information that they have begun to collect. That said, they now have to kick their analytics up a notch in a variety of ways.Present big data results with interactive solutionsAll Analytics revealed that one of the most popular data trends that CIOs should try to implement this year has to do with the manner in which they present all of their findings to their IT staff members, as well as the rest of their organizations.If tech executives have already been mining information for some time, it is likely that they have come across some data that their companies could use to improve their functions and practices for optimal results. The problem is, however, that other higher ranking professionals who oversee other departments do not necessarily understand IT jargon. For this reason, CIOs are going to have to explain everything that they uncovered through their data digging in a comprehensive fashion that enables even the most technically challenged business person to understand.Stagnant printout reports are no longer the way to present executives with data. Instead, CIOs should look to create moving visual aids to express analytical findings. The key to carrying out effective data demonstrations is to allow for interaction. By using programs that enable IT professionals to manipulate data in real time, they can increase the likelihood of everyone getting on the same page. If tech staff members can show the rest of their companies exactly how certain variables affect the potential business results stemming from making changes to their overall operations, then they can successfully provide guidance that can help their organizations optimize their functions.If CIOs design these interactive data analytics programs to be viewed on personal mobile devices, which can prove to be a helpful tool for business executives and personnel alike, then they have some other resolutions to tackle during 2014. Any solutions and all solutions that are used on employees’ own devices, in addition to confidential company data, require IT professionals to bring their A game when it comes to securing them.Secure those apps and databasesAccording to Computerworld, there is no doubt that “bring your own device” practices offer IT departments and businesses in general a slew of benefits. At the same time, they could leave sensitive information susceptible to being hacked by unauthorized users, which can be damaging to companies in more ways than one – from jeopardizing client relationships to revealing business models.Because of this, CIOs are going to start to silo these apps and databases, keeping them separate from personal ones on representatives’ devices. This way, employees can use their mobile gadgets both for work and pleasure, but still allow IT departments to keep careful watch over corporate solutions. Additionally, IT departments can back up their portion of apps on personal devices so that they can ensure all the proper privacy precautions are taken. This will prevent their important information from falling into the wrong hands. With segregated solutions, CIOs can also easily eliminate every shred of company data and functions on the phones of staff members who are taking their leave. This prevents them from having to sift through everything these former employees have on their devices to manually erase business-related information.