At least 80% of IT decision-makers believe the consumerisation of IT has changed expectations for user experiences – making them more demanding.This is among the findings of a global survey by Avanade.
The consumerisation of IT has impacted many layers within organisations, from user expectations to mobility strategy, requiring a fundamental shift in the selection and adoption of technology. However less than 37% say it is currently a critical part of their application development process.
Additionally, only 29% of organisations view their processes as always being agile enough to meet business needs – despite the fact that a majority (94%) report that there is an increased expectation to deploy applications faster.
“The impact of connected digital technologies – especially mobility – is very real, but organisations are hindered by a fragmented approach to changing needs and technology demands,” says Rudi Greyling, chief technology officer and innovation director at Avanade SA.
“The user experience is truly the new competitive frontier and enterprises need to make it an integral part of application development, thus ensuring the connection between users and technology is seamless and intuitive. To achieve this, companies must invest in developing a digital strategy that rethinks application possibilities and aligns them to real business outcomes.”
Mobile-friendly applications and services are no longer optional – enterprises must design new applications with mobility in mind. This new research shows that many organisations are still struggling to define a clear strategy for these key areas. With the right approach, organisations can tap into this new window of opportunity provided by the blurring of physical and digital experiences.
Key findings from the research include:
* Mobility is already or will to be a major initiative for over 90% of enterprises, with the vast majority agreeing that new applications must be mobile-friendly to be successful. However up to 38% say that they lack a cohesive strategy for key elements of mobility including how applications are developed, deployed, maintained and secured.
* IT organisations are struggling to adapt application development strategies to meet changing needs, differentiate themselves against competitors and capture valuable market share. The majority of respondents reported the need to deploy applications more quickly (78%); develop applications that run across multiple device types (69%); and, increase focus on user-centric design (68%).
* At the same time, 65% of enterprises believe that interfaces offering the best user experiences are the key to the successful applications. However, less than half (43%) say that user interface design and experience is included in every project.
* Additionally, 87% of respondents say they struggle to find external partners and vendors with an appropriate level of expertise for the design of user interface experience.
* Cloud computing is also a big factor. Ninety percent of organisations report that they will deploy cloud based applications within two years in order to remain nimble and take advantage of increased scalability to meet fluctuating requirements.
“Even though this global survey did not include South Africa, applications possibilities and mobility are relevant both globally and locally. We should take heed of the research findings and not make the same mistakes in South Africa. We have the opportunity to leapfrog over them into success,” adds Greyling.
