Urgent shift in focus to consumers’ digital experiences

• 85% of IT decision-makers confirm trend in new “Reprogramming the Enterprise” report from WSO2
• While a majority of 500 IT decision-makers agree on the priority around delivering digital experiences, the survey revealed gaps in organisational readiness

In a survey of 500 IT decision-makers, 85% agree that there is an urgent shift toward focusing on consumers’ digital experiences. Moreover, 73% of respondents say that the move to focus on the digital experience in their own organisation was sudden. The survey was conducted for a new report from WSO2: “Reprogramming the Enterprise: Keeping Pace with the Wave of Innovation.” The results highlight the factors that organisations must consider as they deliver innovative and differentiated digital experiences for their customers.

Most of the decision-makers surveyed indicate that the accelerated use of digital channels is reshaping both their organisational and technology strategies. The report from WSO2, a leader in digital transformation technology, examines these IT professionals’ strategies, as well as the roadblocks they face in delivering new digital experiences today. 

How well do enterprises understand customer’s digital experiences? It depends on who you ask. Among C-level executives, 52% say their organisation understands its customers’ digital experiences extremely well compared to 30% of directors and 22% of managers. The responses suggest a possible disconnect between top decision-makers and those who are more closely involved with improving customers’ experiences on a daily basis.

However, the vast majority of IT decision-makers agree that four factors are key to driving better digital experiences, as well as gaining and maintaining a competitive advantage: improved security (90%), cloud adoption (89%), API integration (82%), and total data control (81%). 

The push to accelerate innovation is putting additional pressures on enterprises already facing a shortage of software developers. In fact, 51% of IT decision-makers say the talent shortage of developers has had a negative impact on their business. Over half (54%) of respondents say that the shortage of developers has delayed projects and reduced productivity while 48% report that it has slowed the pace of innovation.

To address the shortage, enterprises are relying on a combination of staffing, professional development, and technology strategies. Among IT decision-makers, 40% report that they are increasing automation, and 87% think it is likely that more non-developers will use low-code or no-code development tools over the next three years. Meanwhile 54% of respondents say their organisation is training other employees on developer skills, and 65% identify cloud native development as the developer skill their organisation is most in need of.

“For the majority of survey respondents, the ability to rapidly deliver innovative digital experiences is becoming a critical factor in their ability to compete,” said WSO2 chief technology officer Eric Newcomer. “Cloud native benefits, such as scale, resilience and agility, are integral to the experience, but not easy to achieve. Automating deployment is also essential but adds a complexity of its own. Developers, especially those with these skills, are in short supply, and need better tools to compete and succeed.”

The survey for the Reprogramming the Enterprise report was conducted by LEWIS Research on behalf of WSO2. The survey of 500 IT professionals included IT decision-makers and IT architects at organisations in the United States with 250 or more employees.