The onset of the pandemic completely transformed the business landscape. From redefining the business strategies to reshaping how people work, radical measures were taken to ensure business continuity in uncertain times. At the core of everything was leveraging new technologies to reinvent standard processes and supporting the remote workforce. Even the simplest activities called for the intervention of technologies.
Thus, in 2020 and 2021 organizations harnessed the power of digital technology significantly. Enterprise software was one aspect in which many organizations invested heavily to sustain their business operations. Today, in 2022, enterprise ecosystems are thriving with innovative technology trends. Which technologies will drive the enterprise solutions in 2022 and beyond? This article aims to explore the seven enterprise technology trends that are leading today. Let’s take a look.
- Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)
AR and VR received immense success in 2021. The trend is expected to further take off in 2022. Enterprises will utilize this technology to solve complex problems and gain varied perspectives on different issues. In custom enterprise software development, it has a particularly large potential for elevating the enterprise user experience.
AR and VR will be used significantly for training and such related activities. With the help of these advanced technologies, an immersive training experience can be provided, which makes training, onboarding, etc. more efficient and accurate.
2. Enterprise UX
User experience has been a low-priority aspect of enterprise software for a long while. The focus was on functionalities and efficiency, more than the usability and user-friendliness. But, things have changed today. The importance of UX in making any digital product better is well-known by now. If earlier it was considered only by consumer-facing products, today enterprise solutions also realize the need for good UX.
In 2022, the enterprise user experience will be more prominent. Several reports show how providing a better employee experience is directly related to an increase in productivity. User-friendly enterprise solutions will enhance the experience of employees and make their operations more efficient and smooth.
3. Low code development
The future of enterprise software development is low-code development. Platforms like Salesforce, Airtable, and so on have brought low code development to the limelight. With its drag and drop interfaces, no-code platforms make software development fast, easy and accessible for all. People with basic programming knowledge or even no coding skills can create software using low-code platforms with predefined templates and built-in integrations. This makes it a great approach for enterprises to digitize their company-wide operations effortlessly.
Along with the minimum programming skills required for development, another reason why low-code development will thrive in 2022 and beyond is its cost-efficiency. In today’s digital world, businesses require digital solutions to operate productively. Low code development ensures that cost is the least hindrance when it comes to the development of business software. This enables all companies irrespective of their size to reap the benefits of digital solutions.
4. Data as a service
With the growing emphasis on data, in 2022 organizations will leverage Big data. Data as a service (DaaS) will be a popular solution that companies will use to improve the integrity of their data, increase reliability, and enhance the speed of data workloads. Just like SaaS simplified website design, DaaS will streamline the data management infrastructure.
DaaS uses the cloud to provide data storage, processing, and analysis services through a connected network. Low-cost cloud storage and the development of fast cloud-based platforms have led to the popularity of DaaS for large scale data management activities. It offers various benefits such as improved functionality, better flexibility, automated maintenance, and so on.
5. Innovative cloud technologies
When enterprises began undergoing digital transformation, moving to the cloud was one of the first steps they undertook. It was necessary to meet the changing demands and carry out the various business functionalities. Today, as the digital era is advancing, innovative cloud technologies to integrate cloud-based tools at all levels is important to ensure a seamless experience.
In 2022, we can expect organizations to increase the scope of cloud interventions in their operations. The majority of the internal workflows, from onboarding processes to IT operation requests will be managed through the cloud. Cloud integration at all levels will transform the enterprise ecosystem exponentially.
6. Process automation
It is said that with the onset of the pandemic, more than ten years’ worth of digital transformation was achieved in less than six months. Process automation is one such aspect that many organizations were hesitant to deploy in the pre-pandemic period. However, accelerated by the change in the work ecosystem, adopting automation-based tools is gaining popularity today.
Business process automation will find its way into all major processes of an organization such as performance management, order management, project management, and so on. Many companies, including Microsoft, have enhanced their automation tools to better meet the requirements of the changing enterprise ecosystem.
7. Artificial intelligence (AI)
The adoption of artificial intelligence is prevalent in all major sectors today and enterprise software is following the trend. With the rich data and meaningful insights that AI provides, businesses are empowered to deliver an exceptional user experience to enterprise users. Moreover, it helps to improve business efficiency and drive innovations for today and tomorrow.
The trend will more prominently be adopted by enterprises related to healthcare and manufacturing. Also, AI can greatly enhance cybersecurity processes as it can accurately identify potential threats.
Future of Enterprise Software Development
Enterprise software will no longer be standalone systems. In this age of collaboration, enterprise solutions must also be collaborative to enable people to work together and better. Gone are the days when adopting technology was a choice, today it is a necessity if enterprises want to scale up their growth and continue business operations successfully.
The future of enterprise software is modern, mobile, and user-centric. Technology is not merely a support for the enterprise solutions today but rather it is the driving force that accelerates companies to their success. 2022 will witness several enhancements and innovations — all aimed at improving the value offerings and building a connected ecosystem.