The Role of Custom Software Development in Digital Transformation

Broadly speaking, digital transformation is the use of software solutions by businesses to deliver more value to their customers, stay competitive, and boost their own profits and efficiency.

The process of digital transformation itself can take many forms—most obviously, offering one’s services via a mobile app or website so that customers can engage with your brand online or via their smartphones. But it could also mean transferring company databases and workflows to an enterprise software platform for greater automation, managing your supply chains with a blockchain ledger, building a virtual reality experience for a Web3 presence, or many more things depending on the latest trends in your industry and technology in general. No matter what kind of project you might undertake as part of digital transformation, it will require software development to create the required tools and apps.

In fact, development is itself affected by digital transformation, as over time, improvements to coding platforms, as well as new frameworks and more efficient processes, have led to improvements in the speed and stability, even as the market demands ever more complex software. Ultimately, the process of digital transformation is a never-ending journey, as it must always be engaged with to keep up with technological advances and market competition.

Achieving a Successful Digital Transformation with Custom Software

Digital transformation can mean different things to different industries. Most of the time, businesses will contract an experienced custom software development services company to create a software product that is tailored exactly to their needs. This is the most efficient approach, as the business remains in control of features, budget, design, etc., and retains the flexibility to scale the project up or down to meet changing market conditions.

There’s a lot to be gained from thinking of a way to innovate using software that none of your competitors have thought of yet, but any new innovation should be backed up by research and careful planning.

For successful digital transformation, ask yourself the following questions first:

• What am I trying to achieve with digital transformation?
• Why is this change necessary?
• What processes or technologies will I need to achieve my goals?
• What kind of skills might I need for my software development team?

Factors to consider include what platforms your software needs to work on, i.e., Windows, Mac, Android, Linux, or other, what are your cybersecurity needs, your target user base, and so on. This initial checklist will help you plan a project with the developers.

Benefits of Digital Transformation

When considering what you want to achieve with digital transformation, there are various positive impacts it can have on your business. Depending on your needs, you may want to target one or more of the following:

Business Operations

Knowledge is power, and the best way to make the most of information in business is through data collection and analytics. Artificial intelligence and machine learning can be used to leverage actionable insights and improved decision-making to help you get the edge over the competition, save on costs, automate lengthy manual processes, and deliver unique products.

Business Model

Going digital can even radically change your business model, overhauling the way you offer products and services to customers. Good examples of digital disruptors include Uber in the taxi industry, Netflix in the streaming industry, or Booking.com and AirBnb when it comes to hospitality. The right software product, such as a well-designed mobile app, could let you offer a completely unique digital customer experience.

Company Culture

Digital transformation can also be a part of modernization of company culture to stay competitive in the digital marketplace. The adoption of new tech should be accompanied by more efficient work processes, customer-centric product design, and a modern approach to work that maximizes productivity, creativity, and happiness in the workplace.

Recent Advances in Software Development

Software development itself is affected by digital transformation and benefits from recent innovations in the industry. For example:

• Remote Working – Advances in communication technology and internet speeds have made it possible for many developers to work remotely. This makes collaboration much easier and outsourcing more viable. Now, no longer are you limited to developers that you can find in your area, but you can contract talent from other locations at competitive prices.
• Agile Methodology – This framework for software development focuses on delivering working features in short iterations (called sprints) as well as frequent testing and feedback. It allows quality software to be built quickly while retaining the flexibility to adapt to changing market or customer needs.
• DevOps – This methodology, which is growing in popularity, leverages automation and frequent deployment for fast and effective software development.

When you look to contract a software development company, check which methodologies and processes they use. A reputable software company should be able to explain which methodology is best for your project.

Conclusion

As you can see, custom software development is both a driver of digital transformation and a beneficiary of its innovations. Whatever your particular needs, make sure to partner with an experienced development team that can deliver secure and powerful software that will be up to the task.

AccelOne’s US-Nearshore development team has a proven track record of delivering quality software solutions for industry-leading clients. To discuss how our experts can help you realize your digital transformation goals, contact us online or call 800.863.6814.