Couchbase, the multi-cloud to edge NoSQL database enterprise who carried out the report, discovered that an immense 85% of architects feel pressure to deliver digital projects. With a further 68% admitting they find getting the right tech to use for digital transformation developments an “insurmountable” task.

One big area where architects are feeling the pressure is in scaling, with a number of workers suggesting they find implementing the right technologies overwhelming.

The critical role of architects

From the start of any digital project, architects play a key role in ensuring the endeavour runs smoothly, suggests Ravi Mayuram, SVP of Engineering and CTO, Couchbase.  “As digital transformation moves from plans to reality, architects have the critical role of ensuring that business ambitions can be realised,”

The SVP of Engineering adds: “In this new era of utility computing powered by the cloud, the architect’s role is even more critical. They have to understand, evaluate and recommend the right technologies and become the essential bridge between the business and developers. They are the ones to future-proof the technology choices that form the foundations of the architecture for digital transformation projects. They are the ones to marry disruptive technologies that are being developed and brought to market with business initiatives that are underway to stay relevant in this modern economy – enabling businesses to transform, compete and win in their markets.”

Scaling back

Of the 450 heads responsible for digital transformation asked, over three quarters (80%) admit they have had to scale back IoT or mobile application plans due to the challenges that come with using data for these specific tasks.

Furthermore, 78% of respondents say their companies have made decisions to move past digital transformation plans and have instead gone straight to working on delivering projects.

Mayuram also suggests that to overcome these problems,  these issues need to be acknowledged and thought about about on a higher level than is currently happening.

“Taking advantage of new technologies requires new ways of approaching architecture,” continued Mayuram. “Realising the full potential of modern databases; microservices; AI technologies; and edge computing – such as in mobile apps and IOT –  to name a few, requires serious thinking. Architects are tasked with making the right technology choices and picking the right vendors that will guarantee their initiatives’ success. In this developer-driven economy, architects will lead this digital transformation by evolving the application and system architectures in a responsible manner, whereby businesses can make a quantum leap with minimum disruption.”

The survey was taken out across U.S, U.K, France and Germany and is based on an online survey conducted in summer 2019 by Vanson Bourne.

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Application Crisis Research found organisations are planning to build more, complex apps. 50% of respondents said that, within the next 12-18 months, their company will develop more apps with IoT components; 58% believe their company will develop AI components and apps and 62% said their company will increase of amount of apps deploying machine and deep learning components.

Given the time developers get to design, develop and test apps, 42% said it is unrealistic; 36% admitted they are not given enough time to ensure apps are properly tested; 81% believe their apps would have a greater impact on the business if given more time; 58% agree that use of outdated techniques and tools is holding them back from meeting the demands of the digital world and 75% believe with better tools, apps deployed by their team would have a greater impact on the business.

‘Development teams face internal pressure’

When it comes to feeling pressurised, 60% said most pressure comes from the company, 49% said competitors pressurise them; 66% believe pressure come from their company to innovate quickly; resulting in 49% putting out apps before they go through testing and 45% knowingly put out apps that perform below its initial requirements.

Regarding specific app testing, 70% of respondents claim they are focused more than ever on automation testing, with 67% saying automation was critically challenging.

John Bates, CEO of Testplant, said: “It is reaching a crunch point for businesses, under pressure to provide the most amazing services and apps to consumers, and development teams facing internal and competitive pressures, as organisations rush towards digital transformation.

“Companies are struggling to keep up with the pace of digitalisation and there will be a quality toll unless businesses see the imperative to completely re-think their traditional development processes and move towards more automated, intelligent solutions and tools.”

Application Crisis Research is conducted amongst over 750 development team leaders in the US and UK.

Written by Leah Alger

The post Companies struggle keeping up with digitalisation, says Testplant appeared first on DevOps Online North America.