If you’ve been researching digital experience platforms (DXPs) for enterprises, you might be considering making your next move in 2024.
You’re not the only one.
If the last few years have shown us anything, it’s that we cannot predict what’s next. It’s never been more important to get on the front foot and be ready to adapt to inevitable, future changes.
Below, we take a brief look at the four major 2024 technology trends covered in our latest report, “DX in 2024: A practical guide for digital experience professionals”.
They might just make you reconsider your digital experiences….and the DXP you chose to partner with.
To get the full details of each trend, and tips for moving forward with them. Download our report “DX in 2024: A practical guide for digital experience professionals”.
Trend 1. The future is dead
Say goodbye to the five-year plan and hello to a focus on right now.
If we tried to plan for today’s landscape five years ago (or even one year ago), we simply couldn’t have.
These days, a plan is basically out of date before you've finished writing it.
Accenture reported a 183% increase in the rate of change in the last four years. They expect that to accelerate further.
AI is just the most recent example of a shift that is driving this. There will be others and we won’t have to wait long to see them.
Predicting the future appears increasingly difficult, so long-term planning is overwhelming. The only solution is to set goals of directional intent and restrict actual planning to short-term time horizons – John-Paul Syriatowicz, Co-Founder and Chairman at Squiz
Adapt quickly and often
Traditionally, digital experiences take way too long to build. This can be for many reasons:
- fear of changing digital experience platforms,
- legacy tech that’s difficult to unpack,
- talent shortages to plan and execute accordingly,
- tech and data silos that hinder impactful outcomes.
To be successful in providing brilliant digital experiences today, we need to think less in terms of projects and more about ongoing optimization for continuous improvement.
The bottom line? Prioritize flexibility. Build, learn, and adapt quickly to changing demands.
Trend 2. Stop playing and start piloting with intent
Say goodbye to novelty and hello to reality.
Being able to add new tech to your digital experience platform – without completely overhauling existing systems – has become a key concern for enterprises.
To successfully implement AI for enterprise, we need to first understand what’s available, what each tool does and, realistically, what it will take to make it a success.
AI has remarkable capabilities, but robust implementation is not simple. Predictions have included the replacement of search engines and the redundancy of content authors. Sure, these things could happen. But we’ve still got a long way to go – Tom Kirkby, President – North America at Squiz
Utilize what you have at hand
Don’t overcomplicate your needs. Move quickly by finding a new way to leverage what you already have.
There are multiple entry points when it comes to AI for enterprises, that will utilize existing systems and data to improve the customer experience. Examples include enhancing search experiences and automating existing workflows - more details on these can be found in Trend 2 of the report.
Before jumping into anything, there are four key areas to consider.
- ROI: Are you focusing experimentation efforts on the right areas and tools to generate the fastest ROI?
- Risk: Are there guardrails on employee use of AI? Is there a risk of exposing confidential data or IP externally?
- Relevance: How do you protect or manage against false information or "hallucinations" via AI tools?
- Ongoing management: Will chosen AI tools work well with existing tools and data sources?
Trend 3. It’s time to tame the “Frankenstack”
Say goodbye to messy infrastructure and hello to a higher-performing tech stack.
Organizations are using different tools for multiple functions – each with varying degrees of success, and some with epic price tags.
Digital experience platforms comprising dreaded “Frankenstacks” are emerging.
Knowing what tech to keep, dump or live with, requires oversight.
I believe 2024 is all about using new techniques to identify the tools that aren't working optimally and then finding ways to get rid of them or use them better. Simplifying and optimizing your digital landscape promises a high return on investment – John-Paul Syriatowicz, Co-Founder and Chairman at Squiz
Reassess, Realize, Rationalize and Repeat with a composable DXP
Tech consolidation needs to become a continual cycle. It’s not a one-off, rip-and-replace project, it’s an incremental effort.
To keep moving, you need a platform that offers visibility and management of your entire tech stack, regardless of vendor, so you can:
- Reassess. Reassess the tech you don’t like and accept that you are better off sticking with some of it in the short term.
- Realize. Work towards impacting immediate timeframes. Use pilot projects. Test and learn to make incremental improvements.
- Rationalize. Use your shorter pilot projects to learn what works and rationalize your tech investments.
- Repeat. How is your tech stack looking now? What gaps need to be filled and what is still/now creating bloat?
Keep in mind that not all platforms are created equal. The visibility and flexibility you need only come from a truly composable DXP. This enables tools to work together as though they are all part of one single solution and ultimately creates the best customer experience.
To learn more about composable DXPs, check out the full details of Trend 3 in the report.
Trend 4. Welcome to the era of professional independence
Say goodbye to cross-functional dependency and hello to self-sufficiency.
The democratization of tech has changed our relationship with digital experience platforms and other tech tools. Professionals can now take more ownership of their work without needing support from other teams.
For marketers, this comes at the perfect time when they are increasingly expected to do more with less. For example:
- LLMs bypass the need for copywriters.
- Design platforms empower marketers to create assets independently.
- A/B testing enables marketers to develop and test new campaigns.
- Intuitive CMSs remove the need for HTML developers to make website updates.
The ability to reclaim control and self-sufficiency is allowing people to think wow, I can do this myself. I can get on with my job and I don't have to wait on someone else to do it for me. This will be a game-changer for development teams. It means we can support junior developers in their upskilling and allow them to work on tasks typically carried out with more experienced team members. – Greg Sherwood, Chief Technology Officer at Squiz
Invest in people as much as operations
If new tech and DXPs for enterprises are to be utilized to their full capability, support needs to come from the top down.
While there are some great success stories of workers being able to move quicker than ever before, it can add risk.
- Software developers still need to know whether code is secure, performant and covers all appropriate requirements.
- Marketing professionals must recognize that AI-curated responses are not to be copied and pasted.
- Organizations need to be confident about the third-party tools they’re sending lots of code to.
One way to mitigate danger is to encourage innovation rather than hinder it. Leaders can do this by giving staff a safe sandpit to play in (because, let’s face it, people are going to use AI anyway).
Digital experience platforms in 2024 and beyond
Organizations that successfully deliver brilliant digital experiences in 2024 and beyond, will embrace new technology, such as enterprise AI. They will move away from just ‘playing’ and adopt a low-investment pilot approach.
Due to the vast number of tools available, we’re also going to see leaders critique their tech stacks with a laser-sharp focus on efficiency and ROI.
Testing, learning and adapting as major shifts arise and customer expectations change.
Ultimately, this year is all about understanding the future is dead. Be agile, throw away your medium-to-long-term plans and move quickly.
Identify appropriate tools, upskill employees, empower teams, and consolidate clutter.
Then rinse and repeat.
Get ahead of this year’s DX tech trends, by diving into our report “DX in 2024: A practical guide for digital experience professionals”