How Modern App Tools, Practices—Including DevOps—Deliver on KPIs

Organizations that are considered “highly mature” in modern application development are much more likely to see higher profits while successfully achieving their key performance indicators (KPIs), according to a recent survey from CA Technologies. The resulting report, titled “What Business Executives Are Learning about Software Development and How It Is Helping Achieve KPIs,” defines highly mature companies as those that have widely adopted modern app architecture solutions (such as APIs and microservices) and practices (DevOps and agile). Nearly 1,090 global IT and business executives took part in the research, which was conducted by Frost & Sullivan. The following slide show presents survey highlights, with charts provided courtesy of CA Technologies.

Only 27 percent of organizations are considered at a “high” level of modern application development maturity. In contrast, 34 percent are considered at a “relatively low” level of modern app development maturity.

Organizations at a high level of modern app development maturity are experiencing 18 percent average annual profit growth. But companies considered at a low level of modern app development maturity are only seeing 9 percent average annual profit growth.

Nearly all organizations at a high level of modern app development maturity have adopted DevOps, app security, agile practices, containers, microservices and application programming interfaces (APIs). But only 58 percent of companies at a low level of maturity use app security and just 52 percent deploy APIs. At most, only one-half of these businesses use microservices, containers, DevOps and agile practices.

Nearly three of four respondents at organizations at a high level of modern app development maturity say their software apps do a “very good” job in achieving their department’s key performance indicators (KPIs). But less than one in 10 of those at a low level of maturity can make the same claim.

Eighty-four percent of respondents at organizations at a high level of modern app development maturity said they have “completely integrated” their apps. In contrast, only 12 percent of those at organizations at a low level of maturity said their company has done this.

Among business respondents at all companies, 81 percent said APIs help them connect apps and data to get better insights. Nearly the same percentage said APIs help them get to market faster with new apps.

Four of five business respondents said microservices enable them to deploy apps independently of each other. Nearly the same percentage said microservices help them get to the market faster with new apps as well.

Among respondents overall, 79 percent said their company is releasing new apps or updates fast enough to satisfy market demands. But 69 percent said the pressure to quickly release these apps/updates is negatively impacting quality and security.

Nearly two of five respondents develop apps internally via the IT department, and 28 percent develop them internally through their own department. About one-third depend upon external vendors for app development.