Engineering next-generation digital products

Software is rapidly becoming the foundation of most of the ways we work, live, and play – a trend known as ‘softwarization’. But, while software itself isn’t new, what’s changed is the degree to which it determines a product’s user experience, revenue opportunities, longevity, competitiveness, market differentiation, and more.

Softwarization enables products to become ‘smart’, connected, and even autonomous – capabilities they didn’t have when software was only a limited part of their DNA. Softwarization also provides engineers with unprecedented ways to get information on the performance of their products in the real world, and how customers use them. These invaluable insights enable engineers to refine existing products and develop new ones.

But there’s a catch. Enterprises face numerous challenges in the softwarization of their products across areas such as talent, technology, organization, and ecosystem orchestration. Written in partnership with the Everest Group, this paper looks at the drivers of softwarization, the common pitfalls encountered by enterprises as they integrate software into their products, and how enterprises can ensure success as they start and the sustain their product softwarization journey.