Boomi study reveals need for composability in enterprise software

Boomi has announced the findings of a new global study which highlights the critical need for composability in enterprise software to address challenges posed by legacy systems. The study, sponsored by IFS and Boomi, was conducted by IDC and surveyed over 1,000 C-level executives across 12 countries in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific.

The research indicates that outdated, monolithic systems and a lack of technological knowledge at the executive level are hindering organisations' agility and responsiveness to disruptions. The report stresses that implementing a composable strategy is essential for overcoming these challenges. This includes leveraging the role of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and composability to unlock business data and drive transformation.

Recent global events, such as Brexit and the cost-of-living crises, underscore the urgency of transitioning to composable applications. These developments have highlighted the deficiencies of outdated technologies, with many businesses facing significant challenges over the past three years. The study found that 56% of respondents reported issues with working capital and inventory imbalances, 53% faced volatile demand, and 48% struggled with unpredictable supply chains. Moreover, 60% identified legacy applications as a major barrier, 48% cited a lack of integration, and 43% pointed to inflexible or monolithic applications impeding their efforts to mitigate risks.

According to the research, outdated technology platforms have negatively impacted businesses, with limited visibility into operational processes reported by 24% of respondents and poor internal collaboration by 18%. These issues make it difficult for companies to use data effectively in long-term planning, thus hampering business agility and the ability to respond to future disruptions.

A concerning finding from the study is that 41% of organisations lack a composable strategy, risking stagnation and increased technical debt. While over 70% of C-suite respondents with business and functional responsibilities understand the value of a composable architecture, only 19% of board-level professionals are aware of its benefits. This discrepancy highlights the need for education and clearer business cases to demonstrate the short, medium, and long-term value of composability.

Ed Macosky, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Boomi, commented on the findings, saying, "This research sends a clear message to executives: to remain competitive, increase agility, and drive productivity across their entire business, composability is key. Speed to realizing value requires a strong data foundation and a mature cloud strategy as prerequisites to the adoption of other advanced technologies."

Encouragingly, 89% of respondents identified API-driven innovation as a crucial element of composability. More than half (51%) pointed to seamless integration between process workflows, and 37% emphasised the importance of single-platform solutions. The findings suggest that APIs are essential for creating adaptable and flexible business systems, supporting the notion that the future of business applications is composable.

The survey also revealed technology preferences, with 82% of respondents underscoring the importance of APIs, followed by Artificial Intelligence (45%) and Machine Learning (40%). The top areas where organisations believe they would benefit from application composability include supply chain (51%), procurement (47%), and customer service and support (40%).

Despite the recognised importance of composability, the research highlights the need for broader organisational alignment and clear technological direction to fully maximise the advantages of a composable architecture. Many organisations are actively pursuing composing workflows with multiple products using APIs, with 22% of respondents indicating they are following this approach. This strategy aims to integrate diverse systems and applications, driving efficiency, innovation, and eliminating waste.

Macosky concluded, "Inertia in moving to the cloud or formulating a clear composability strategy is likely to prevent businesses from unlocking the full value of AI and machine learning technology. The challenge for organisations now is to realise value pervasively. However, they must overcome considerable barriers, such as the lack of understanding of composability’s value at the executive level and inadequate progression within cloud journeys. It should therefore come as little surprise that the CIO and CTO are the primary champions for composability."