Testplant survey reveals critical business 'App Gap'

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Research demonstrating the acute pressure that businesses are under to deliver apps in the IoT and digital era, has just been released by digital automation intelligence specialist, Testplant.

Its recent 'Application Crisis Research', conducted amongst over 750 development team leaders in the US and UK, revealed that 68% plan to build more apps during the next 12 months. At the same time as reporting increased volumes of development, 91% of developers agree that user expectations for innovation and quality have also increased.

The 'App Complexity Crisis'

The research confirms that organizations are not only planning to build more apps in the next year, but they will be more complex. Over the next 12-18 months, 50% say their company will develop more apps with IoT components, more than half (58%) say their company will develop more apps with AI components, and 62% say their company will increase the amount of apps deploying machine learning/deep learning components.

The 'App Gap'

In addition, 42% believe that they are expected to design, develop and test apps in an unrealistic amount of time with over a third (36%) admitting they are not given enough time to ensure apps are properly tested before deployment. 81% believe that with more time, apps deployed by their team would have a greater impact on the business. Over half of the respondents (56%) agree that use of outdated techniques and tools is holding them back from meeting the demands of the digital world. 75% agree that with better tools, apps deployed by their team would have a greater impact on the business.

Pressure cooker

Of the survey respondents, 60% say the majority of pressure comes from within the company, whereas nearly half (49%) say pressure comes from competitors. 66% feel pressure from their company to innovate quickly and worryingly, this results in 49% putting out apps before they go through ideal testing. 45% knowingly put out apps that will perform below initial requirements.

When it comes to specific app testing, automation beyond execution was ranked as the most critical challenge by 67%, though 70% claim they are now more focused on automated testing than they were in the past.

Dr 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 organizations rush towards digital transformation. Companies are struggling to keep up with the pace of digitalization 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."