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However, those who have not jumped on the AI bandwagon cite concerns such as: generative AI code lacks the creativity and innovation of human developers, AI can produce code with security vulnerabilities, and code developed with AI may contain errors, bugs, or inefficiencies. There is also a concern that AI might make the developer’s role obsolete.

The main reasons software developers are using generative AI in creating software are:

• Increase developer productivity 49%
• Eliminate repetitive tasks 38.4%
• Speed up development time 35.9%
• Cut down on errors 32.1%

AI is expected to have widespread integration this year as it becomes a ubiquitous presence among consumers, businesses, and global markets. Nearly half of the Reveal survey respondents (49.2%) plan to implement AI tools in 2024 compared to 27% in 2023.

Business Intelligence and Embedded Analytic Continues to Grow

Due to more customer and internal interest, the use of business intelligence and embedded analytics is expected to rise again in 2024. Almost three-quarters of software developers currently incorporate embedded analytics into their apps (73.2%) and 71.6% expect their organization’s focus on business intelligence to rise in 2024.

“Organizations are embracing embedded analytics tools because they are the key to achieving a competitive edge and business growth,” explained Casey Ciniello, Reveal and Slingshot Senior Product Manager at Infragistics. “Our survey found that the main reasons software developers and their customers want embedded analytics/business intelligence software are to make better business decisions, improve productivity, increase sales/revenue, understand business problems, and identify trends.”

Top Challenges in 2024

While the biggest software development challenge in 2024 will be incorporating AI into the development process, security threats are surging, as evidenced by recent cybersecurity attacks on healthcare systems, financial institutions, retailers and even government. Other software development challenges include high workload (29.6%) and increased customer demands (29.2%).

The survey found that the biggest business challenge for the technology industry in 2024 will be working with limited resources (40.9%) — surpassing the biggest business challenge of the past two years – recruiting developers with the right skills (34%). Other top 2024 business challenges are retaining current talent (32.1%), difficulty landing new business (30.6%) and inability to pay competitive salaries (30.3%).

“While the developer shortage is no longer the top challenge in 2024, respondents did indicate that Software Developer was their hardest job to fill, followed by Data Analyst, Web Designer (UX/UI) and Web Developer,” notes Ciniello.

The top four skills that will be crucial in software development this year are:

1. Working with web layouts (41.7%)
2. UX/UI Design (39.2%)
3. Data Analysis (37.2%)
4. Data Visualization (31.7%)

Company Growth is Expected to Slow

Last year was positive in terms of revenue growth with two in 10 survey respondents (19%) seeing revenue grow by 50% in 2023. However, expectations for new business in 2024 is expected to take a downturn. In 2023, more than a third of software developers took on new projects (35.7%), compared to 32.8% expecting to in 2024. Another third saw an increase in requests for proposals in 2023 (33%) while only 27.5% expect to see an increase in 2024. On the bright side, the survey found that software developers plan to expand into new markets (33.3%) in 2024.

“The tech industry is facing challenges on all fronts, from the implementation of generative AI to increasing cybersecurity attacks. As AI begins to shake up the software development industry, some are taking advantage of its initial capabilities while others are taking a “wait and see” approach,” said Ciniello. “While AI may not replace developers any time soon, we must learn more about AI, explore its potential and prepare for its impact on the future of software development.”

Read the fifth annual Reveal 2024 Top Software Development Challenges survey report here.

Survey Methodology: A total of 585 software developers and IT professionals participated in Reveal’s fifth annual survey from December 2023 to January 2024.

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Digital Work Trends Report Findings Released by Slingshot

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Slingshot’s Digital Work Trends Report explores the relationship between employees’ productivity and management. The report shines a light on how employees’ productivity and performance are impacted by many of the things they look to their leaders for, including priorities, deadlines, and the amount of work they’re responsible for. The report also reveals a generational divide in the ways employees navigate work and manage as leaders.

“Employees often feel overloaded, unsure of priorities and deadlines, and afraid to say no to additional work–even when they have too much on their plates already. And leaders are left scrambling when employees haven’t been focusing on the highest-value task or miss deadlines after taking on too much. This is all caused by a lack of visibility and alignment across teams,” said Dean Guida, Founder, Slingshot.

The new, inaugural report is based on research conducted by market research firm Dynata, on behalf of Slingshot.

Among the findings:

• Employees are overloaded and unguided–and they’re losing half of their day because of it. Employees say their productivity is most negatively impacted when they have too many projects/tasks on their plate (37%), don’t know what their priorities are (25%) and have no set deadlines (17%). A majority of employees (64%) say they lose at least 1-2 productive hours a day when they don’t have deadlines–with 22% of employees saying they lose 3-4 hours each day. Having to juggle too many projects follows closely, with 62% of employees losing at least 1-2 productive hours a day and 20% saying they lose 3+ hours to it.
• More meetings don’t mean more productivity. More than half of leaders feel the need to closely supervise employees when they are not delivering quality work (69%) or hitting deadlines (52%). But employees feel micromanaged when their boss checks in on them too often (45%) or they have unnecessary status meetings (43%). In fact, 25% of employees say work meetings are the most frustrating interruption throughout their day.
• Generations and genders differ in their approach to determining priorities in the workplace. Nearly half (49%) of Millennial workers (ages 27-42) guess what’s most important when they are not given priorities, while 33% of Boomer workers (ages 59+) and 35% of Gen X + Y workers (ages 43-58) choose what to do. A majority (55%) of Gen Z workers (ages 18-26) say they communicate with their colleagues to identify priorities. Males and females differ in their approach as well: 43% of females communicate with their colleagues to identify priorities while 45% of males say they choose what they want to do.

“Where employees spend their time is where their priorities lie–but this often doesn’t line up with their leaders and the larger goals of the company. Once teams are aligned on goals and objectives, employees are clear on their priorities and expected outcomes and leaders can have peace of mind that the right things are getting done in a timely manner. This is what will drive business results,” continued Guida.

The two-part 2023 Digital Work Trends Report is based on responses from 305 adult respondents working full-time as employees and leaders, across four age groups and all 50 states. View the full Slingshot 2023 Digital Work Trends Report Findings.

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The Rise of Data as Primary Informant  Data has transcended its status as a mere buzzword, evolving into an indispensable tool that guides decision-making, fuels innovation, and informs research. It has become a primary informant, driving business progress. Data is being generated at an astonishing rate and it offers unparalleled opportunities to gain insights into every facet of our lives, including our work. According to Slingshot’s 2023 Digital Work Trends Report, employee productivity now hinges more on data accessibility than flexibility. The survey found that 72% use data to improve performance, more than half of workers (56%) gather and use data to make workplace decisions, and more than half of workers (54%) use data to prioritize goals.

Workers thrive when equipped with data to inform their tasks. Consequently, ensuring the ease of finding, analyzing, comprehending, and sharing data becomes paramount, fostering trust in data-driven solutions that rise to this challenge.

5 Ways to Use Data to Make Workplace Decisions

To optimize efficiency, boost employee morale, and streamline resource allocation, it’s imperative to wield data effectively. Here are five strategies to make data work for you:

1. Customer Segmentation for Targeted Marketing & Product Development: Leverage data to segment your customer base. Delve into customer demographics, purchase histories, and behaviors to craft comprehensive customer profiles. This empowers your marketing and sales teams to tailor their strategies, messages, and product offerings to specific customer segments, thus enhancing marketing campaign efficacy and sales performance. Insights derived from data ensure that your product offerings align seamlessly with customer needs and market demands, driving sales and customer satisfaction.
2. Budgeting and Financial Analysis: Harness data for financial decision-making. Monitor and analyze financial data, including revenue, expenses, and profitability. Data-driven budgeting enables effective fund allocation, well-informed decisions on cost-cutting measures, and the identification of revenue growth opportunities.
3. Market Research and Customer Feedback: Utilize data to inform decisions regarding product development, marketing strategies, and customer service. Conduct comprehensive market research to gather insights on industry trends, competitor performance, and customer preferences. Additionally, analyze customer feedback and reviews to gauge satisfaction levels and identify product or service enhancement avenues.
4. Marketing ROI Analysis: Measure the return on investment (ROI) of marketing campaigns by meticulously tracking data on marketing expenditures, customer acquisition costs, and revenue generated from each campaign. Data analysis empowers you to pinpoint the most effective marketing channels and strategies, allocate your marketing budget optimally, and maximize your efforts with a data-driven approach.
5. Sales Forecasting and Inventory Management: Visualize your historical sales data in dashboards to easily forecast future demand and optimize inventory management. By analyzing sales trends, seasonal fluctuations, and customer preferences, you can make data-driven decisions about inventory levels, production schedules, and pricing strategies in order to meet customer demand.

How to Achieve Data Efficiency

Employing data for workplace decisions is a structured process involving several key steps. Here are the essential elements of effective data-driven decision-making:

• Utilize Data-Driven Work Management Apps with Dashboards: Modern work management apps featuring integrated dashboards provide holistic insights into organizational operations. These dashboards offer real-time visibility into project progress, team performance, and resource allocation. By leveraging such tools, you can identify bottlenecks, track key performance indicators, and make data-informed decisions on project priorities. Furthermore, these tools facilitate seamless data sharing and collaboration, which is crucial for keeping your team well-informed and data-driven.
• Have Data Storage and Accessibility: Establish a secure and organized data storage system, whether through database creation, data catalogs, or cloud-based solutions. It is imperative to ensure that data is structured and labeled appropriately for easy retrieval.
• Always Interpret Results: Analyze the outcomes of data analysis and decipher the implications. Be prepared to address questions related to trends, patterns, and the alignment of data with objectives. Visualizing data in an engaging and comprehensible manner aids in enhancing data interpretation.
• Assure Monitoring and Feedback: Continuously monitor the outcomes of decisions, comparing expected results with actual outcomes. Incorporate feedback mechanisms to evaluate decision effectiveness.

By following these steps, organizations can establish a systematic and efficient approach to using data to inform workplace decisions, leading to strategic and successful outcomes.

Incorporating data-driven decision-making strategies into the workplace is pivotal for adapting to the dynamic demands of the modern world. Embrace these strategies to empower your organization, enhance productivity, and stay ahead in today’s data-centric business environment. Don’t wait; start leveraging the power of data today.

Review the Slingshot’s 2023 Digital Work Trends Report to make the best workplace decisions for your organization.

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