After years of languishing in the backwaters of unsexy boredom, enterprise software has become sexy. This change reflects growing expectations among business users that software should be easy to deploy and consume. With $7 billion of VC money going to enterprise startups in 2013, it’s clear that enterprise software is now the darling of just about everyone.
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Also read: Five principles of sexy enterprise software
Cloud underlies the technology disruptions enabling the transition of enterprise software from boring old dowager to cool hipster on the move. Based on cloud and the Internet, mobile apps and powerful devices give developers the ability to create enterprise-class products once unimaginable without the support of significant venture capital funding.
A survey by mobile researcher VisionMobile adds color to the enterprise software equation — that color is green, for money.
The data leads to two important conclusions:
- Most mobile developers still target consumers over the enterprise
- Enterprise mobile apps make more money than consumer apps, although enterprise teams are larger
The implication for mobile developers is clear: focus on the enterprise to increase your own revenue.
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CIOs should recognize that the data describes monetary incentives pushing developers to create consumer-style enterprise apps that will infiltrate your company. This end game is inescapable because users will increasingly demand simpler, less complex, software. As CIO, your challenge is reconciling demand for smaller apps without sacrificing governance, security, or efficiency.
(Cross-posted @ ZDNet | Beyond IT Failure Blog)
Developing for the enterprise has a profit advantage over consumer apps, although the apps themselves can differ in quality. Why? Fewer users. Functionality based on a perceived corporate need, rather than user demand. Limited feedback circles. That said, the data-driven enterprise app is no longer confined to Web-based apps. –Paul Calento