A guide to the future potential of Software Development

At Propel Tech, we specialise in bespoke software and believe in its power to bring positive change. With this conviction, we launched a nationwide survey in late 2023, aiming to explore the future of bespoke software development. Our goal was to gather insights on its impact, from day-to-day work to broader societal challenges. The key question we asked was simple yet profound...

“If software could improve and change your business.. or even the world… over the next 10 years…. what would you like it to do?”

The feedback we received has shone a light on diverse opinions. We received over 800 responses from individuals in all levels of business across the UK and even some from outside of the UK, and it revealed big hopes and apprehensions about bespoke software. From the survey, we found the top 10 areas that people want software to solve moving forward:

The Propel Tech big bespoke software wishlist top 10

Top selected areas business executives want bespoke software to improve 2024 and beyond across the world, business and for employees:

1. Improve global ethical practices
2. Drive cross-continent sustainability
3. Solve worldwide healthcare inequalities
4. Share global wealth
5. Improve business sector efficiency
6. Boost business revenues
7. Deliver better corporate decision-making
8. Augment employee wellbeing
9. Increase team collaboration
10. Boost individual problem-solving

So let's dig into the data:

How do business professionals think bespoke software should improve the employee working environment over the next 10 years?

Top 3 areas bespoke software should improve for employees at work:
Wellbeing, collaboration and problem-solving

In our survey, we asked professionals from various sectors—manufacturing, law, charity, government, finance, and media—how software should address work-related challenges and what problems it should solve for future employees.

The survey had six key options and a free-text comment. Two priorities emerged across all industries and career levels: 46% of respondents believed bespoke software should enhance productivity and collaboration, while 42% prioritised improving employee well-being and work-life balance. Other notable areas included fostering creative problem-solving and improving process accuracy.

At entry and intermediate levels, 47% prioritised productivity and collaboration, and 45% focused on well-being, with less emphasis on free thinking, training, or streamlining tasks.

For mid- to senior-level executives, well-being remained a priority for 35%, though 15% also highlighted the need for software to streamline repetitive tasks.

How should bespoke software improve the world of business in the future?

Top 3 areas that bespoke software should enhance business:
Improved efficiency, boost revenues and better decision making

We asked respondents to then think big and to consider what problems they thought software should solve for businesses in the future, options that we were given included:

• Software should act as a driver for boosting revenue and marketing competitiveness
• Software should enhance and enable better decision-making through analytics
• Software should enhance security and privacy should be a priority
• Software should in the future focus on improving creativity and new product development
• Software should improved team productivity, and increase operational efficiency and cost savings

On reviewing these options, 46% of respondents identified increasing operational efficiency and cost savings as the top problem software should solve for businesses. The second priority was boosting revenue and market competitiveness. Additionally, 40% highlighted better decision-making through analytics, followed by improving creativity and new product development (NPD), which 39% ranked in their top three.

At entry level, 54% prioritised boosting revenue, while 65% of senior-level respondents focused on operational efficiency and cost savings.

Outside the UK, 64% prioritised operational efficiency, with more emphasis on data security and analytics. In contrast, UK businesses are more focused on revenue, efficiency, and competitiveness, with only 8% prioritising data security, compared to 25% abroad.

What problems should bespoke software should solve for the world in the next 10 years and what should the priority be?

Top 4 areas bespoke software should help solve for the globe:
Improve ethical practices, drive sustainability, and solve healthcare inequalities.

We saved the biggest question for last: as we explore the potential of bespoke software, it’s crucial to consider its role in addressing global challenges. Our survey asked participants to reflect on the transformative power of bespoke software in tackling key issues.

We highlighted six major global challenges: promoting social responsibility and ethics, improving education and inclusivity, expanding economic opportunities, enhancing global health, supporting sustainability and ESG principles, and combating food scarcity and waste.

Across industries, the top priorities for software were advancing ethical standards (46%) and promoting sustainability (42%). Economic growth and global health were also key areas for impact. Younger respondents showed a broader range of concerns, with sustainability (19%) and ethical responsibility (16%) slightly leading, suggesting they see software as capable of addressing multiple challenges.

Conclusion

The Propel Tech Wishlist Survey provides valuable insights into public and industry sentiments regarding the future role of bespoke software development and its impact on work, business, and global challenges 2024 and beyond. It revealed some interesting differences in viewpoints across the UK, internationally and across demographics. Understanding these perspectives helps us to navigate the evolving technological landscape effectively and work towards ensuring inclusive, future-looking bespoke software development.