Usage, the main driver for the development of IT solutions

In a recent study, publisher Pendo looked at the trends influencing the development of digital products in Europe. At the start of 2022, more than 350 digital product managers were surveyed in three European countries, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. The results highlight in particular the growing role of customer experience and data in digital projects.

In the report, customer usage of IT products and services is indeed the top factor in trends influencing product development, with 41% of respondents saying it has a major impact. In France, it is even almost half of the respondents who cite the use as having a major impact. In second place is the increased use of data to develop roadmaps, a trend that 36% of respondents believe has a major impact. If in 2021 63% of the decisions on the roadmap were based on qualitative elements and 37% on the quantitative, in 2022 the relationship is reversed, with 71% of decisions based on the quantitative and 29% only on qualitative assessments . Having data is indeed essential to measure the experience of customers and the actual use they make of IT solutions.

A success evaluated by the impact on turnover

The study also reveals that product development functions are tending to become more strategic, with 31% of respondents reporting greater influence in their organization. This is particularly the case in France, where 50% of product teams drive digital transformation, compared to 31% in Germany and 38% in the United Kingdom. This change in positioning is also reflected in the responsibilities described by respondents, where missions at the crossroads of other functions occupy an increasing place, such as customer reception (+14% compared to 2021) or customer training. (+13%).

Another sign of this turning point, the traditional indicators of success, which focused on compliance with the roadmap, are overtaken this year by the contribution to turnover and the use of products: in 2022, 56% of respondents cite indeed these two indicators, against 45% for turnover in 2021 and 40% for usage, while compliance with the roadmap goes from 67% in 2021 to 53% in 2022.